This slow cooker honey mustard chicken recipe is the ultimate effortless weeknight dinner. Imagine juicy chicken pieces in a creamy, golden honey mustard sauce, all cooked to perfection in your slow cooker. This easy dinner will quickly become a family favorite!
[This recipe is a new and improved version of the one that was originally posted in 2020]
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Do you prefer thighs or breasts? It seems that most people have a definitive preference. My answer is: it depends!
With this dish, you don't have to choose. I make both dark and light meat together - in the same slow cooker at the same time!
📝Shopping list
To make this crock pot honey mustard chicken, you will need these simple ingredients:
- skinless, boneless chicken breasts* - You can sub this with all thighs or all breasts
- boneless chicken thighs*
- dijon mustard
- stone ground mustard
- honey
- garlic - minced
- salt
- ground black pepper
- potato starch optional - for thickening sauce
Side note
This recipe calls for the use of both white and dark meat because my entire family prefers some of each. However, you can use all of one or the other.
🔪Instructions
This great recipe just involves a few simple steps:
Preparing Your Slow Cooker
Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent. Any nonstick cooking spray or oil will work. Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings.
NOTE: some slow cooker inserts come with a nonstick surface. Use of a non-stick agent is still suggested. However, oil is sometimes recommended rather than spray to protect the longevity of the surface. Check your slow cooker's manual if you have any concerns.
Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.
Utensils
Wooden and rubber spoons and spatulas are best in a slow cooker. This will help to keep from scratching the surface of your slow cooker vessel. This is especially important if you have a slow cooker with a non-stick surface OR if you are using a liner.
Get Cooking
- 🍯Add all ingredients other than chicken and potato starch to your slow cooker and stir to fully combine.
- 🍯🍯 Place chicken into the sauce in your slow cooker and toss easy piece to fully coat
- 🍯🍯🍯Cover and cook on the low heat setting for 4-6 hours or the high setting for 2.5 - 3 hours.
- 🍯🍯🍯🍯OPTIONAL STEP: Thicken sauce. Remove chicken from slow cooker. In a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of potato starch with 2 tablespoons of COLD water. Stir this slurry into the liquid in your slow cooker. Within a minute or so, your sauce will fully thicken.
🍗A note about chicken
Chicken in the slow cooker can be a bit tricky. Boneless chicken breast meat can dry out and get tough if overcooked. Dark meat is a little more forgiving and flexible and won't dry out quite as fast.
I find that using a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure slow cooker chicken is juicy and tender every time. Toward the end of cooking time, use the thermometer to test the internal temperature of larger chicken pieces. Chicken is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
HINT: If your chicken breasts are dryer than you like, shred and mix into sauce in your slow cooker. Delicious every time!!
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🎥Watch how to make it
🍽Serving suggestions
This is one of my favorite recipes because it is so versatile. Here are just some of the ways we have served this slow cooker chicken recipe:
- Adding a classic side to complete the meal. Mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, rice, green beans, pasta, and quinoa are our favorite sides.
- Salad: Leftover chicken with honey mustard sauce is delicious served cold. Try topping a garden salad with it for an easy meal.
- Potato Skins: Load potato skins with leftover chicken ans some shredded cheese. It makes a fun appetizer or snack!
- Sandwiches: Use leftover chicken on toasted bread with cheese, lettuce, and the honey mustard sauce for a satisfying lunch.
If you like your honey mustard chicken served differently, please share it with us in the comment section below!
🔁Substitution ideas
- For the spice fan - add more or spicier mustard. Using a spicy mustard will really kick things up.
- Not a honey fan? Substitute with maple syrup, brown sugar, or agave nectar for a similar sweetness.
- Cornstarch or arrowroot powder can be in place of potato starch as a thickener. Be sure to mix them with cold water before adding them to the sauce to avoid lumps. If you choose to add cornstarch, be sure to allow it to cook for an additional hour to keep it from being grainy.
