Description
This Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken is a flavorful and easy slow-cooked dish featuring tender chicken breasts simmered in a rich honey mustard sauce enhanced with garlic, herbs, and a touch of cream. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe results in juicy, pull-apart chicken infused with sweet and tangy flavors.
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasonings
- 1.5 lb chicken breast (about 4, 6 oz pieces), chicken thighs can be used instead
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted (optional if using chicken thighs)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Optional Thickener
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 4 Tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Evenly sprinkle salt, pepper, dried oregano, onion powder, and paprika over all sides of the chicken pieces, ensuring full coverage for enhanced flavor.
- Make the honey mustard sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and melted butter until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Pour this sauce over the seasoned chicken in the crock pot, making sure to coat the chicken pieces thoroughly.
- Slow cook the chicken: Cover the crock pot with the lid and set it to cook on the LOW heat setting for about 3 hours. Check the chicken’s internal temperature at around 2 hours if possible to avoid overcooking — the chicken is done when it reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Shred the chicken: Once cooked, use forks to pull the chicken apart either into large chunks or shred it completely, depending on your preference, directly in the crock pot.
- Add the cream: About 30 minutes before serving, pour the heavy cream into the crock pot and stir it into the sauce with the shredded chicken, enriching the flavor and texture.
- Thicken the sauce (optional): If a thicker sauce is desired, whisk together the corn starch and cold water until smooth, then stir this mixture into the crock pot. Allow the sauce to heat on the warm or low setting for approximately 30 minutes until it reaches the preferred thickness. The sauce will thicken more the longer it simmers.
- Serve: Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, serve the honey mustard chicken hot over your choice of sides such as rice, vegetables, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. For best results, use a shallow container and cover the chicken with additional sauce before refrigerating.
- Freezing: Cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Do not overcook the chicken to prevent dryness. If your crock pot switches to warm automatically, this helps avoid overcooking.
- Only use the low setting on the crock pot to keep chicken tender and juicy.
- The butter in the sauce helps keep chicken breast moist. If using chicken thighs, you can omit butter or substitute with olive oil.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
