This paleo honey mustard chicken comes together in just 30 minutes in the Instant Pot! Skin-on chicken thighs are perfectly cooked in a sauce that’s packed with tons of sweet tangy flavor. There’s even a Whole30 friendly option using dates instead of honey to sweeten the sauce! Family approved and sure to become a dinner favorite.
The Instant Pot has made me oh so happy once again!
This honey mustard chicken (or “honey” mustard, if you’re making the Whole30 version) is simply a.) out of this world delicious, b.) a breeze to make, plus c.) kid and husband approved.
There are so many things I love about this recipe – even aside from the fact that I can make it in just 30 minutes in one pot, although admittedly that makes me love it a whole lot more.
First, we’re using skin-on bone in chicken thighs, which is my new favorite chicken-part (ha!) to cook!
I used to shy away from bone-in chicken, honestly, because a.) I always thought they weren’t “meaty” enough and b.) I hated how long they took to cook in the oven or on the stovetop.
As it turns out, they’re PLENTY meaty (see above) really moist and flavorful, and thanks to the Instant Pot, I can cook them as fast as boneless chicken!
Second thing I love – the honey mustard sauce! I’m a honey mustard lover-4-life (yup) going way back to my obsession with crispy chicken salads as a teenager.
Crispy chicken + honey mustard is pure bliss, in my opinion! After making my garlic chipotle lime chicken in the Instant Pot, I knew I could easily make a honey mustard version just by tweaking the ingredients and keeping the process the same.
The results? A sweet, tangy and clingy sauce (clingy in a good way!) that coats the chicken, and anything else you happen to serve with it, just perfectly.
To be really honest now, it’s the type of sauce that I wind up eating with a spoon while trying to clean up – yes, it happens – and all I can say is that I don’t just drink any sauce, it has to be a dang good one!
And, the Whole30 version (which is sweetened with date paste, not honey) is every bit as tasty – so no need to feel as though you’re missing out if you choose the dates.
Plus, no one will guess there’s actually dates in the sauce if you go the Whole30 route – it really still tastes like honey mustard.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet, you can still make this chicken on the stovetop. First, you’ll want to brown the chicken first in a large skillet as instructed in the recipe.
Then, simply pour the sauce ingredients over the chicken, lower the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Once the chicken is cooked through, you can continue to follow the instructions listed to thicken the sauce, if needed.
I hope you’re ready for a new favorite – get the Instant Pot out and let’s get start cooking!
Honey Mustard Chicken in the Instant Pot {Paleo, Whole30 Option}
Honey Mustard Chicken in the Instant Pot {Paleo, Whole30 Option}
This paleo honey mustard chicken comes together in just 30 minutes in the Instant Pot! Skin-on chicken thighs are perfectly cooked in a sauce that's packed with tons of sweet tangy flavor. There's even a Whole30 friendly option using dates instead of honey to sweeten the sauce! Family approved and sure to become a dinner favorite.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 lbs bone in skin on chicken thighs 4-6
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 2 Tbsp ghee or other cooking fat
- Chopped parley for garnish if desired
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp chicken bone broth
- 3 Tbsp raw honey melted, OR date paste for Whole30*
- 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
To Thicken Sauce:
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 2 Tbsp bone broth
Instructions
-
Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth, set aside
-
Turn your Instant Pot to “saute” and allow it to heat meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with sea salt and black pepper on both sides.
-
After pot reads “hot”, swirl ghee around the bottom to let it heat. It’s important to add the ghee AFTER the pot heats to prevent the chicken from sticking!
-
Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown (about 2-3 mins) then flip chicken with tongs and repeat on second side.
-
When both sides are golden brown, sprinkle garlic around the chicken and allow it to cook about 30-45 seconds, until softened, then press “cancel”.
-
Pour sauce mixture over the chicken, secure the lid, place steam release to “sealing” and set on high pressure for 10 mins.
-
Once time is up, quick release the pressure and remove lid. Using tongs, remove chicken to a plate and set aside while you thicken the sauce.
-
Cancel the pressure cook, press “saute” and whisk together the 2 Tbsp broth and arrowroot, then add to sauce and stir. Cook about 3-5 more minutes or until sauce is thickened to preference. Return chicken to pot with its juices and coat with sauce. Turn off pot and serve chicken with desired sides, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*To make date paste for this recipe, place 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (about 3) in 2-3 Tbsp of very hot water to soften. After 5 minutes you can stir to make sure they'e soft, then blend the mixture in a high speed blender or small food processor. Blend until smooth and add water if needed to get the right consistency.
**Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, they will reheat well!
Nutrition
What I Used To Make My Honey Mustard Chicken in the Instant Pot:
Want More Recipes for the Instant Pot? Try One of These!
Pulled BBQ Chicken {Paleo, Whole30, Instant Pot}
Sweet and Sour Chicken in the Instant Pot {Paleo, Whole30}
General Tso’s Chicken {Paleo, Instant Pot}
Garlic Chipotle Lime Chicken in the Instant Pot {Paleo, Whole30 Option}
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I love your recipes, but wish you could put cooking times for those of us who do not own an Instant Pot. It’s just one more thing I don’t want to buy/store/own. Just a suggestion, not a criticism.
Could I make this in a slow crockpot? If so how long do you reccomend?
I made ur chipotle Garlic Chicken last night, and salt and peppered extra chicken for dinner tonight…I can’t wait to make this recipe!! My whole family liked Chipotle Garlic-and I’m certain they will love this one too. These r great week night meals! Thx for creating some good Instant Pot recipes!!
I wish I had an instant pot! I think I will try this in the crockpot and hope it turns out ok
This sounds amazing! How would one modify it to be done with a traditional Slow Cooker? I haven’t yet made the investment into one and am trying to wait to register for it instead 😛
Hiii Michele,
This article is very very good I loved it and very Interesting recipe.. Thanks for sharing the I really appreciate your post of this chicken recipe. Great post please keep sharing these tasty recipe with us..
I tried this recipe tonight and it is delicious! The chicken is tender and favorable. No modifications warranted, excellent as instructed. Thank you, for providing another quick dinner option.
Made this tonight to christen my new instapot. This was soooo good! I followed everything exactly except I used tapioca flour instead of arrowroot starch cause I didn’t have any and it worked perfectly. My chicken did stick to the pot even though I put in the ghee when it said hot, but I didn’t even care that it was a little shredded cause it was amazing!!
That sounds delicious – so happy you enjoyed it!
Any suggestion for using stove top or the slow cooker/crockpot????
I’m not sure of the timing but you can experiment – I’d probably do the stovetop and simply simmer, covered until cooked through during the pressure cooking step.
Phenomenal! The sauce has such great flavor. This is a Whole30 game changing recipe.
That’s what I did I made it directly on top of the stove top came out delicious
Terrific recipe, thank you so much! I made it last night using boneless skin on thighs and it was delicious! (Thankfully I made extra for leftovers today) Do you think this could be made with chicken breasts? Also, do you have any suggestions for side dishes? Thanks again!!
Yes chicken breasts would work well though the cook time would be reduced – not sure off hand. Any sides would be great – I love roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts with pretty much anything I cook!
This was delicious! The sauce was legit AMAZING and I did eat spoonfuls of it too ? My first InstaPot recipe, looking forward to trying more of yours. All of your recipes are fantastic, thank you!
Would chicken breasts work for this recipe?
I just made this for dinner tonight and it is absolutely.frickin.amazing. So easy, quick and delicious. Made it the Whole30 option with barely defrosted boneless thighs from my freezer. Served it over roasted butternut squash. Just what my taste buds needed. Thank you 🙂
My whole family LOVED THIS!
Made this tonight, with the only modification of using regular honey instead of raw honey. Turned out AMAZING, and I’m not a huge chicken fan, and picky when it comes to honey mustard. But this just sounded so good, and it far exceeded my expectations! Served it with bacon Brussels sprouts. Can’t wait to make again!
This is a keeper! I made the Whole 30 version with date paste and the family loved it. A great recipie for a cold night.
To reduce the fat in the recipe, can I use skinless bone-out thighs?
Have you tried date syrup instead of paste? How much would you recommend? Looks delish!
The 3 Tbsp should work well 🙂
My family loved this! Will definitely make again.
Meant to give *****
This recipe is a definite keeper and was SO enjoyed by my family! Thank you!
Sounds great, glad you enjoyed!
This is a great recipe to pull together a delicious dinner in a short time. My whole family loved it! I didn’t have spicy brown mustard and used dijon mustard, used dates instead of honey, and used boneless skinless chicken thighs. It still turned out delicious! Will definitely keep this on rotation!
This was so good! I made it with chicken breasts and my family loved it!
Do you remember how long you cooked it with chicken breasts?
I made it with boneless skinless thighs, but I added 1 breast, as I didn’t have enough. I cut the breast in half, and cooked them all the same. Worked fine.
I just started the Paleo diet the beginning of the year. This recipe was by far the easiest and best I’ve had. With meals like this I can stay on a Paleo lifestyle. Thanks for making this easy and delicious. My entire family LOVED it.