- Use ½ teaspoon garlic powder instead of fresh garlic for a similar flavor.
- Try experimenting with other spices like paprika, thyme, or cayenne pepper for additional flavor variations.
Storing
Leftovers of crockpot honey mustard chicken seem to improve with age. This makes for amazing lunches and future dinners. You can store leftovers in an airtight container or bag. They will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 3-4 months in the freezer.
If you love this recipe...
Please let me know in the comment section below!
😉Hints & hacks
- This is the ultimate dump-and-go recipe. The sauce is delicious and would go well over pasta, veggies, or even a baked potato.
- Since I have some dark and light meat-eaters on my team, I have made this with both. The pictures here show both thighs and breasts. They all cooked together for the same amount of time and are both delicious.
- The safest way to cook anything in your slow cooker is always to check the internal temperature before serving. For chicken, the recommended temperature is 165 F. A meat thermometer is the best way to handle this.
- This is an easy meal to prep in advance Just add all the ingredients and seasonings to a storage bag and store in the refrigerator. Depending on how fresh your chicken is, it should last 2-3 days. When you are ready to cook, just dump it in your slow cooker and go!!
- I always recommend the use of a slow cooker liner. Of course, this is an optional step. I like to purchase my liners in bulk for a less expensive per-piece price.
- In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
- Don't forget to turn on (and plug-in!) your slow cooker!! There is nothing worse than coming home to a cold slow cooker 😔!
This depends on your tastes. I like a combo of stone ground and Dijon. However, yellow mustard and spicy mustard all great in this recipe as well.
Yes! You can mix potato starch with cold water and add it to your honey mustard in place of potato starch. However, it does not thicken as fast a potato starch. Corn starch needs to be added 30 - 60 minutes before serving.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken
(Click on the stars to leave a rating)
Print Pin Rate SaveAll nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- slow cooker liner optional
- forks for shredding optional
Ingredients
- 2 skinless,boneless chicken breasts You can sub this with all thighs or all breasts
- 4 chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup stone ground mustard
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon potato starch optional - for thickening sauce
Instructions
- For easy clean up, be sure to coat your slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray or oil of choice
- Add ⅓ cup dijon mustard ⅓ cup stone ground mustard, ½ cup honey, 1 tablespoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground pepper to your greased slow cooker and stir to mix.
- Add 2 skinless,boneless chicken breasts and 4 chicken thighs. Toss around in the pot enough to cover it on all sides. **for meal prep, you can complete these steps in zip top bag and allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator. It can stay for anywhere from a few hours to overnight prior to tossing in your slow cooker
- Cook chicken 4-6 hours on low or 2.5-3 hours on high
To thicken sauce
- Just prior to serving mix 2 tablespoon potato starch with 4 tablespoon COLD water and add it into the sauce in your warm slow cooker. It will thicken very quickly.
Final Step
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Video
Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
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Lee Thayer says
I made this on 19 Mar 2023, used thighs and legs, cooked for 4 hours, checked temp on the thighs, perfect. My Thai family, and I, absolutely loved this chicken! Tender, juicy, and excellent flavor combination! Thank you, Susan, for another great recipe.
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
Hi Lee!
So glad to hear you loved this recipe! It's such and easy but flavorful one. Thank you for taking the time to share!!
Fergus says
It is way better if you chop up the chicken into smaller pieces because it makes it even easier to eat.
Donna says
Hi - if I only had thing sliced breasts, what would you recommend changing for the cooking time for this recipe? Thanks!
Susan says
yes, thinly sliced breasts will cook through faster than full breasts. Each slow cooker is a little different. The first time you make them, I would suggest checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer after about 1.5 hours if you cook on high (3 hours on low). When it hits 165℉, it is done. Once you find the time for your slow cooker, it should stay the same the next time you make it.
If you accidentally overcook the breasts, shredding them and mixing with the honey mustard sauce should save the day.