Garlic Mustard Chicken

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Grilled Garlic Mustard Chicken is an easy chicken marinade recipe made with garlic, mustard and olive oil. A healthy Whole30 and low carb dinner recipe! 

There is one condiment that all of our family can agree on: Mustard.

All of the others are touch and go. BBQ sauce: It’s a second favorite. Ketchup? Eh…most of us can leave it.

But mustard, whether it is dijon, honey mustard or spicy brown mustard, we are all usually a fan.

A plate of food, with mustard chicken

Garlic Mustard Chicken

If there is one thing I never get tired of, it is grilled chicken. And with busy school schedules, chicken on the grill is a quick way to serve up a healthy dinner to your family.

Today I have a super easy chicken marinade for you. This Garlic Mustard Chicken is one of our new favorites. It’s delicious served with a side of grilled corn and fresh salad (like our broccoli slaw) …but you can also slice up the leftover chicken to serve on top of a tossed salad for lunch the next day. It’s just as delicious as our much loved Mexican Chicken Marinade.

chicken breasts on a cutting board

Healthy Chicken Marinade

Summer is an easy time to eat a little healthier because it is so easy to throw meat on the grill.  When a family friend told me in passing about an easy marinade for chicken that their family liked, my ears perked up.  They mentioned only three ingredients:

  • Spicy Brown Mustard
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic

No sugar. That made this a Whole30 chicken marinade. Quick to make. Easy for busy weeknights. I could hardly wait to try this simple chicken marinade!

Spicy Brown Mustard Vs Yellow Mustard

Do you have to use spicy brown mustard or can you use regular? Spicy brown mustard is made from a brown mustard seed with the bran left on the seed. This leads to a coarser texture than yellow mustard. It has a robust, hearty, earthy flavor and is often known as “deli mustard” because it can hold up to stronger deli meat flavor.

We tried both regular yellow mustard and spicy brown mustard, and definitely preferred the spicy brown mustard.  It was amazing on the chicken.

A plastic container of food, with Chicken and Mustard

Does marinating chicken make a difference?

This recipe calls for at least 6 hours of marinating time. Is that really necessary? The true honest answer is most likely no.

Marinating chicken can add a touch of flavor, but honestly most of the marinade drips off when you go to cook it. If you are going to marinate chicken, it’s important to use strong flavors, which is why we choose olive oil and a spicy brown mustard, along with garlic. If there are milder flavors, you will most likely just not taste it very much.

**Pro Tip: It is often thought that marinating meat can tenderize it. This is not often the case. In fact, marinating meat can often toughen it up.)

Food on a grill, with Chicken and Barbecue

Tips for Grilling Chicken

  • A serving of chicken is about 4 ounces. Store-bought chicken breasts can be over 10 ounces at times. If the chicken breasts are really large, slice them in half lengthwise to make two thin breasts instead of one large one.
  • Make sure the grill is preheated to at least 400ยบ Fahrenheit before you put the chicken on to cook. This will prevent it from sticking.
  • Keep a thermometer close by. The key to tender chicken is to not overcook it! **We LOVE our Thermoworks ThermaPen to quickly test meat temperatures. This probe thermometer is AMAZING.  Get it here.**
  • Remove the meat from the grill and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the chicken to rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting. Why do you let the chicken rest? It redistributes the juices throughout the chicken so that is the juiciest that it can be.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken

We serve this chicken with grilled vegetables such as corn on the cob, potatoes or peppers. And if there are leftovers?  Slice it up and put it on a tossed salad the next day.  It really is the perfect lunch.

Here are a few favorite picnic side dishes:

Garlic Mustard Chicken
Garlic Mustard Chicken

Garlic Mustard Chicken

4.62 from 42 votes
An easy chicken marinade recipe made with garlic, mustard and olive oil. Whole30 and Paleo Dinner Idea. 
Servings 6
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, mix the mustard, oil and garlic together. 
  • Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag, or a plastic container with a lid. Pour the mustard marinade over the chicken and let it marinate in the fridge overnight, or at least for 6 hours.
  • Preheat the the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken on on the grill and cook for about 6-10 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  • Serve the chicken alongside vegetables.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 594mg | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 374
Keyword charcoal, garlic, grill chicken, grilling

About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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4.62 from 42 votes (39 ratings without comment)
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Megan
4 years ago

5 stars
Didnโ€™t have time to marinate but was craving spicy mustard so I brushed the mix on and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe! I will have to make it again when I have more time to marinate first!

Ken
4 years ago

5 stars
Just tied this marinade today, two hours of time in the bag. amazing results. I have been looking for a marinade that would “Fix” Chicken Tenderloins that I had purchased as they always cook out too dry. This marinade ias the cure and great flavor. I can’t wait to see what is does after 24 hours.

Anonymous
4 years ago

5 stars
I made this with dijon and grilled it in the George Forman grill.My husband really liked it and that says alot from a man who prefers his chicken fried.I’m making it again this time with stone ground mustard! Winner winner chicken dinner!

Jack
6 years ago

Hi,
Is this a good marinade for baked chicken as well?

Thanks!
Jack