This Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken is exactly the sort of dinner that earns a permanent spot in the rotation: glossy, tangy, comforting and requiring very little from you beyond remembering to switch the crock pot on. It's an easy dinner recipe with proper flavour, tender chicken and a silky tangy honey mustard sauce that's very hard not to spoon over everything on your plate.
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Recipe Highlights
- Ready in: about 3-4 hours on High
- Core ingredients: 11 (not counting optional extras)
- Best with: mashed potatoes or white rice
- Reheating? Ok, but best freshly made
Can You Cook Chicken Breasts in a Slow Cooker?
Yes - but they need a bit more care than thighs. Because skinless chicken breasts are lean, they can dry out if cooked too long on the low setting.
That's why this version cooks on High for 3-4 hours, which gives you tender chicken without pushing it too far. If you'd rather cook it low and slow, I'd recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead and cooking for 5-6 hours on Low. They're a little more forgiving and hold up better to longer slow cooking.
A meat thermometer is your best friend here - the internal temperature should reach 75°C.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts. Use evenly sized ones if possible, so they cook at the same rate. This also works with a different cut of chicken, especially thighs.
- Plain flour. Helps the chicken colour in the frying pan, and gives the sauce a little body.
- Dijon mustard. The main event. It gives the sauce its sharp, savoury backbone.
- Wholegrain mustard. Optional, but adds texture and makes the sauce feel a little different in the best way.
- Honey. Balances the mustard and rounds everything out without making it overly sweet.
- Chicken stock. Creates the base of the delicious sauce.
- Cornflour slurry. Added at the end for a glossy, smooth sauce that clings to the chicken properly.
A full ingredient list, detailed instructions and nutritional information can be found in the recipe card below.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Season and flour the chicken. Pat the raw chicken dry, season with salt and black pepper, then dust lightly in flour.
2. Sear for flavour. Heat butter in a frying pan and sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Build the base. In the same pan, cook the garlic briefly, then deglaze with a splash of stock.
4. Mix the sauce. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together stock, Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, soy sauce and thyme.
5. Slow cook. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours.
6. Thicken the sauce. Stir together cornflour and cold water, then add to the slow cooker.
7. Finish and serve. Cook for another 15 minutes until glossy, then spoon the tangy honey mustard sauce over the chicken and serve.
Important Tips for Best Results
- Don't skip the sear. It adds flavour, helps thicken the sauce and ultimately helps the sauce cling to the chicken.
- Use thighs if cooking on low. For the best way to avoid dry chicken on Low, use thighs and cook for 6-8 hours.
- Check doneness properly. A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of dinner time.
- Want a thicker sauce?. Leave the lid off for the last 10-15 minutes after adding the slurry.
- Taste before serving. Add a little more mustard, honey or lemon juice if you want to tweak the balance.
- Great for meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave for an easy meal.
Variations and Easy Swaps
This is a very versatile dish, so there's room to play:
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts
- Add a pinch of garlic powder if you want a slightly punchier sauce
- Stir in a splash of cream at the end for a richer finish
- Slice leftovers into a chicken sandwich the next day
- Serve over brown rice, cauliflower rice or creamy polenta
- It would also work in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, though the cooking time would be very different
What To Serve With Honey Mustard Chicken
This slow cooker honey mustard chicken is one of those recipes that works with all sorts of sides, depending on your mood:
- mashed potatoes
- white rice
- brown rice
- cauliflower rice
- green beans
- tenderstem broccoli
- green peas
- buttery noodles
Basically, anything that gives you an excuse to mop up extra sauce.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot. It's still very good the next day, though the sauce is at its glossiest when freshly made.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but use thighs if you can and cook for 5-6 hours on low. Chicken breasts are more likely to dry out.
Yes - freeze in portions, then thaw overnight before reheating.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
If you're into easy meals with minimal effort and minimal cleanup, I've linked more slow cooker recipes below to try next time.
Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts
Equipment
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) plain flour
- 20 g (1½ tablespoon) unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) chicken stock
For the honey mustard sauce
- 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoons wholegrain mustard optional
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce optional, but very good
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme optional
To thicken
- 1½ tablespoon cornflour corn starch
- 2 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. Season with salt and black pepper, then lightly coat in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter.
- Sear the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly golden. They do not need to be cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the garlic to the same pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in a splash of the chicken stock and scrape up all the golden bits from the pan.
- In a jug or bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard (optional), honey, vinegar (or lemon juice), soy sauce (optional), thyme (optional) and the remaining chicken stock.
- Pour this mixture into the slow cooker over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours. The chicken should be tender and cooked through, but still holding its shape.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the cold water until smooth.
- Remove the lid and gently stir the slurry into the sauce around the chicken.
- Cover and cook on High for another 15 minutes, stirring occassionally, or until the sauce has thickened into a glossy honey mustard coating. You may stir in a couple of spoonfuls of double cream/heavy cream if you wish.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and scatter with fresh herbs, if you like.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or creamy polenta.
Nutrition
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