Easy Maple Glazed Chicken Breasts

by Kayla Berman on August 25, 2023 5 comments

Maple Glazed Chicken is an easy, healthy, and delicious dinner or meal prep recipe! Made with pure maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, and minced garlic … these boneless skinless chicken breasts are smothered in a sweet, savory, flavorful, and sticky glaze. Garnish with fresh parsley for a beautiful and simple 30 minute chicken dinner perfect for a busy weeknight!

Loving this maple mustard flavor combo? Check out my Easy Maple Mustard Salmon next!

Why You’ll Love Maple Glazed Chicken

One of my favorite things about this easy chicken recipe is how gorgeous it is! It is golden brown, glazed perfection. But besides being super camera ready, a food blogger’s dream come true, this Maple Syrup Chicken is:

Healthy: High protein, low calorie, and made with simple ingredients this chicken dish is a fabulous, healthy dinner option.
Quick & Easy: Over the years I have had to re-define my idea of an easy recipe! I have learned that if chopping an onion is required, some people are automatically out. Which I totally understand! Do not worry, for this recipe the hardest work you have to do is mincing a few garlic cloves. It really is easy! And you can absolutely use the jarred stuff if you want. Plus did I mention maple chicken will only take you 30 minutes maximum from start to finish?
Flavorful: Sweet maple syrup, tangy dijon mustard, citrusy lemon juice, and savory garlic come together to make a magnificently flavorful glaze that the chicken is smothered in here. Ummmm, delicious!!
Versatile: From family dinner to weekly meal prep, this chicken breast recipe can do it all.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Maple mustard chicken is a delicious recipe and a simple one! Which is my favorite type of recipe.

You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts and 5 ingredients for the sweet maple glaze. Plus you probably already have almost everything you need in your cupboards or fridge! Don’t you just love that?

Here are the specifics:

Chicken: This high protein skillet dinner calls for skinless and boneless chicken breasts. I think small, thin breasts work the best here!
Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup is the star of this show. It’s rich, caramel taste adds the perfect sweetness to the glaze! Make sure to use real maple syrup, not the fake stuff. We love Aunt Jemima for pancakes, but not for this maple chicken glaze.
Chicken Broth: Chicken broth is a great simple base to the glaze.
Lemon Juice: For a bit of bright, citrusy flavor fresh lemon juice is key.
Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a wonderful tang.
Garlic: I pretty much don’t make a savory recipe without garlic. It is a necessity! I recommend freshly minced garlic cloves for the best flavor. But jarred minced garlic or even garlic powder will work if you want to save some time!
Fresh Parsley: Fresh herbs are an optional, but wonderful addition to this recipe. I love fresh parsley, but anything will do. Perhaps fresh thyme or rosemary! Green onions work too.
Salt & Pepper: This maple glaze for chicken is bursting with so much flavor that not much additional seasoning is required! Just the basics – salt and black pepper.

Now let’s get cooking!

Equipment Needed

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How To Make Maple Chicken

This chicken recipe is super easy to make! It is the perfect busy weeknight dinner for the entire family.

Prepare your sides while the chicken cooks and you’ll have a healthy and delicious dinner on the table in just about 30 minutes.

Step 1: Season chicken. First season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper on both sides.

Step 2: Prepare sauce. Next combine the chicken broth, pure maple syrup, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 3: Sear chicken. Place a large skillet or pan on the stove top over medium-high heat. Cover the bottom with olive oil. Once hot add the seasoned chicken breasts. Sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts. Remove the chicken from the skillet and turn the heat to low or completely off. You want the hot skillet to thoroughly cool down.

Step 4: Add sauce. Once the skillet has cooled down, add the maple sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.

Step 5: Finish chicken. Then add the seared chicken back into the skillet. Simmer for about 5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until cooked through. Baste, or cover the surface of the chicken with the sauce, throughout the cooking process.

chicken breasts simmering in maple glaze

maple mustard glazed chicken in a skillet

Step 6: Reduce glaze. Remove the chicken from the pan and add to a serving plate. Bring the remaining maple sauce in the skillet to a high simmer for 1-2 minutes to reduce it to a thick, sticky glaze. Be careful to not burn, a couple of minutes is all you need!

