Objectives <p>This study investigated the relationship between mindfulness in teaching and teachers’ innovative work behavior, as well as the underlying mechanisms, by constructing chain mediation models based on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model.</p> Method <p>A survey was conducted among 636 primary and secondary school teachers in Fujian Province, China, utilizing the Mindfulness in Teaching Scale, the Teachers’ Innovative Work Behavior Scale, the Work Engagement Scale, and the Job Crafting Scale.</p> Results <p>The results indicate that mindfulness in teaching is positively associated with teachers’ innovative work behavior. Furthermore, both work engagement and job crafting independently mediate this relationship. Additionally, two chain mediation patterns were observed: one involving the linkage from work engagement to job crafting, and another from job crafting to work engagement. These pathways serve as chain mediators in the relationship between mindfulness in teaching and teachers’ innovative work behavior.</p> Conclusions <p>The results indicate that, among primary and secondary school teachers, mindfulness in teaching is not only directly associated with teachers’ innovative work behavior but is also indirectly associated with it through the “spiral gain” pattern formed by the interplay between work engagement and job crafting. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of teacher professional development and provides empirical support for interventions aimed at enhancing teachers’ innovative work behavior.</p>