Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls
Honey mustard chicken bowls with juicy seared chicken, rice, and roasted vegetables in a homemade honey mustard sauce. An easy healthy meal prep dinner.
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Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls are what I build when I want dinner and four packed lunches out of the same 40 minutes. Juicy chicken gets tossed in a tangy-sweet honey mustard sauce. Then it’s piled into bowls with fluffy rice and roasted vegetables so everyone gets a little of everything. The sauce does double duty as both the marinade and the drizzle, which means big flavor without a long ingredient list.
Making the honey mustard from scratch is worth the two extra minutes. Dijon brings the sharp tang, whole grain mustard adds those little poppy seeds of texture, honey balances it out. A splash of vinegar keeps the whole thing from tasting flat. Bottled honey mustard leans mostly sweet. So a homemade version gives you a sauce that actually tastes like mustard instead of dessert.
The way I keep this fast is roasting the vegetables on one sheet pan while the chicken sears in a skillet. So both finish around the same time. Cook a batch of rice. You’ve got components you can mix and match all week. Store the sauce separate from the bowls and everything reheats without turning soggy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One sauce, two jobs. The honey mustard marinates the chicken and drizzles over the finished bowl, so there’s less to make.
- Built for meal prep. The components store separately and hold up for days of packed lunches.
- Balanced and filling. Lean chicken, whole grains, and roasted vegetables make a complete plate.
- Everyone builds their own. Bowls let picky eaters skip what they don’t want without a fuss.
Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls Ingredients
Two mustards do different jobs here. Dijon is smooth and sharp for the base flavor, while whole grain mustard adds a mild pop of texture. If you only have one, Dijon alone works fine; the sauce will just be a little smoother.
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb broccoli florets
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Recipe Variations
- Swap the broccoli for Brussels sprouts, green beans, or cauliflower; roast until the edges are browned and crisp.
- Use brown rice, quinoa, or farro in place of white rice for more fiber.
- Add a spoonful of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne to the honey mustard for a hot-honey-mustard version with a little kick.
How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls
- Make the honey mustard: In a bowl, whisk together the Dijon, whole grain mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the garlic. Set aside about half the sauce for drizzling and use the rest to coat the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken: Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, then toss it with the reserved marinade portion. Let it sit while the oven heats, or up to overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor.
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the broccoli with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, spread on a sheet pan, and roast for 18-20 minutes until the edges are browned and crisp.
- Sear the chicken: While the vegetables roast, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until browned and cooked through to 165°F on a meat thermometer. Let it rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Build the bowls: Divide the rice among four bowls and top with sliced chicken and roasted broccoli. Drizzle with the reserved honey mustard sauce and scatter parsley over the top.
How to Meal Prep Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls
Bowls are the easiest thing to meal prep and the easiest to do badly, because the parts have different shelf lives. Assembled Sunday, eaten Thursday, everything tastes the same and the greens are gone.
| Component | Keeps | Store it |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken | 4 days | Airtight, sliced not shredded |
| Honey mustard sauce | 1 week | Separate jar, always |
| Cooked grains | 4-5 days | Cooled fully before the lid goes on |
| Roasted vegetables | 3-4 days | Loosely covered, not sealed |
| Fresh greens | Add at serving | Never in the container |
The sauce staying separate is the rule that matters most. Dressed chicken goes soft and the sugar in honey mustard pulls water out of everything it touches. Sauce on at serving, not at prep.
Cool the grains uncovered before sealing. Warm rice in a closed container condenses on the lid, drips back down, and by day three you have a wet layer on top.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Breasts?
Yes, boneless skinless thighs are a great swap and stay especially juicy. They cook to the same 165°F and are more forgiving if you lose track of the pan for a minute.
How Long Does This Last for Meal Prep?
Assembled bowls keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the drizzle sauce separately and add it when you reheat, so the rice and chicken don’t sit in liquid and go soggy.
Is Store-Bought Honey Mustard Okay?
It works in a pinch, but bottled versions run sweeter and thinner. If you use it, cut back on any added honey and stir in a spoonful of Dijon to sharpen the flavor.
Can I Grill the Chicken Instead?
Absolutely. Grill over medium-high heat for about 5-6 minutes per side until it reaches 165°F. The marinade caramelizes nicely over open flame.
What Else Can I Put in the Bowls?
This is flexible. Add roasted sweet potato, a handful of baby spinach, sliced avocado, or shredded carrots. Any grain and roasted vegetable you like will fit right in.
Cooking Tips
- Always set aside part of the honey mustard before it touches raw chicken, so you have a clean batch to drizzle at the end.
- Pound thicker chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking so they sear evenly and don’t dry out at the thin end.
- Give the roasted broccoli room on the pan. Crowded florets steam and go limp instead of browning at the edges.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Store assembled bowls in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, with the drizzle sauce in a separate container.
To freeze: The cooked chicken freezes well for up to 3 months on its own. Rice freezes fine too, but roasted broccoli turns mushy once thawed, so it’s best made fresh.
To reheat: Microwave the bowl until hot, then add the sauce after reheating. A damp paper towel over the bowl keeps the rice and chicken from drying out.
How to Serve Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls
Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls are a full meal on their own, but a wedge of lemon squeezed over the top or a sprinkle of toasted seeds adds a nice finish. Roasted asparagus or a simple green salad works if you want more vegetables, and the leftover chicken is great sliced onto a plate with our Spinach Chicken Burgers for a protein-heavy lunch.
Loved This Recipe?
Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls turn one round of cooking into dinner tonight and lunches all week, all tied together by a sauce you’ll want to put on everything.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
More like this: Need another chicken dinner the kids won’t argue about? Start with these three. Try Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli Bowls, Creamy Coconut Chicken Rice Bowl, or Creamy Pesto Chicken.
Honey Mustard Chicken Bowls
Equipment
- Instant-Read Thermometer 165°F, checked in two spots rather than one.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 tsp salt divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb broccoli florets
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the honey mustard: In a bowl, whisk together the Dijon, whole grain mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the garlic. Set aside about half the sauce for drizzling and use the rest to coat the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken: Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, then toss it with the reserved marinade portion. Let it sit while the oven heats, or up to overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor.
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the broccoli with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, spread on a sheet pan, and roast for 18-20 minutes until the edges are browned and crisp.
- Sear the chicken: While the vegetables roast, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until browned and cooked through to 165°F on a meat thermometer. Let it rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Build the bowls: Divide the rice among four bowls and top with sliced chicken and roasted broccoli. Drizzle with the reserved honey mustard sauce and scatter parsley over the top.
Notes
If you made this, leave a star rating down in the comments. It takes about ten seconds, and it’s how other cooks decide whether a recipe is worth trying.
