Juicy and succulent, these Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs are a low carb dinnertime win. They have a sweet, tangy marinade that no will guess is totally sugar-free. With 33g of protein and only 1.2g of carbs, they make healthy eating easy!
I have discovered the joys of honey mustard. Although I’ve always loved Dijon, I never really had a thing for the sweet dipping sauce and would usually opt for something more savory.
But now I might be a wee bit obsessed. Ever since I created my own Sugar Free Honey Mustard, I want to eat it with everything. I love dipping Kielbasa Bites into it, or pouring it over salad. And it’s the perfect sauce to accompany Cheesy Chicken Fritters.
So making a honey mustard chicken recipe was the next logical step, wouldn’t you say? It’s fabulous grilled, baked, or even air-fried!
lt’s all about the marinade
A good grilled chicken recipe starts with a good marinade. I have plenty of keto chicken marinade recipes and now we can add honey mustard to that list.
I made this a little differently than my dipping sauce. I left out the mayo and vinegar to really concentrate the flavors of the sweet mustard. It’s also thicker, which allows it to stick better to the chicken during cooking. Then I added garlic and a touch of cayenne for added kick.
Letting the chicken marinate in some of the sauce imbues it with tons of flavor. And using the rest of the sauce to baste the chicken gives it a juicy, golden finish.
Ingredients you need
This easy grilled chicken recipe takes only a handful of ingredients. Besides the marinating time, it comes together so quickly!
- Mustard: I prefer Dijon in this recipe but yellow mustard or whole grain mustard work too.
- Keto “honey”: There are a few keto honey substitutes on the market but this allulose honey is by far my favorite. If you can’t access it, don’t worry! I’ve listed other options in the Tips for Success section.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: I like thighs because they are juicier, easier to cook, and often less expensive. If you use breasts, remember that they will take longer to cook through. They are also more prone to drying out so keep your eye on them!
- Pantry staples: Olive oil, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Step by Step Directions
1. Prepare marinade: Whisk together the mustard, allulose honey, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
2. Marinate chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Pour about half of the honey mustard over the chicken and toss to coat. Let marinate 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.
3. Grill chicken: Preheat the grill to medium high and brush the grates lightly with oil. Grill the chicken until the center reaches 165ºF on an instant read thermometer, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
4. Baste chicken: Brush with a little reserved honey mustard sauce, and grill another minute or so. Then remove to a plate and brush with more sauce, as desired.
Oven or Air Fryer Method
You can also bake these honey mustard chicken thighs in the oven. I recommend cooking at 375ºF for 20 to 25 minutes. Baste them with more marinade in the last 3 minutes or so of cooking.
For the air fryer, cook at 400ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping at least once. Baste them with more marinade when you flip and also in the last 1 to 2 minutes.
Tips for Success
Don’t skip or hurry the marinating time. Allowing the thighs to sit in a mixture that includes fat, acid, and salt helps tenderize the meat before cooking. It also helps get flavor into every part of the chicken.
Every grill (and oven!) is different, so no matter what method you use, check on the chicken frequently. Always use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Chicken should be cooked to at least 165ºF.
Sweetener options: Don’t have access to allulose honey? No problem. Use 3 tablespoons of a brown sugar alternative and 2 teaspoons of water instead. It’s sweeter than the honey so you need less of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real honey is pure sugar and should be avoided for keto diets. For a good substitute, I recommend the allulose honey from All-U-Lose, as it has just the right flavor and sweetness. Keep in mind that allulose is also technically a sugar, but it doesn’t impact blood sugar at all. I have tasted this hundreds of times on myself and it really does hold true.
This tangy sweet sauce is great with many savory recipes like meatballs, chicken wings, and sausages. It’s also great served over salad as a dressing, and used as a marinade for grilled or baked chicken.
Most recipes for honey mustard chicken contain 10 to 15g of carbs per serving. However this sugar free version has only 1.2g of carbs per serving.
Try these other delicious keto chicken recipes!
Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (62.25 g) Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup (50 g) allulose honey, See Tips for alternatives
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 1/4 lb (566.99 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, allulose honey, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Pour about half of the honey mustard over the chicken and toss to coat. Let marinate 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat the grill to medium high and brush the grates lightly with oil. Grill the chicken until the center reaches 165ºF on an instant read thermometer, about 6 to 7 minutes per side.
- Brush with a little reserved honey mustard sauce, and grill another minute or so. Then remove to a plate and brush with more sauce, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can this be cooked in the oven?
I haven’t tried. Sounds like you will need to experiment!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. It has just the right of flavor, sweetness, and pizzazz! We made it this evening just to try and now feel like it is up to snuff enough to be on rotation when we host others here at home and when we, are asked to bring a main dish! It is truly worth trying!
one word, delicious!
Oh, my gosh! This made for a delicious dinner tonight. I’d order this. We’ll have definitely be having again. Especially like when I can prepare something ahead of time and grill it just before dinner time. I made it with the brown sugar suggestion..
omg,,,this recipe was fantastic 🤩. I absolutely loved it! so did my husband who isn’t doing keto. thank you so much Carolyn!
Paula
Made this for dinner tonight. It was fantastic! I couldn’t believe how tender the chicken was, didn’t even need a knife. Made in the oven. Love your recipes!
I’m making this tonight! It sounds delicious.
I just loved the tangy sweetness of the chicken. I cooked it in my air fryer on the grill setting and they came out perfectly
Oh dang this was good!!! I used the air fryer, 400 degrees for about 14 minutes, flipping a couple times. Even my picky 12 year old loved it!
Great recipe. I had no keto honey so substituted sugar free maple syrup! Amazingly delicious! Thank you for a new fabulous keto dinner served with Brussels sprouts and fresh lettuce salad fresh from the garden ….fries for my husband but with such a great dinner I don’t even miss the cards!
This is so easy and delicious! DH says it is a keeper recipe!
Delishous!!
Wonderful flavor! I marinated for several hours and then grilled the chicken thighs. They came out very flavorful and juicy. I had recently thought about making honey mustard chicken but didn’t have a Keto recipe until this one came along. Thanks for this great (and easy) recipe!
sorry I should have read the instructions before going right to recipe. it explained time and temp for air fryer.
sorry I should have read the instructions instead of going right to recipe. it explains time and temp for air frying.
how could i alter this for the air fryer ie: temp and time
This recipe comes at the perfect time. Last night, I was wanting chicken with a honey mustard sauce, but went with shoyu chicken instead. Now I can make this for dinner.