Step 7: Serve and enjoy! Drizzle or spread the reduced maple glaze over the chicken breasts. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptions

Maple mustard glazed chicken is a winner winner chicken dinner as is, but there is always room for changes and adaptions to meet your personal preferences or needs! Here are some of my ideas:

Different Meat: You could make this recipe with almost any other cut of chicken if you’d like! Chicken tenders are great if you want to stay in the lean, white meat category. If you prefer dark meat, try boneless chicken thighs!
Seafood Swap: This glaze would be absolutely delicious on seafood too. Swap in some salmon or cod fillets.
Spice It up: If you love heat, add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the maple glaze mixture.
Seasoning: The only seasoning used here are the basics, salt and black pepper. But feel free to season to you heart’s content. Rub the chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, dried herbs, paprika, and anything else you think would taste good.

Expert Tips

A good sear is key for scrumptious maple syrup chicken! I think the first step in any stovetop chicken recipe is getting a beautiful, golden brown sear. It builds delicious deep flavor. Here are my searing tips:
- Make sure your raw chicken is thoroughly dried
- Add to very hot pan
- Let sit undisturbed on each side
- Thoroughly season with salt and black pepper
- Do not overcrowd the pan
- Use a cast iron skillet
Use pre-portioned chicken breasts! Now you obviously don’t have to do this, but Perdue Perfect Portions Chicken is my new favorite find. The package comes with 5 chicken breasts that are perfectly portioned to have 30 grams of protein each. I love them because they are small, thin, and easy to work with. It is also great because you know each chicken breast will require the same cooking time. If you don’t use these I do recommend slicing your chicken breasts in half and / or beating with a meat mallet to tenderize and thin.
Make sure to reduce the sauce! The maple glaze reduction gives this skillet chicken a delectable taste and gorgeous glossy look. I mean look at the color and shine on that chicken!!

Serving Suggestions

This recipe for maple chicken makes the perfect family dinner! It’s quick, easy, simple, and delicious. Everyone will love it, picky eaters included. Pair it with one or two of the easy sides below for a well rounded, healthy meal.

Carbs: We all know that a dinner plate is not complete without some tasty carbs. I suggest my Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, French Baguette Garlic Bread, or Sautéed Sweet Potatoes.
Veggies: Honey Garlic Green Beans, Sriracha Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Broccoli are delicious ways to eat your greens.
Salad: Side salads are always a yummy option and a great way to get in tons of nutrients! My colorful Mediterranean Chopped Salad, zesty Quinoa Lime Salad, or impressive Burrata Caprese would all be wonderful choices. Or keep on theme with the maple and try my Arugula Apple Walnut Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing!

This maple glazed chicken is great for more then just the main protein at dinner though. It is a fabulous meal prep option too! You can prepare on Sunday or at the start of the week and have chicken prepared for the several days ahead. Who said meal prep has to be boring or bland grilled chicken? Not me!!

Then you could toss the flavorful chicken into rice bowls, salads, sandwiches or wraps, and more throughout the week.

FAQs

Can I use honey instead of pure maple syrup?

Absolutely! Any liquid sweetener could be used in place of maple syrup – honey, agave nectar, date nectar, etc.

Can I use a different cut of chicken?

Yup! Chicken thighs or chicken tenders should work perfectly. You may just have to adjust the cooking time slightly.

How will I know when the chicken is cooked through?

The most fool proof way to know when chicken is cooked through is to check with a meat thermometer. Ensure that the thickest part of the meat has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can do the “finger test” or “poke test” to the chicken. Simply poke the chicken with your finger and notice how it feels. If it is bouncy with some give-and-take, the chicken is not cooked. If the chicken is firm it should be fully cooked.

Lastly, my tried and true test is to just cut into a piece to take a peak. If the meat is white with no pink, you’re good-to-go.

How to best store maple glaze chicken?

Store this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep best for 5 days – 1 week!

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