This dijon mustard chicken marinade is a quick and easy way to add flavor to your chicken. With just 6 ingredients, you probably have everything you need in your pantry and fridge already! You can make grilled dijon chicken thighs or baked dijon chicken breasts – instructions are given for both the oven and grill. This is a great weeknight dinner your family is going to love!
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Does your family eat a lot of chicken? Mine certainly does, and we’re always looking for ways to change it up.
We’ve become somewhat reliant on marinades in our house, and I’ve definitely created some good ones – my husband’s favorite is my Mexican chicken marinade and my kids love this 4-ingredient chicken marinade (it tastes kind of like teriyaki).
But we can all get behind this lemon dijon chicken marinade – it’s easy, it’s quick, and it honestly tastes really great.
I love it on its own with a side of sauteed zucchini and mushrooms, or in my grilled chicken cobb salad. Whichever way you choose to serve it, it’s going to be a crowd-pleaser.
What makes this dijon chicken marinade so great
- It uses simple ingredients. Most, if not all, of them are probably already in your fridge or pantry.
- There are only 6 ingredients. Nothing fancy here, just real, nourishing ingredients. And because there are so few it hardly takes any time to make.
- There’s a quick marinating time. It really does take only 30 minutes for this marinade to do its work on the chicken.
- It’s mild but still flavorful. Meaning it’s good for young kiddos, picky eaters, or a large crowd with varied palettes.
All of these add up to an easy, wholesome meal on your weeknight table.
Grab these ingredients
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Dijon mustard – any brand will do. The ones I use most often are Annie’s Organic Dijon Mustard or Organicville Dijon Mustard.
- Lemon juice – I like to use freshly squeezed as it has a brighter flavor, but you can absolutely use juice from a bottle.
- Herbs & spices – garlic powder and dried thyme are what you’ll need. Make sure they’re fresh as these will lose potency over time after they’re opened.
- Oil – you want a high-heat oil. I like to use avocado oil in this recipe.
- Kosher salt – this recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using a different brand or type, check out the salt conversion chart in this post to get the correct amount to use.
How to make a dijon mustard marinade for chicken
Making a marinade is pretty straightforward. You’re just placing all the components in a container and stirring them together.
I like to measure out the oil in a measuring cup first, then just pour everything else into the same cup so I’m not dirtying any additional dishes.
Storing this marinade
After making the marinade, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for at least one week.
You can also freeze the marinade. Place it in a freezer-safe container and it will keep for several months. When you’re ready to cook with it, completely thaw the marinade before putting it with any chicken.
*Marinade Freezing Tip*
If you’re going to freeze the marinade (or any liquid) in a mason jar, be sure and leave room at the top of the jar for the liquid to expand as it freezes. If you don’t, when the liquid tries to expand it will break the glass.
Cooking chicken with a lemon dijon marinade
This marinade is good for baking or grilling chicken. I have a dijon grilled chicken thigh recipe that gives specific instructions for how to grill chicken with this marinade but am also providing brief instructions below. There are directions for how to make baked dijon chicken as well.
For either grilling or baking, you want to marinate the chicken in a plastic bag or other sealed container for 30 minutes in the fridge with ⅔ of the marinade. Keep the other ⅓ of the marinade to act as a glaze for the chicken!
This recipe makes enough to cook between 1.5 and 2 pounds of chicken. This equates to roughly 2 large breasts or 7 to 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Cooking your chicken breasts evenly
When cooking chicken breasts, make sure each breast is the same thickness. This ensures it will cook more evenly which helps keep it from drying out!
Use a meat pounder or tenderizer to pound your chicken flat before marinating it. If you don’t have one, you can buy one at any of the following websites:
DIJON CHICKEN IN THE OVEN
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil, then place the chicken on the pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and cook the chicken for 15 minutes.
- When the 15 minutes are up, bring the chicken out and lightly brush the remaining unused ⅓ of the marinade onto it. Place back in the oven and cook for another 5 to 15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired, brush additional glaze on top of the chicken and serve.
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DIJON CHICKEN ON THE GRILL
- Preheat the grill to between 350 and 375 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade with tongs and place it on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 6 minutes.
- When the 6 minutes are up, open the lid and use the tongs to flip the chicken. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches between 135F and 145F.
- Spread the remaining unused ⅓ of the marinade onto the chicken as a glaze, then cook another 3 to 7 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the grill once cooked and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired, brush additional glaze on top of the chicken and serve.
See my grilled dijon chicken thighs recipe for more complete instructions and pictures.
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30 Minute Dijon Mustard Chicken Marinade
Equipment
- A mason jar (optional)
Ingredients
- juice of 1 lemon 2-3 tbsp, 1 to 1.5 oz of juice
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or other mild high heat oil
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Measure out the oil into a measuring cup. Measure out the other ingredients and place them in the cup with the oil.
- Stir everything together with a whisk until it’s well combined.
- Alternatively you can place all the ingredients in a mason jar, cover it with a lid, and shake vigorously until the marinade is combined.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough marinade for between 1.5 and 2 pounds of chicken.
- The marinade can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or be frozen in a freezer-safe container for several months. Be sure to thaw completely before marinating chicken with it.
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