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 a great recipe, and as good the second day. Simple, straight forward and delicious.
I got something special out of it. Years ago, I had an excellent chicken with tarragon at a bistro in the old city in Nice, France. I’ve been trying to equal that recipe for twenty plus years. I have gotten the flavor right, but created really complex cookery to get there. I think that this recipe with a tarragon substitute will be that bistro recipe, but so much simpler. Now for the tarragon out in the garden to grow.
Ooo! I hope so! I love how food often connects us to special memories!
Very Good!! I paired it with Greek roasted potatoes….delish!! I would make it again as well as the potatoes. I like how all the recipes (so far, for me) feel light and not heavy. The recipes are well seasoned and you can make them without fault. The recipes are quick and easy and the instructions are well written.. I will be trying more recipes, for sure!! (Tonight is salmon, I’ll leave a comment tomorrow. I am sure it will be fabulous, as the rest.
Thanks so much!
Jackie
Thank you so much, Jackie!
I don’t usually leave reviews but this was so dang delicious! We’re having it for dinner again tonight. Thank U for the recipe:)
Awesome! So glad to hear it, Verna. Thank you!
So delicious and easy! I used skinless, bone-in thighs as I find them to be much more flavorful, but otherwise made exactly as listed. Very much appreciate your talent for achieving just the right balance of flavors that put so many of your recipes into the five star category!
Norma, I also find skinless, bone-in thighs more flavorful, did you adjust the cooking time? If so, how? Thanks for replying.
Hi, Arlene. You will probably need to cook this a bit longer with the bone-in thighs :).
I’m dying to make this and our local groceries have major supply chain issues…I can’t get dried mint anywhere! How would I substitute fresh mint?
Thank you so much!!
Hi, Lindsey. There actually isn’t any mint in this recipe.
Love – easy, very tasty and tender.
I could eat this dish so often and it would be a new experience everytime. Thanks, Suzy! Cheers!
Simplicity is beautiful. Love Dijon mustard though mostly go for the seeded variety.
Thanks, Aija!
I’m going to add artichoke hearts to this! I love me a good chicken recipe with chunky onion slices!
Sounds yummy!
The perfect easy meal to cook on the days you don’t want to cook. Only had chicken breasts on hand and they were tender and full of flavor! I’m a fan!!
Thanks so much, Jane!
Awesome recipe – chicken was so tender and full of flavor – definitely will be making this one again!
Thanks, Donna!
Another hit recipe! It is delicious. I made it exactly as written. Bonus for being super easy to make.
Thank you, Adrianne!
Wondering what the green veggie is with the chicken in the photo.
Hello! That’s just fresh parsley for garnish.
Can this be made with chicken breasts and if so, should I reduce the cooking time to say 15 minutes?
Hi, Janine! Yes, this can be made with chicken breasts. It’s hard for me to advise on a specific time adjustment as all ovens vary. Just make sure they reach and internal temperature of 165 degrees F before serving.
Can you marinate this ahead of time and also can you put on grill?
Sure!
This has become the family’s favorite chicken dish! Very simple to throw together, and it’s finished in no time. Absolutely delicious! This is the dish that is asked for the most. Thank you for such an easy to put together as well as super delish dish!!