Name: Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 300 g Chicken Thigh Meat (10oz); 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot (35g); 3 Garlic Cloves; 2 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard (30g); 1 Tbsp Honey (20g); ½ Tsp Dried Thyme; ¼ Tsp Salt ((plus extra for boiling pasta)); 2 Tbsp Olive Oil; 200 g Dried Pasta (7oz); 75 ml Sour Cream (⅓ Cup)

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Honey, wholegrain mustard, garlic and thyme are combined with chicken and sour cream to form a delicious, quick and easy sauce for pasta.

This simple recipe takes around 10 minutes to prepare and a little over 20 minutes to cook, making it a perfect midweek pasta dinner.

Honey and mustard chicken pasta (malfadine) with chopped parsley.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Every cook should have a chicken pasta recipe... or two in their arsenal, so it should not come as a surprise that I have a few!

Everything from a spicy minced chicken pasta, to a creamy chicken and bacon pasta and even a curry chicken pasta recipe, to name a few.

This latest version rocks classic flavours, honey and wholegrain mustard with chicken thighs in a subtly tart sour cream sauce served with malfadine pasta.

It's gloriously easy to make; preparation will take you a leisurely 10 minutes, and it requires no special skills.

Cooking is equally simple: soften some garlic and shallots in olive oil, then add some chicken. Whilst that is cooking, you boil some pasta and throw in the ingredients for the sauce and then toss it all together.

You are all done and dusted in a shade over 30 minutes, including the preparation.

Overhead close-up honey and mustard chicken pasta (malfadine) with chopped parsley.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes, of course! This pasta sauce is best with a broader pasta, so everything from tagliatelle to pappardelle and everything in between is best. It holds on to the creamy sauce wonderfully.

I would avoid tube-shaped pasta, unless you chop the chicken into smaller chunks.

Can I use a different type of mustard?

Yes, but try to choose a milder mustard; Dijon would be perfect.

Can I use regular cream?

You can, but it will double down on the sweetness of the honey. Sour cream offers a subtle tartness; creme fraiche would do something similar.

If you want to use double cream (heavy cream in the US), add a little more lemon into the mix to balance the sweetness.

Can I make this in advance?

This sauce is best eaten hot and fresh; it does not reheat very well at all.

Close-up honey and mustard chicken pasta (malfadine) with chopped parsley.

Serving Suggestions

I always try to keep my sides for pasta recipes very simple, and this creamy honey, mustard and chicken number is no different.

I typically serve this with some cheesy garlic bread, but a regular garlic baguette works equally well.

A special shout-out to this soft potato focaccia, too. It is more involved, but I cook it in batches and store it in the freezer, and then cook it from frozen in an air fryer.

Overhead honey and mustard chicken pasta (malfadine) with chopped parsley.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

Hob/stovetop.
20cm or 8" saucepan.
28cm or 11" frying pan.
Colander.
Stirring and serving spoons or tongs.
Chopping board.
kitchen knife.
A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.

Honey and wholegrain mustard chicken pasta (malfadine) with chopped parsley.

Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta Recipe

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A creamy chicken pasta is the ideal midweek meal, and this delicious version adds wholegrain mustard and honey into the mix. Sour cream rather than double cream brings a luxurious feel and adds a little acidity to balance the sweet honey.

Main Course

European

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 22

Total Time 32

Servings Servings

Calories 847kcal

Author Brian Jones

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Ingredients

300 g Chicken Thigh Meat 10oz
1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
3 Garlic Cloves
2 tablespoon Wholegrain Mustard 30g
1 tablespoon Honey 20g
½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
¼ teaspoon Salt (plus extra for boiling pasta)
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
200 g Dried Pasta 7oz
75 ml Sour Cream ⅓ Cup

Instructions

Cut the chicken thigh meat into 5mm (¼") thick strips.
Cut the shallot in half, then dice it as finely as you can.
Peel the garlic cloves and dice them as finely as you can.
Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium heat. When it is hot, add the olive oil, followed by the shallots and garlic, then soften for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the chicken and salt, turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 minutes.
Five minutes after you have added the chicken, boil the pasta in well-salted water in a 20cm or 8" saucepan. I use 1½-2 teaspoons of salt in a pan this size.

I use malfadine pasta, which takes around 10-12 minutes to cook. If you are using a pasta that requires a different cooking time, adjust the timing as appropriate.

After the chicken has been cooking for ten minutes, add the honey, mustard and dried thyme, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for a minute or two.
Stir in the sour cream, reduce the heat to low and keep the sauce warm until the pasta is cooked.
Drain the pasta, reserving around 75ml (⅓ cup) of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce, stirring to coat, adding as much pasta water as needed to form a silky smooth sauce and serve immediately.