Skillet Garlic Dijon Chicken with onions is juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor from a tangy marinade of Dijon mustard, garlic, honey, and fresh parsley. With only a few simple ingredients, it makes for a quick, one-pan dinner you can prep in minutes.
Busy cooks, say hello to another no-fuss, comforting, skillet chicken recipe! When I need a weeknight dinner that’s big on flavor but low-effort, Garlic Dijon Chicken is one of my go-to dishes.
A whisk-together marinade of garlic, Dijon mustard, and spices packs a punch. The prep is simple, but the result is tender, tangy chicken. The sauce and a layer of onion roasted on top keep the meat juicy and full of flavor. Because it only needs a quick trip in the oven, it’s a recipe that fits into even the busiest evenings.
Serve it with a simple kale salad and some crusty no-knead olive bread, and you have a satisfying meal. This Garlic Dijon Chicken is also a great recipe to make ahead for meal prep!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Garlic Dijon Chicken
This recipe uses fresh, simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have in your kitchen. Each one brings something to the dish, creating a balance of comforting and bright flavors. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken thighs: It’s no secret that I love chicken thighs! They’re great in this recipe because the rich flavor of the dark meat stands up well to the tangy sauce. You can use chicken breasts for a leaner option, if you like.
- Salt and pepper: I season the chicken thighs ahead so they can sit while I make the sauce. This step gives the kosher salt and the flavor of the black pepper a chance to permeate the meat.
- Onion: Sweet and juicy roasted onion adds texture and bulk to this skillet dinner.
- Dijon mustard: France’s famous mustard is made with a base of white wine and has a smooth, creamy texture. It adds bold, tangy flavor that gives complexity to the sauce.
- Honey: Just a little bit of honey balances the sharpness of the mustard. I love our Greek Honey, which has a slightly herbal flavor (more on this below) in this recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil helps the marinade coat the chicken evenly and adds some welcome richness.
- Garlic brings a bold, aromatic flavor that permeates the chicken as it marinates. Adding it to the sauce helps its flavor carry through the dish without it burning in the oven.
- Spices: A blend of ground coriander, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper echoes the warm, horseradishy heat of the mustard.
- Fresh parsley: A scattering of fresh parsley leaves at the end adds welcome color and freshness.
Ingredient Spotlight
When bees forage citrus blossoms, clover, or lavender fields, the flowers impart beautiful floral flavors to their honey. On the Greek island of Crete, which has more bee hives per acre than any other country in Europe, the bees forage the mountainous terrain, feasting on nectar from the flowers of wild thyme, oregano, and other plants growing in the rocky hillsides.
The resulting amber-colored Greek honey has a subtle herbal flavor that’s incredibly unique. I love using it in savory recipes, like this garlic dijon chicken, but it’s also lovely in Greek Honey Cake or drizzled over Greek yogurt.
- TRY IT: Find this special Greek honey at our shop or give this glorious Italian citrus honey a try.
How to Make Garlic Dijon Chicken
This dish is quick to prep, making it ideal for busy nights. Simply mix the marinade, coat the chicken, and bake. Here’s the breakdown, step by step.
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Season the chicken. Take 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs out of the fridge. Pat them dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes while you make the sauce.
- Make the honey garlic Dijon sauce. In a large bowl, combine 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons honey, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 6 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 3/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mix.
- Coat chicken in the sauce. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time to the bowl with the sauce and use tongs to coat each one in the sauce mixture. Once coated, transfer the chicken to a large lightly-oiled cast iron skillet (or baking sheet). Scrape any remaining Dijon sauce left in the bowl on top. Add 1 chopped yellow onion on top.
- Bake the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until chicken thighs are fully cooked through (internal temperature should register 165°F), about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley.
How to Get Ahead
If you want to make this meal even quicker, you can prep the elements ahead of time.
- Mix the Marinade: Mix up the marinade and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The olive oil and honey in the mixture will both thicken at colder temperatures, so make sure to remove it from the fridge and let it come back to room temperature, stirring to recombine everything, before adding it to the chicken.
- Chicken Prep: Marinate the chicken, a day in advance for deeper flavor, then just add it to the skillet with the onion and bake it when you’re ready to eat.
What to Serve with Garlic Dijon Chicken
This garlic Dijon Chicken is a versatile dish you can pair up with your favorite sides. To keep things fast, I often serve it with a simple salad. Keep the French flavors in play by adding French Lentil Salad with colorful peppers and cucumbers. Start cooking the lentils before prepping the chicken and they’ll be done at about the same time!
For something even faster, try colorful Balela salad or my lazy 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad. Want something warm? Add Greek potatoes or Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables. Start these in the oven first so they’re ready when the chicken is ready!
How to Store Garlic Dijon Chicken
Store leftover Garlic Dijon Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
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Garlic Dijon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- Fresh parsley, chopped
For Garlic Dijon Sauce
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Season the chicken. Take chicken out of the fridge. Pat dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes while you make the sauce.
- Make the Garlic Dijon sauce. In a large bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, garlic, spices, and salt. Mix.
- Coat chicken in the sauce. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time to the bowl with the sauce and use tongs to coat each one in the sauce mixture. Once coated, transfer the chicken to a large lightly-oiled cast iron skillet (or baking sheet). Scrape any remaining Dijon sauce left in the bowl on top. Add the onions.
