Get ready, because you’re about to have the best Honey Mustard Chicken Salad of your life! This delicious salad has the perfect balance of tangy, fresh, and salty flavors that make for a fantastic light dinner, snack, or side salad!
What’s in this Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing?
This honey mustard salad dressing uses only 5 simple ingredients, and it’s so good we just had to use it as a marinade for the juicy grilled chicken. But tender chicken isn’t the only yummy topping we have on this hearty salad!
It’s also accompanied by crispy bacon, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and avocado slices for an irresistible medley of crunchy textures and vibrant flavors. You’ve got to try it!
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a spicy, earthy component to the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Makes the dressing creamy.
- Honey: Adds a touch of floral sweetness.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds fruity acidity to the dressing.
- Olive Oil: Adds fat to the dressing.
- Chicken Breasts: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the healthiest salad.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the flavor of the chicken.
- Bacon: Adds a bit of saltiness and umami flavor.
- Mixed Greens: Form the base of this salad.
- Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are the perfect bite-sized toppings for this salad.
- Avocado: Adds a bit of creaminess.
- Red Onion: Adds sharpness and bite.
Pro Tip: Add a bit of water to your dressing to thin it out if you find your dressing is a little too thick. It may thicken a bit while it sits in the fridge.
Variations on Honey Mustard Salad
- You can use chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts.
- Any greens work for the salad – use your favorite!
- Feel free to add more toppings, such as diced apples, slivered almonds, or corn kernels!
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I highly recommend grilling your chicken or using an indoor grill pan to get nice color and crunch. However, you can also make the chicken in an air fryer, sous vide, or instant pot!
Absolutely! This recipe is great to use up cooked chicken breasts! Just toss the chicken in some of the dressing before adding it to the salad.
In place of the mayonnaise, you can use plain Greek yogurt for a slightly healthier swap!
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can cook the chicken breasts and bacon up to 2 days ahead and the dressing up to 1 week ahead of when you plan to use it. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Store honey mustard chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend separating the chicken, dressing, and salad greens until ready to serve.
How to Freeze
While I do not recommend freezing honey mustard chicken salad, you can freeze the cooked chicken breasts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Honey Mustard Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing/Marinade:
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Salad:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- ¼ cup diced red onion
Equipment
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until combined.½ cup Dijon mustard, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add ⅓ of the mixture to a Ziplock bag and place the rest in the refrigerator for serving.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half into cutlets. You should have four total. Season both sides with salt and pepper2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add the chicken to the Ziplock with the marinade. Seal the top and toss to coat in the marinade. Refrigerate for 2 hours. If you don’t have the time, let it marinate while you prep the salad ingredients!
- Heat your grill,or grill pan to medium-high.
- Grill the chicken on both sides until cooked through. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice it into strips.
- While the chicken is cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess fat.4 slices bacon
- To assemble, divide the greens between bowls. Top with chicken, bacon, tomatoes, avocado and red onion. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve.6 cups mixed greens, 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, 1 avocado, ¼ cup diced red onion
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts.
- Any greens work for the salad – use your favorite!
- Feel free to add more toppings, such as diced apples, slivered almonds, or corn kernels.
- If you are using a grill pan, feel free to cook the bacon with the chicken for easy cleanup.
- Add a bit of water to your dressing to thin it out if you find your dressing is a little too thick. It may thicken a bit while it sits in the fridge.
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