This Instant Pot Honey Mustard Chicken is sweet, tangy, and perfect for busy weeknights. Whether you use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, the honey mustard sauce cooks down into a thick, glossy coating that makes every bite juicy and flavorful. Even better — this recipe works with fresh or frozen chicken, making it a true dump-and-go dinner.
Serve it over rice, quinoa, roasted veggies, or shred it for sandwiches and wraps. Quick, versatile, and family-friendly!
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Honey Mustard Chicken
- Dump & Go — Add everything to the Instant Pot and let it handle the cooking.
- Sweet + Tangy Flavor — Honey and mustard make the perfect, balanced sauce.
- Cooks From Frozen — No thawing needed!
- One-Pot Convenience — Easy cooking, easy cleanup.
- Versatile — Serve it whole, shredded, or sliced with your favorite sides.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Honey
Raw honey gives the sauce its thickness and natural sweetness.
Water or Chicken Broth
You’ll need at least ½ cup of liquid so the Instant Pot can build pressure.
Mustard
Dijon or yellow mustard both work beautifully — Dijon gives a tangier kick, yellow keeps it mild.
Seasonings
Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper keep the flavor balanced and savory.
Chicken
Use chicken breasts, boneless skinless thighs, or bone-in thighs. (Bone-in will cook 2–3 minutes longer.)
Cornstarch or Tapioca Starch
For thickening the sauce after pressure cooking.
How to Make Instant Pot Honey Mustard Chicken
1. Make the Base Sauce
Add honey and water to the Instant Pot. Turn on Sauté and stir for about 5 minutes, until the honey fully dissolves.
Mix in the mustard, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the Chicken
Place the chicken on the steam rack or directly in the sauce, turning to coat it.
3. Pressure Cook
Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure
- 8 minutes for medium chicken breasts (6–8 oz)
- 12 minutes for frozen chicken breasts
The pot will take about 10 minutes to build pressure before the countdown begins.
4. Quick Release
When the timer ends, turn the steam valve to Venting to release pressure.
5. Thicken the Sauce
Remove the chicken.
Whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water, then add it to the pot.
Turn on Sauté and simmer 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Return chicken to the pot, turning to coat it completely.
Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Instant Pot
Frozen chicken needs just 4 extra minutes of cook time.
Total time breakdown for a 6–8 oz frozen chicken breast:
- ~10 minutes to reach pressure
- 12 minutes to cook
≈22 minutes total
What to Serve With Honey Mustard Chicken
🍚 Rice or Quinoa
Perfect for soaking up the sweet-tangy sauce. Coconut rice is amazing here.
🥦 Steamed or Roasted Veggies
Broccoli, carrots, or green beans keep it light and balanced.
🥔 Mashed or Roasted Potatoes
Try it with boursin mashed potatoes for extra richness.
🥪 Sandwiches or Wraps
Shred the chicken and pile onto buns or flatbreads.
🥗 Fresh Salads
Pair with Brussels sprout salad or a simple green salad.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Burn Notice Tip: Honey can burn quickly. Make sure it’s fully dissolved and that you have enough liquid in the pot.
- If the Instant Pot displays a burn warning, quick release, add a splash of water or broth, scrape the bottom to deglaze, then resume cooking.
Nutrition (Per Serving)
Calories: 270 | Protein: 27.5g | Carbs: 36.6g | Fat: 2.8g | Sugar: 35g
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- ½ cup yellow or Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Kosher salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 (4–6 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded even
- 1 tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp water (for slurry)
Instructions
- Add honey and water to the Instant Pot. Turn on Sauté and stir until the honey fully dissolves (about 5 minutes).
- Add mustard, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add chicken and turn to coat it in the sauce.
- Seal the lid and set to Pressure Cook (High) for 10 minutes. (Add 4 minutes if using frozen chicken.)
- When done, quick release the pressure. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Whisk cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry.
- Add slurry to the sauce, turn on Sauté, and simmer 2–3 minutes until thickened.
- Return chicken to the pot and coat in the sauce.
- Serve over rice, quinoa, or vegetables.