This Maple Chicken is pan-seared until golden and juicy, then coated in a sweet maple mustard sauce! With just a handful of ingredients and 25 minutes, you can have this maple mustard chicken on the table for a quick weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
If you need more one pan dinner recipes to stay on top of busy weeknights, take a peek at our collection!
Skillet chicken recipes make the best weeknight dinners. They are fast and easy recipes to make, affordable, and often use ingredients you already have on hand. Some of our favorites are this Apricot Chicken, this easy Electric Skillet Lemon Chicken, and this tasty Brown Butter Herb Chicken.
Maple Chicken is another delicious recipe! It’s gone by many names over the years… maple mustard chicken, maple dijon chicken, maple glazed chicken. Whatever you call it, it's a delicious simple dinner!
It is so tasty we designed this Maple Mustard Chicken Sheet Pan Recipe (with Sweet Potatoes) to be made with a thickened version of this sauce.
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Why this recipe is great
- It has a super tasty mustard maple glaze!
- Makes tender and juicy chicken breasts without a lot of hassle.
- Comes together in just 25 minutes.
- It’s one of those low heat chicken skillet recipes that can be done in an electric skillet or on the stove.
So simple and yet so flavoursome, the chicken was so tender too and with very little prep work, it makes a fine “last minute decision” meal.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Camaro
Ingredients for maple chicken
A full list of the ingredients for maple chicken can be found in the recipe card, but here are a few noteworthy tips:
- Chicken breasts: We always buy large skinless chicken breasts, often from Sam’s or Costco. Instead of pounding them thin, we cut them in half horizontally. You can also use chicken tenderloins.
- Butter: Butter adds great flavor, but you can substitute with olive oil.
- Flour: This gives the maple glaze something to stick to.
- Mustard: You can use dijon mustard, stone ground mustard, or spicy brown mustard.
- Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Thyme: We use dried, but feel free to substitute with 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme.
- Garlic: Buy it minced or chop it yourself.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make maple chicken
Salt the chicken breasts and set aside for 5 minutes. While that’s sitting, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Coat each side of chicken in flour and shake off all the excess.
In an electric skillet (affiliate) or skillet on the stove top, melt the butter over medium heat (350°F). Cook the chicken on the first side until golden, about 4-5 minutes.
Flip the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the mustard maple sauce and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 2-4 minutes.
For a crowd
Maple chicken works well when serving a crowd of 6-12, but I don't recommend it for larger groups. It is best served fresh, and to serve more than 12 people you will have to do 3+ rounds of cooking (or use lots of skillets). My favorite skillet for this recipe is this Cuisinart electric skillet (affiliate) because it holds 6-8 pieces of chicken comfortably.
FAQs
Yes! I don’t suggest using maple syrup alone since it will be very sweet. We add mustard, thyme, garlic, and chicken broth for a sweet and savory maple glaze that thickens up when you simmer it.
You can use honey instead of the maple syrup, but it will not have the same flavor profile. The sauce will also start off thicker, so simmer it very gently until just thick enough.
You can make the sauce and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days or the freezer for 2-3 months. You can also trim and cut the chicken, then store in the fridge for 1-2 days or the freezer for 2-3 months. When ready to cook, just thaw and cook as directed.
You can serve this skillet chicken with any number of side dishes. Some of my favorite pairings are Cranberry Rice Recipe, Hasselback Potatoes, Baked Sweet Potatoes, crispy Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans Almondine, and this easy Pull Apart Bread with frozen dough.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat it gently in the microwave until warmed through.
Tips and tricks
- Cut the chicken breasts an even thickness to help them cook evenly.
- Shake off all the excess flour. Too much flour creates a gummy layer instead of a lightly crispy golden coating.
- Cook over medium heat. If it is too hot, the outside of the chicken will cook before the inside is done.
- Use rubber-tipped tongs in your non-stick skillet to avoid scratching the coating.
More recipes with maple syrup
- Maple Pecan Pie (no corn syrup!) - The entire family will like this one!
- Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin - Fall dinners can't get tastier!
- Easy Apple Scones with Maple Glaze - Serve with coffee or orange juice for a quick fall breakfast.
- Chicken Apple Sausages with Maple Thyme Glaze - A great recipe for any time of year, but especially fitting in the fall.
- Brown Butter Maple Glaze and Icing - Done in just a couple of minutes and perfect for cakes, scones, and more.
Recipe
Easy Maple Chicken (with Dijon Mustard)
Equipment
- Skillet or electric skillet
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts cut in half horizontally
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup dijon mustard or stone ground or spicy
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Sprinkle each side of the chicken with kosher salt and allow to sit for 5 minutes.3 large chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- While the chicken is sitting, combine the broth, mustard, syrup, thyme, and garlic.½ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup dijon mustard, ½ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1½ teaspoon garlic
- Combine the flour and pepper in a flat dish. Coat each side of the chicken in flour and vigorously shake off the excess. The layer should be very thin.½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon pepper
- In an electric skillet heated to 350° or skillet on the stove over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook the chicken on the first side until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.4 tablespoon butter
- Flip the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the maple sauce and simmer until the sauce has thickened into a glaze and the chicken is cooked through, 2-4 minutes.
Notes
- Cut the chicken breasts an even thickness to help them cook evenly.
- Shake off all the excess flour. Too much flour creates a gummy layer instead of a lightly crispy golden coating.
- Cook over medium heat. If it is too hot, the outside of the chicken will cook before the inside is done.
- Use rubber-tipped tongs in your non-stick skillet to avoid scratching the coating.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Kristin White says
Hi there. I made the Maple Chicken for dinner tonight. it was Amazing! I ended up topping it with Bacon and Cheddar Cheese. I served it with Rice and Broccoli. My husband son lived it and said to make it again. Delicious..
Misty says
Yay, we're so glad you liked it!
Jeanette says
This dish was awesome! Everyone Loved it. And also was impressed that the ingredients was listed in each step so you didn’t have to go back and look it up . Definitely will do again. Thanks
Danielle says
Thanks for taking a minute to let us know! It really is a yummy recipe!
Olivia says
Agree! Having the measurements right there was a game changer!
Great recipe!!
Misty says
We're so glad the ingredient feature is helpful!
Camaro says
So simple and yet so flavoursome, the chicken was so tender too and with very little prep work, it makes a fine “last minute decision” meal. We had ratatouille and duck fat potatoes and it was by far one of the best meals for fussy eaters!
Misty says
What high praise! We're so glad you liked it. Thank you for taking the time to share.