Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe

Honey mustard chicken thighs is the best chicken thigh recipe to have in your arsenal! It’s kid-friendly, and adults love it, too. Plus, make it freezer-friendly by marinating it before wrapping in bacon.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

You’re looking at a recipe that I dreamt up while my daughter begged to go out for dinner after her gymnastics class. I’m convinced we’re given children that challenge us in the deepest ways, and having a kid who loves restaurant food while I love nothing more than cooking at home is my proof. So, while I try to amp up the flavor of home cooked food to appeal to her, you’ll get some new bold recipes.

I’m of the opinion that onion powder and garlic powder make almost everything taste better! Well, I wouldn’t put them in Oreo Brownies, but I will say that almost everything savory tastes better with a punch of onion and garlic.

The chicken thighs get wrapped in bacon while the honey mustard sauce clings to the meat. Little sprigs of rosemary crisp up and release fragrance in the oven while they bake. Can you smell this already? Definitely one of my favorite chicken dinners for two.

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Ingredients

• Chicken Thighs. This recipe is for using 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This is typically the amount in a standard size package, however, you can double the recipe to feed more people. You can also use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but the bake time will be longer. Use a thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165-degrees F before removing from the oven.
• Yellow Mustard. Three tablespoons of regular bright yellow mustard.
• Dijon Mustard. Two tablespoons of Dijon mustard for some spice.
• Honey. Two tablespoons of your favorite honey. This will help the mixture brown in the oven and bring sweetness to balance the flavors.
• Olive Oil. Two tablespoons of olive oil to coat the chicken for cooking to an even brownness.
• Onion Powder. One-half teaspoon of onion powder (not onion flakes).
• Garlic Powder. One-half teaspoon of garlic powder (or garlic granules). If you want to use fresh garlic, use two cloves, very finely minced.
• Rosemary. It’s optional, but I love the way fresh rosemary plays with honey mustard, so if you have a big stalk of it, use it. Use your fingers to strip the leave off the stem and add it to the marinade. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, I don’t recommend dry because it doesn’t have much flavor and can burn in the oven.
• Bacon. Six slices of bacon (or, one slice per every chicken thigh you’re baking).

If you want to use my honey mustard sauce as a dip, add in mayonnaise and a splash of barbecue sauce for that true Chick-Fil-A taste! However, when I’m making these honey mustard chicken thighs, I simply add olive oil to help marinate the chicken.

Leftovers/ Storage:

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in air-tight food storage containers. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months, and defrost overnight in the fridge before serving. For full make-ahead freezing instructions, see below.

How to make this chicken thighs recipe freezer-friendly:

Because I’ve been trying hard to get a handle on weeknight meals, I started prepping a bit on the weekends. I do this by following this general method.

1. I  mix up the honey mustard sauce for this recipe and pour in in a bag.
2. Then, I slide 4-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the bag, depending on how many I’m cooking for this week. Seal the bag before mixing it all together.
3. Once every piece of chicken thigh looks coated in the sauce, I pop the entire bag in the freezer.
4. Just pull it out the night before I want to cook for a defrost session in the fridge.
5. The night I plan to cook, I just have to wrap each chicken thigh in bacon and bake! 

If the chicken thighs aren’t in the freezer, you can save some of the honey mustard to brush on them after baking. Just to be clear: don’t brush honey mustard that touched raw chicken on cooked chicken. Once a marinade touches raw meat, it’s trash. I’ve seen people boil a marinade to re-use it, and it still gives me the creeps, so just don’t do it.

Air Fryer Option

Since I developed this recipe, air fryers have hit the scene, and we love how fast they make any recipe!

To make this in an air fryer, preheat the fryer to 380-degress. Add the chicken after the 1 hour marinade time, and cook for 10-12 minutes on the first side. Flip, and cook the second side for 5-8 minutes, or until the chicken tests as done and the bacon is fully cooked.

More easy chicken thighs recipes for you: 

• My honey garlic chicken thighs are my family’s all-time favorite dinner! 
• Chicken cacciatore recipe for two is a great way to use bone-in chicken thighs.
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken is the single greatest instant pot recipe, IMO.
• Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are my comfort food meal of choice.

If you’re looking for a way to use leftover bacon, I highly recommend my bacon wrapped asparagus!

Continue to Content

Yield: 6 thighs

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

Print

Bacon wrapped honey mustard chicken thighs.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
• 6 slices of bacon

Instructions

1. Inspect the chicken thighs, and trim off any excess fat with kitchen scissors, if desired. Place the chicken thighs in a large resealale bag.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except for the bacon.
3. Pour the mustard sauce into the bag with the chicken, and mash it aroudn to coat all pieces. Let marinate in the fridge at least 1 hour, or overnight, or stash in the freezer. See freezer instructions below.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to rest on the counter while the oven preheats to 400.
5. When the oven is preheated, remove on chicken thigh and gently roll it into a log shape in one hand, and then use your other hand to pick up a piece of bacon and wrap it around. Place it in a 8x8" baking dish. Repeat with all remaining chicken and bacon.

6. Bake the chicken thighs for 25 minutes, and test with a meat thermometer to ensure they're 165°F in the thickest part. If you don't let your chicken rest on the counter while the oven preheats, it will take an extra 5-7 minutes to bake.

Notes

To make this freezer-friendly, place the bag of chicken in the freezer to marinate for up to 3 months. The day before you want to serve, pull the bag out and let it defrost in the fridge. Proceed at step 4.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 617Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 296mgSodium: 1929mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 63g

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