Description
This Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Breasts recipe offers a flavorful and juicy meal with a simple honey mustard marinade baked to perfection. Tender chicken breasts are marinated in a zesty mix of Dijon mustard, honey, fresh thyme, and spices, then baked to juicy tenderness and finished with a glaze of reserved sauce for an extra burst of flavor. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 – 1 1/4 lbs. chicken breasts, pounded and cut into 4-5 oz. portions
- 1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper, to taste
- 1/8 tsp. paprika
Honey Mustard Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to ensure consistent baking temperatures for even cooking.
- Prepare Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness of about 1 inch and cut into 4-5 oz. portions to help them cook uniformly.
- Make Honey Mustard Sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika until smooth to create the marinade.
- Reserve Sauce: Set aside 2 tablespoons of the honey mustard sauce to brush on the chicken later for added flavor.
- Coat Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the bowl with the remaining marinade and toss well until evenly coated. For easier storage, transfer the chicken and sauce to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag if desired.
- Marinate: Cover and refrigerate the chicken for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight to let the flavors penetrate.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick spray, then place the marinated chicken breasts in a single layer in the dish.
- Bake Chicken: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. The temperature will rise to the safe 165°F after removing from the oven.
- Brush with Reserved Sauce: After baking, brush the chicken with the reserved honey mustard sauce for an extra layer of delicious flavor.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the chicken with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve warm. Enjoy your flavorful honey mustard baked chicken!
Notes
- To ensure even cooking, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes; however, marinating overnight will yield more flavorful results.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safety.
- For a dairy-free version, this recipe is already suitable as it contains no dairy ingredients.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
