This Honey Mustard Chicken tray bake is sticky, succulent and incredibly convenient.
It’s a complete meal cooked in one pan – chicken thighs roasted with potatoes, carrots and a tangy honey mustard sauce – so you can toss everything together and forget about it until dinnertime, with minimal washing up.
I often recommend one-pan dinners for busy weeks, and this honey and mustard chicken is one of my go-to, fuss-free favourites. It uses everyday ingredients, takes little prep and delivers great flavour with very little effort.
Tray bakes are far from fancy, but they’re perfect when you want a wholesome family meal without a lot of faff. They work brilliantly on hectic evenings when you’re balancing school runs, clubs and household chores – or as a quicker alternative to a weekend roast.
Why you’ll love this chicken tray bake
- Budget-friendly yet impressive on the plate
- Low effort with maximum flavour
- Sticky, tangy honey mustard sauce everyone will enjoy
About this recipe
Tray bakes with chicken, sausages, fish or whatever you have to hand are lifesavers. I include them on my weekly meal plan for those days when hands-off cooking makes the week easier.
This Honey and Mustard Chicken is a brilliant addition to those reliable recipes: tender thighs cloaked in a glossy honey mustard sauce, roasted with potatoes and carrots. It’s made with economical bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, plus storecupboard staples, so it’s both affordable and straightforward to prepare.
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Ingredients for Honey Mustard Chicken
- Chicken thighs – bone-in, skin-on recommended for flavour (see notes)
- Garlic granules – dried garlic powder, not garlic salt
- Olive oil – regular olive oil for frying
- New potatoes – halved or quartered
- Carrots – baby carrots or large carrots chopped into chunks
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
- Garlic – fresh or pre-prepared is fine
- Honey – runny or regular honey
- Wholegrain mustard
- Dijon mustard
- Water – to loosen the sauce if needed
How to make Honey Mustard Chicken
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Rub the chicken thighs with garlic granules, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a very large, ovenproof lidded dish on the hob.
2. When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and fry for about 5 minutes until golden and browned all over. While the chicken is browning, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
3. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pan and pour the honey mustard sauce over everything, making sure the pieces are well coated.
4. Transfer the dish to the oven without the lid and roast for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. If the chicken looks like it might burn before it’s fully cooked, cover with the lid and continue roasting until done.
5. Remove from the oven, check the chicken and vegetables are fully cooked and serve immediately.
Substitutions
- Vegetables: New potatoes and baby carrots work well, but you can use any potatoes or other veg you have on hand. Green beans, parsnips or sweet potatoes would be good alternatives—adjust chopping size and cooking time as needed.
How to store leftover chicken
In the fridge: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot before serving, or enjoy cold in a salad.
Freezing: You can freeze the cooked chicken and sauce if the meat hasn’t already been frozen. For best texture, consider freezing the chicken and sauce separately from the vegetables, then thaw and reheat. Alternatively, freeze the chicken with the marinade in a suitable bag and add fresh vegetables when cooking from frozen.
Top tips
Chicken
Bone-in, skin-on thighs are cheaper and give the best flavour and crisp skin. Boneless, skinless thighs can be used but will need slightly less cooking time and won’t crisp the same way.
Dijon mustard
Dijon gives a creamy, gentle mustard flavour—don’t substitute with English mustard, which is much hotter and will change the balance of the sauce.
Wholegrain mustard
Wholegrain mustard adds texture and a mild bite. If you don’t have it, the sauce will still be tasty but a little less textured.
FAQs
Yes. Omit or reduce the potatoes and carrots, lightly reduce the sauce, and use the cooked chicken sliced over salad greens for a honey mustard chicken salad.
Most ingredients here are naturally gluten-free, but always check labels on products such as mustard or processed honey to be sure.
This is a full tray-bake meal on its own, but you can also serve the chicken with extra sides such as homemade chips, a simple green salad, mashed potatoes or rice if you prefer.
Please let me know how you get on with the recipe and feel free to leave a rating or comment on the page. I love to see adaptations and serving ideas from readers.
Honey Mustard Chicken {One Pan Meal}
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 750 g (1.6 lb) new potatoes, quartered
- 500 g (1.1 lb) carrots, peeled and chopped
For the sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 150 g (0.5 cups) honey
- 6 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Rub the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper and garlic granules.
- Heat the olive oil in a very large ovenproof lidded dish on the hob.
- When the oil is very hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for about 5 minutes until browned.
- While the meat is browning, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.
- Add the potatoes and carrots to the pan and pour the honey mustard sauce over, ensuring everything is coated.
- Roast in the preheated oven with the lid off for about 45 minutes. If the dish looks like it may burn before the chicken is cooked, cover with the lid and continue roasting until done.
- Check the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, then serve immediately.
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Notes
Chicken thighs: Allow roughly two thighs per person; adjust weight as needed.
Garlic granules: This is dried garlic powder, not garlic salt. It’s good for rubbing meat because it doesn’t burn as easily as fresh garlic on the hob.
Olive oil: Use regular olive oil for frying rather than extra virgin, which can smoke at high heat.
Garlic for the sauce: Fresh or frozen pre-prepared garlic both work well and are a convenient shortcut.
Honey: Runny or regular honey is fine; runny honey mixes more easily into the sauce.
Mustards: Dijon adds creaminess while wholegrain contributes texture. Both combine to give the sauce its characteristic tang and texture.
Potatoes and carrots: New potatoes with skins on are used here, but any potato chopped into chunks will work. Baby carrots are convenient; if using large carrots, chop into chunks.
Nutrition
Calories: 817 kcal | Carbohydrates: 80 g | Protein: 42 g | Fat: 38 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation. Values are per portion unless stated otherwise.
Additional Info
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food