This instant pot honey mustard chicken is an easy, healthy weeknight dinner! You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and the sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce smothers the chicken for a delicious and simple meal.
Instant pot chicken is an easy and healthy way to get dinner on the table. This honey mustard twist is a flavorful way to feed your whole family without tons of planning or preparation and you only need a few ingredients and less than 30 minutes!
Reasons to Love Instant Pot Honey Mustard Chicken
- Easy weeknight dinner: this is one of those easy recipes you can add to your weekly rotation. We highly recommend it with garlic roasted mini peppers, air fryer asparagus, roasted brussels sprouts, green beans, a side salad, or Instant Pot asparagus.
- Delicious chicken dinner: this isn't the same old boring baked chicken! Cover the tender chicken thighs honey mustard glaze and you'll never look back.
- Easy to meal prep: store leftover honey mustard chicken airtight containers and top them on a salad the next day for a quick lunch.
Grab These Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients for this easy chicken recipe. Jump down to the full recipe card for exact measurements.
- Honey: raw honey is best and gives this a sweet and thick sauce.
- Chicken Broth or water: you need at least half a cup of liquid to bring the Instant Pot to pressure.
- Mustard: we've tested this recipe with Dijon mustard and yellow mustard and love both!
- Spices: a mix of Italian seasoning paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
- Chicken: use chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs, or bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. The cooking time will vary based on the type of chicken you use. Bone-in chicken thighs will take 2-3 minutes longer.
- Cornstarch or tapioca starch: this thickens the sauce at the end and is optional.
What is honey mustard chicken?
Honey mustard chicken is a cooked chicken recipe made with a thick honey mustard sauce. The honey and mustard cook and caramelize a bit while cooking and turns a gorgeous brown color and a sweet and tangy flavor.
It's very similar to our classic honey mustard chicken thighs recipe that you can bake or grill.
It's a great recipe for easy dinners! Super healthy and super simple.
How long does it take to cook frozen chicken in the instant pot?
You can definitely cook frozen chicken in the instant pot and do so without worrying about thawing the chicken. Follow the steps for the instant pot honey mustard chicken recipe, but instead cook it 4 minutes longer.
It takes about 10 minutes for the pressure cooker to heat and build pressure then it takes about 12 minutes for the frozen chicken to cook through for a total of about 22 minutes for a medium 6-8 ounce frozen chicken breast.
How to serve honey mustard chicken:
I like to serve my honey mustard chicken with a starch or a veggie! Here are a few ideas!
- Baked sweet potato or sweet potato salad
- Cauliflower rice or white rice
- Roasted broccoli
- Brussel sprout salad
If you love this recipe, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.
More healthy chicken recipes:
- Rice crispy chicken with healthy honey mustard [GF]
- Chicken parmesan spaghetti squash casserole
- One pan greek chicken
- Sheet pan paleo baked chicken
- Buffalo chicken stuffed zucchini boats
Instant pot honey mustard chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 (4-6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts thawed or frozen
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or tapioca starch
Instructions
- Combine honey and water in the bowl of the instant pot. Next, turn the instant pot to saute and leaving the lid off, stir together until the honey dissolves, about 5 minutes. Next, add the mustard, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika and stir to combine.
- Set the steam rack inside add the chicken breasts to the Instant Pot and coat with the honey mustard sauce.
- Seal the lid and turn the steam valve to the sealing position.
- Set Instant Pot to pressure cook/manual, high pressure. Set the cook time to 8 minutes for a medium-sized 6-8 ounce chicken breast. Set the cook time to 12 minutes if the chicken breast is frozen.
- The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and then will start counting down the cook time, so 18 minutes total.
- When it beeps to let you know the cook time has finished, carefully quick release the pressure by using the handle of a long spoon to turn the steam valve to venting.
- Finally, remove the lid then remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. Add 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch or cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the honey mustard sauce in the instant pot and turn on saute. Allow to boil and thicken for 2-3 minutes then add chicken back to instant pot and coat chicken with sauce.
- Serve with rice, vegetables or quinoa.
Amy says
It is lunch time and I could use a nice piece of this honey mustard chicken right now! I guess that I will have to settle for making it for dinner. Thank you for sharing.
Jo H says
Thank u ? what a great recipe.. however I’m new to the Instant Pot! ? I live in Australia..
my chicken did burn a bit.. what could I do next time? Put 1/2 cup water instead of 1/3? Or pressure cook for 5 minutes instead of 8 minutes?
Cheers
Jo 🙂
Molly Thompson says
Try adding a little bit of additional water!
Sarah says
I got a burn notice, followed your recipe but used just 2 chicken breasts. I knew you should use more liquids per the manual but trusted the recipe. Now I have waterEd downed (min flavor) chicken and a delayed supper. Boo.
Molly Thompson says
Sorry to hear that, Sarah! Did you allow the honey to dissolve? Sometimes you can get a burn notice because the sugar in the honey cooks faster. I'm going to test this recipe again to make sure the ratios are correct!
Michelle says
I got a burn notice too. I knew I was going to get one, but I thought I’d try it anyway. Because there wasn’t enough liquid. But the sauce taste so good!
Clarissa says
Hi, just found your site and all your recipes. I have PCOS so I am interested in these recipes. I'm wondering if it's okay to heat the honey up? I'm part of several PCOS groups who all say honey can't be heated, but I imagine in this recipe it is?
Molly Thompson says
Hey Clarissa! I've never heard that! I work with a functional CNP and she's never mentioned that to me, but I definitely would ask your doctor if you want to know specifically for you. I like to monitor honey intake with my blood sugar but I love this recipe!
Ashley Wack says
I made this for dinner and it was a huge hit. My husband and I loved it. I followed the exact recipe and it turned out delicious. I would highly recommend, especially if you want to prepare a meal that is quick and easy with big taste!
Julie says
I’m not sure where the steam basket comes in.
MB says
yes, I'm reading the recipe and wondering the same thing! She says to put it in-- why? And doesn't say to take it out?
Mark says
It allows you to remove the chicken easily while you thicken the sauce.
Chuck says
It was so delicious and easy! I substituted Chicken broth instead of the water and it turned out fantastic. Thanks!
Mika says
Can I make this in a one pot/dutch oven or in a crockpot?
Darrick says
very good publish, i actually love this web site, carry on it
Heather says
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious! Is there a way to make it in a slow cooker?
Molly Thompson says
Hi Heather! I haven't tried it in the slow cooker but I definitely think you can. I would just omit the broth and cook on low for 3 ours (internal temp should be 165°F). Thanks!
connie says
really easy...fantastic taste, juicy chicken and outstanding gravy!!! Thank you for a great keeper!!
Letitia says
I made it but my chicken dried out. I think some of my chicken was to thick and some to thin or I put to much. The sauce was amazing and made the dry chicken tolerable. Will definitely try again.
Brittany says
Hi! This recipe looks delicious and I am going to try it out. I’m a little confused with the steam rack. Does the chicken sit on the rack in the sauce so it doesn’t burn or can the chicken just be in the sauce?