If you’re looking for delicious, easy Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs, look no further! These juicy marinated chicken thighs are phenomenal.
In this Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken recipe, bone-in chicken thighs are made ultra juicy thanks to a powerfully-tenderizing marinade, and I can’t get enough of the crispy, caramelized crust.
For an amazing oven version, make my Baked Honey Mustard Chicken recipe.
How to Make Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
- Prepare the Grill: Time to heat things up! Preheat your gas grill to medium heat and oil the grates so the chicken doesn’t stick. (Pro tip: Use long tongs and a paper towel dabbed in oil to do this safely.)
- Grill the Chicken Thighs: Cook the chicken skin-side down for about 7 minutes or until they release easily from the grates without sticking or tearing. Then, turn off half of the burners and flip the chicken pieces over onto the unlit side. Turn the side with no chicken on to high heat. This is like creating an oven to finish cooking the chicken without burning it. Cover the grill and continue cooking the chicken until it reaches 165ºF internal temperature.
- Brush with the Honey Mustard Sauce: Time for that delicious honey mustard glaze. Brush the chicken pieces on both sides with the reserved honey mustard sauce and continue cooking over indirect heat (unlit side) with the cover closed for 5-10 minutes more until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 175ºF.
- Rest the Chicken: You’re almost there! Once your chicken is cooked to perfection, let it rest on a plate, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will help the meat retain its juices and become even more tender and flavorful.
Cook Chicken Thighs to a Higher Temperature for Tender Results
Now here’s the pro tip you’ve been waiting for: you are going to want to overcook the chicken. Pardon me, WHAAAT did she just say?
Let me explain.
While poultry needs to reach 165ºF for food safety (so you could call it done at that point), a higher temperature is required for the dark meat’s tough collagen to melt.
Ever notice how quickly-cooked chicken thighs have a firm, rubbery texture, while slow-cooked chicken thighs (like in my Crockpot Chicken Tacos) are silky and so incredibly tender they fall apart?
That’s because the collagen has reached the temperature it needs to break down. When grilling chicken thighs, aim for at least 175ºF for that fall-apart tender texture everyone loves.
Trust me. Do this, you’ll be shocked at the difference.
What Should I Serve with Honey Mustard Chicken?
If I’m having people over for a BBQ, I love to keep the sides pretty simple with a crisp green salad, my tried-and-true Classic Macaroni Salad or my Ultimate Creamy Potato Salad (or both, depending on the size of the group), plus store-bought fluffy dinner rolls (to pacify my anxiety that I haven’t made enough food – and honestly, they always get eaten).
Some steamed broccoli or green beans are nice.
Use up leftovers in sandwiches or make honey mustard chicken wraps with lettuce and bacon.
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
Video
Ingredients
For Honey Mustard Sauce
- ½ cup dijon mustard divided use
- ¼ cup honey
For Mustard Marinade
- ¼ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp cooking oil like avocado or canola oil – don’t use a low smoke-point oil like olive oil
- 2 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Instructions
Make the Honey Mustard Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the mustard and the honey. Set aside. (Refrigerate it if you are doing a marinade longer than a couple of hours.)
Marinate the Chicken
- Whisk remaining mustard with yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, oil, salt, paprika and cayenne in a large baking dish. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinade chicken for 30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator – the flavour gets even better if you can do this!). Either way, let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes just before cooking for best results.
Prepare the Grill
- Turn burners on a gas grill on to medium heat and preheat the grill for 5-10 minutes with the lid closed. Then, carefully oil the grates using long tongs and a paper-towel dabbed in oil.
Grill the Chicken Thighs
- Remove chicken from the marinade letting any excess drip off (then discard it). Grill chicken skin-side down for about 7 minutes or until the pieces lift easily from the grates without sticking or tearing.
- Turn off HALF of the burners and flip the chicken pieces over and onto the unlit side. Then turn the side with *no chicken* on to high heat. (You’re basically creating an oven to finish cooking the chicken without burning it).
- Cover the grill and continue cooking the chicken until it reaches 165ºF internal temperature.
Brush with the Honey Mustard Sauce
- Brush the chicken pieces on both sides with the reserved honey mustard sauce and continue cooking over indirect heat (unlit side) with cover closed for 5-10 minutes more, until glaze is caramelized and internal temperature reaches 175ºF.
Rest the Chicken
- Let chicken rest on a plate, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes before serving for juiciest results. The cooking time will be 25-35 minutes in total (see note below).
Notes
To Bake Your Honey Mustard Chicken
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- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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- Remove the marinated chicken thighs from the fridge and place them on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are not touching each other. (Pro tip: Discard any leftover marinade that has come into contact with raw chicken to avoid cross-contamination.)
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- Bake the chicken thighs in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
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- Brush the chicken pieces on both sides with the reserved honey mustard sauce and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes or until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 175°F (79°C).
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- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest on a plate, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved it!! I used the leftovers to make chicken sandwiches today
The honey mustard glaze on this chicken gave a mouthwatering caramelization that’s hard to resist. I love how the chicken thighs remain juicy and tender!! Thanks for this recipe Jenn!!
One thing I loved about this recipe is how versatile it is. I made it on the grill, but you can easily make it in the oven too I think. Plus, with only a handful of ingredients, it’s a quick and easy meal.
I tried this Honey Mustard Chicken recipe last night and it was a hit! The marinade gave the chicken a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors that my entire family loved.
I love honey mustard, especially on chicken and grilling it is so perfect for summer!
The perfect weeknight dinner. My family loves these honey flavored chicken thighs. So delicious!
The honey and mustard flavours were amazing. Perfect with the chicken.
This grilled chicken looks amazing! Great for a summer summer, served with corn and a salad.
This was a hit! My family loved them, especially the mustard yogurt marinade.
Oh, I absolutely loved this Honey Mustard Chicken recipe! The marinade was spot on, and that honey mustard glaze was a game-changer—it added a delicious caramelized touch to the juicy grilled chicken thighs. My whole family couldn’t get enough of it, and they’ve been asking me to make it again, haha!!