My cast iron honey mustard chicken thighs are tender and juicy with an extremely easy homemade honey mustard sauce ready in just 30 minutes for dinner or lunch! Seared on the stove top then finished in the oven--let me teach you how to make them perfectly on your very first try.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my Moroccan spiced chicken thighs made in the slow cooker, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - This cast iron chicken dish is ready in just half an hour and uses five simple ingredients. You won't need any fancy kitchen appliances or advanced chef techniques to make it happen. Make sure to use my pro tips for the easiest experience!
Family Favorite - Oven baked cast iron chicken thighs are a weeknight dinner winner because they're so versatile and simple to make AND the honey and mustard flavor absolutely slaps! Tangy and sweet and savory--everyone always asks for seconds in my family.
I have lots of flavor-filled chicken recipes ideas for you to try next, like my peanut butter chicken stir fry, juicy grilled moroccan chicken kebabs, three-ingredient pineapple salsa chicken made in the crock pot, orange glazed chicken breast, and Nigerian chicken stew with tomato and peppers.
I still love and use this recipe, four years later! Simple, low fuss, and very tasty.
-reader review from E.A.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Chicken Thighs, of course! Boneless skinless will have the shortest cooking time but you can easily adapt this recipe to use bone-in thighs for that delicious crispy skin. I have instructions for that in the recipe card below.
Mustard and Honey for the homemade honey mustard. I like to use dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard in this recipe but plain yellow mustard also works. So does Creole mustard!
Spices like smoked paprika and garlic powder add subtle flavor that enhances the sauce.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Maple Syrup can work in place of honey if you don't have honey available or just prefer not to use it. You can also use sweeteners like date paste or date syrup or monk fruit sweetener. Keep in mind that different sweetener options cook and caramelize differently so you'll want to check on your chicken and cover it, if needed.
Bone-in or boneless skinless chicken thighs both work fabulously in this recipe. Bone-in will just have a longer cooking time so check the internal temperature to be sure. For the most desirable crispy crackly effect, use skin-on chicken thighs!
Oil options besides olive oil that work great in this recipe include avocado oil and grape seed oil.
How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken in a Cast Iron Pan
- Step 1: Season both sides of the chicken then add it to a hot, oiled cast iron skillet.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, mix up the honey, mustard, and spices to make your sauce.
Pro Tip #1
A hot pan is key! Get your skillet and oil nice and heated before adding the chicken. The oil should easily slide around the pan when tilted.
Pro Tip #2
Resist the urge to check and flip the chicken unnecessarily. Once you get it in the oil, let it cook for a few minutes before even thinking about flipping it.
- Step 3: Flip the chicken to sear the other side.
- Step 4: Spoon sauce over top of chicken then transfer pan to preheated oven and roast until fully cooked.
Pro Tip #3
Reserve some of the honey mustard glaze to spoon over the finished chicken for extra flavor and creaminess.
Make it a Meal!
Add Root Vegetables: Toss baby potatoes, carrots or sweet potatoes into the skillet with the chicken and let them roast together. If the vegetables are bite-sized, they should cook through in the same time it takes the chicken to finish.
Use Leftovers I like to slice up the leftover chicken to use in salads and lunch bowls throughout the week
Frequently Asked Questions
You can cook this chicken up to two days ahead of time as long as it's stored properly.
Store refrigerated in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for up to four days. Keeps in the freezer for up to six months.
What to Serve with Cast Iron Skillet Chicken
Wondering what vegetables go with honey mustard chicken thighs? Try my brown butter roasted green beans, pan fried brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potato mash or easy roasted carrots.
Or serve honey mustard glazed chicken thighs with jollof rice, sweet potatoes or mashed red potatoes! And a side of honey cornbread never hurt nobody.
I like to slice up leftovers and store for later in the fridge or freezer to serve over salad or toss into a power bowl. My ACV massaged kale salad and harvest salad with roasted squash are great options, just saying!
More Favorite Quick Savory Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you and your family will enjoy this easy honey mustard chicken thighs recipe soon and very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Cast Iron Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 large cast iron skillet or large oven-safe skillet
- 1 spoon
Ingredients
For the Honey Mustard Chicken
- olive oil
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in*
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- ½ cup dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Farenheit. Season chicken thighs with sea salt and black pepper and set aside.3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, sea salt, black pepper
- Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat and allow to get hot for a couple of minutes. Then add chicken to skillet, top side down, and allow to sear for two to three minutes-enough time to let the flesh turn opaque and white.olive oil
- Meanwhile, mix together mustard, honey, paprika, and garlic powder until uniform.½ cup dijon mustard, ¼ cup honey, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Flip chicken thighs over and cook for about five minutes more then remove from heat.
- Spread about ¾ of the honey mustard sauce over top of chicken then place entire pan in oven to roast for about 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. When finished, chicken should be golden brown with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Farenheit.
- Serve with remaining honey mustard glaze.
Evangeline says
This chicken is in regular rotation for dinner time. We make it with the brussels sprouts and your sweet potato fries for my son. It’s always a winner!
EA says
I still love and use this recipe, four years later! Simple, low fuss, and very tasty.
Jazzmine Woodard says
Thanks for your feedback. I'm so glad you're enjoying this recipe!
EKS says
This was incredibly delicious and easy to make, yum! Definitely adding to my weekly dinner rotation - thank you!
Renia Butler says
Love crispy chicken thighs!