Any subs if I don’t have brown mustard? Would yellow work?
Awesome swap for the honey ?
Really great paleo chicken recipe. My husband and loved it.
This recipe is honestly one of the best dishes I have ever made. It is delicious as is but also shredded. On the second day after I made the chicken, I shredded it off the bone, put it back in its sauce, and added more bone broth to the existing sauce. I then sautéed Brussels sprouts and added them to the mixture to simmer. I highly recommend repurposing the chicken dish with some veggies the day after – the sauce gets better with time.
I will definitely be adding this recipe in heavy rotation to my Whole30 and regular meals.
Winner, Winner 🙂
Just made this tonight for Valentines… we don’t do paleo so served it with mashed potatoes for my son and I and rice for hubby, along with sliced cuc with oil & vinegar. We all LOVED it, which is rare for any meal. The sauce on this was amazing!! Thanks for a keeper! (I only had boneless skinless thighs and cooked them for 9 min… may do 8 next time… also did not saute, and used a mix of mustards – yellow & dijon… still delicious)
Has anyone made this with boneless chicken breast? What is the cook time? I want to make this tonight but boneless is all I have. Thanks!!
Making this now in the IP. I browned the chicken first but it doesn’t seem nice and crispy. Can I do something to it after to crisp it up a bit?
Made this tonight for the first time. Its very good, quick and simple ingredients I keep on hand -:)
Best recipe blog I try my kid love this thanks.
Three words… OH.MY.GOD ?
The first recipe I made in my new Instant Pot. It was fast, easy and delicious! I am so happy I found this recipe. This is one I will make again and again. Thank you!!!
I just made this for dinner and it was delicious. Really easy (set it up in less than ten mins and went to pick up the kiddo and it was done) plus super yummy (thumbs up from the toddler).
Absolutely delicious. My husband LOVED it as well. I threw in carrots as well and it was great.
This was the first recipe I made in my instant pot! It was SO GOOD. Next time I will probably Devine the thighs before cooking (just personal preference). This was the juciest chicken I have ever made!!!
Delicious and easy! My whole family loved it and one of them is a picky eater. The honey mustard is a true honey mustard without all those additives from store bought versions. This will be in our regular rotation. For the kids we served with some rice. (one is a long distance runner. He won’t give up the starch… 🙂
A absolutely loved loved loved this receipe.
My son who always turns his nose up to healthy food, went back for seconds but he missed out. It was all gone so he scraped his fingers around the pot to get the left over sauce.
BEST BEST BEST MEAL in the INSTANT POT, hands down! we love this entree!!! one of our all-time favorites. we even bring our IP on vacay to make this dish!
This recipe is outstanding! 10/10! My husband and I made it and we both LOVED it. We’ve actually been making it for a couple years, and I can’t believe I haven’t left a rave review until now. I can’t recommend this enough! Make this now!
your recipes are INCREDIBLE
This was my husband’s favorite ever meal from the instant pot! I loved it, too. Delicious! I prepared if exactly as per instructions and it was perfection. Served with brown rice & green beans. Thx for posting this 👍🏻
my husband said this was the best thing I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot of yummy things! He has already requested it seriously every other night since the first night, ha!
oh forgot to add, our toddler also loved it!
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Whatevs the dates for? Did I miss it?
I am eating this right now and it is so good. Recipes like this make me love my instapot even more.
Just made this recipe, was my first instant pot recipe also! I’m instantly hooked, chicken perfect juicy and lots of sauce! Tasted like it had been cooking for hours! The sauce has just the right balance of sweet and savoury!
My sfussy-with-new-things aspie son (13) absolutely SMASHED this – he wanted his rice drenched in the sauce! I was so stoked. Will definitely be making this one again. My second go using my pressure cooker. ❤❤❤
Thanks for giving me this information. What you’ve written on your blog is great. You wrote a very helpful and fun blog post that you let people read. dordle game
Just made this for dinner tonight. It was a hit! We don’t jive cauliflower rice, so we had it plain, with sprouted wheat toast. I also subbed regular soy sauce for the coconut aminos as I was out, and it was still very tasty. I know, that’s cheating, but it’ll be okay.
What does everyone else pair it with? I will definitely save this recipe and use it again. Thanks paleorunningmomma, you’ve done it again! I always come back to your blog. Have been for years. Love it!
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I’m sincerely thankful for the dedication and commitment to delivering valuable insights.
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I’m really thankful you to sharing such a tasty recipe.
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