- Bake the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until chicken thighs are fully cooked through (internal temperature should register 165°F), about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, coriander and paprika used in this recipe.
- Keep in mind: Garlic Dijon chicken bakes quickly, so it’s a good idea to prepare sides first.
- Storage: Store leftover Garlic Dijon Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner
125 Easy Mediterranean Diet-Inspired Recipes to Eat Well and Live Joyfully from New York Times Bestselling Author Suzy Karadsheh
This is amazing. I wanted more sauce so I used an additional tablespoon of Dijon and the juice of half a lemon. Kept everything else the same. The chicken came out really tender and had tons of flavor. The onions were really good in the sauce after baking for 30 minutes. I will be making this often.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing your adaptation!
This is very good. It was super easy to make, too. I will make this again.
This was so good and easy. Tender juicy chicken with no fuss. I think the Cast iron skillet and the onions makes this recipe so good.
Yay! Denise, I’m so glad to hear this.
My daughter in law told me about your website and recipes. Newly married and told me “Mom, you have to try her recipes. I now have made many. Love to follow you on Instagram also. EVERYTHING I have made of yours is just delicious. This recipe is so fast and easy to make and always gets rave reviews. This time I made it with bone-in chicken thighs, and just baked a little longer. Served with a fav salad of mine that has Farro in it and roasted asparagus. I have also made this with Tri Color Israeli Couscous and Roasted Veggies. Thank you for all your DELISH recipes!!
Audrey, thank you so much for the kind note. It makes my day to know the recipes here are helpful to you. And I’m thankful your daughter in law sent you here!
So yummy and easy!! I serve with the Greek potatoes and a summer corn salad. Followed directions except added a bit more cayenne for a kick. This was so easy and the onion did not do much for the chicken, but was a nice to have with flavor when eaten with the potatoes and corn salad. I mixed up the sauce and marinated all afternoon so I could easily throw in the oven while the game is on.
Thank you for sharing, Katie!!!
This recipe was incredible. I subbed the sweet spanish paprika for allepo pepper. Everyone at my dinner party wanted the recipe. Bonus – it really was easy to make. I ended up making ahead and marinating the chicken in the sauce until my dinner party (about 3 hours). 30 minutes before everyone came, I poured it all out onto my cast iron skillet and voila …. after 30 minutes there was a fresh tray of magical chicken thighs that everyone devoured. Minus – no left overs for tomorrow 🙁
Awww sounds like it was a win!
I’m so excited to try this dish! Can I use regular yellow mustard instead of Dijon? That’ seems to be the only ingredient I’m missing.
Hi Amy! I hope you try it soon. So sorry I hadn’t been able to answer your question earlier. Yellow mustard has a slightly different flavor profile and is stronger than Dijon mustard. You can certainly try it, and perhaps start with a little bit less mustard.
Made this for dinner tonight. We enjoyed it immensely!
Used four chicken breasts instead of thighs, and accidentally added two tablespoons of homemade dijon mustard to the sauce- still, packing a bit more heat & kick than originally intended, the recipe received high praise for both flavor & tenderness of the chicken.
It’s a keeper-
Thank you!
Shea, sometimes happy accidents are welcomed when cooking! Thanks for sharing. So glad to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Seems like the nutritional information is off. Usually boneless/skinless chicken thighs have about 2.5g protein to every 1g of fat. If I had to guess, the protein should be closer to 26g not 0.5g.
Recipe looks great though. Probably will try it this week!
Thank you for catching that, Chris! We went back and checked our program and corrected the issue.
This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it at home. I have all the ingredients except for the yellow onion, I only have white and red. Do you think subbing in a different onion will heavily alter the flavor of the recipe? Thanks for sharing!
Sam, I think you can use a different onion in this recipe and still have great results. Enjoy!
hi,
do you baked covered or uncovered?
Hi Dawn. It’s baked uncovered. Typically, the recipe would instruct you to “cover” if that is required.
I’m sooo glad I found you. Was looking to change to a Mediterranean diet for health reasons. I think ur going to be a real source of inspiration!!
Janet, so glad to have you here! Enjoy!
This recipe was fantastic! Very flavorful and my family gobbled it up and asked if this could be added to our weekly dinner menu! Thank you.
Yay! That’s what I like to hear! Glad you all enjoyed it!
Excellent, definitely a keeper (and will share). And thank you for the great rice recipe as well. Another keeper.
I halved the recipe (cooking for one) and the only thing that I can add is, if you decrease the chicken, I would suggest that you do NOT decrease the sauce portion of the recipe.
Perhaps I should also note that I needed extra sauce since I serve the chicken over the rice and I like rice moist with the sauce…. personal taste. Had the left overs tonight. So good!
Wonderful, Denise! So glad you enjoyed it!
This was So. So. Good! I decreased the honey, and added a shake of Cumin (i.e., with the Paprika/Coriander, as in your fish recipe). The smell alone is intoxicating, while it’s finishing in the oven!
Served with your Lebanese Rice and a side tomato/basil/olive oil/splash of red wine vinegar salad. Glad I doubled it; there’s barely enough for lunches and to feed my father-in-law; my hubby MOWED it! 😉
Delicious and with minimal household ingredients. Decreased the mustard to 2tsp out of personal preference. Great and quick Sunday night dinner with maximum flavour. Paired it with the vermicelli rice also from this site. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Bianca, thanks so much for giving it a try! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!