Honey‑mustard pan chicken thighs with courgette & cherry tomatoes
Fast, one‑pan honey‑mustard chicken thighs with courgette, cherry tomatoes and wilted spinach — ready in 35 minutes for a no‑fuss weeknight dinner.
This is your new weeknight hero: sticky honey‑mustard chicken thighs cooked in one ovenproof pan with courgette and blistered tomatoes. Quick, low‑fuss and reliably tasty — perfect for when you want a proper dinner without the faff.
Everything cooks in the same pan so time in the kitchen is minimal and washing up is mercifully small. Serve with new potatoes or a green salad for an easy family meal.
Ingredients
- 800 g skin-on boneless chicken thighs
- 5 ml fine sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 ml Dijon mustard
- 30 ml runny honey
- 1 lemon — juiced
- 2 garlic cloves — crushed or finely grated
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 1 brown onion — thinly sliced
- 2 courgettes — cut into thick half‑moons
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 75 g baby spinach
- 15 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- ovenproof frying pan
- tongs
- measuring spoons
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional.
Pat the chicken thighs very dry with kitchen paper, then season both sides with fine sea salt and black pepper.
Make the glaze: in a small bowl whisk together Dijon mustard, runny honey, lemon juice, crushed garlic and smoked paprika until smooth.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium–high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin‑side down and sear, undisturbed, for 6 minutes until the skin is deep golden and much of the fat has rendered.
Turn the chicken, spoon half the glaze over each piece, then tuck the brown onion, courgettes and cherry tomatoes around the thighs in the pan. Sear for 2 minutes to colour the veg.
Spoon the remaining glaze over the chicken and transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Roast for 11 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
Remove the pan from the oven, add the baby spinach, and toss in the hot pan juices for about 90 seconds until wilted.
Rest the chicken and vegetables in the pan for 3 minutes, then scatter over the chopped fresh parsley and serve straight from the pan.
Tips
- For the crispiest skin pat the chicken dry and make sure the pan is hot before you add the thighs.
- If you don't have an ovenproof pan, transfer to a baking tray to roast, but reduce oven time by 1–2 minutes as heat distribution differs.
- Make the glaze up to 24 hours ahead and keep refrigerated — bring to room temperature before using.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a low oven (150°C fan) to keep the skin from going soggy.
- If the veg cooks faster than the chicken, push it to the side of the pan so it doesn't over‑soften while the meat finishes in the oven.
Substitutions
skin-on boneless chicken thighs → chicken breasts (approx. 800 g) — pound slightly for even thickness and reduce oven time by 2–3 minutes
Noticeably differentrunny honey → maple syrup, same quantity
Stays closecourgettes → asparagus or green beans, trimmed
Stays closeDijon mustard → wholegrain mustard, same quantity (more texture)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 480
- Calories
- 38 g
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes — breasts cook faster and can dry out, so pound to an even thickness and check after 8–9 minutes in the oven. Reduce oven time by a couple of minutes.
How can I tell the chicken is cooked?
Pierce the thickest part with a skewer — the juices should run clear. Alternatively the internal temperature should read 74°C, but a clear juice test works fine at home.
Is this recipe gluten‑free?
Yes as written. Check labels on Dijon mustard if you need to be certain — most are gluten‑free but some brands add stabilisers.
Can I make the glaze less sweet?
Cut the runny honey to 1 tbsp and add an extra 1 tsp lemon juice for more brightness without losing the glaze texture.
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