Honey Mustard Chicken Salad Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This honey mustard chicken salad is so easy to make with a simple 5-ingredient dressing that pulls double-duty as a flavor-packed marinade. Fresh greens topped with juicy grilled chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy avocado!

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Marinating Time (Optional)2

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: salads

Calories: 594kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Grill or Indoor Grill Pan

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 ***
salt and 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

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 zip-top 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 pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, salt and pepper
Add the chicken to the zip-top bag 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 (375-450°F).
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

Video

Notes

*You can use your favorite store-bought creamy honey mustard dressing.

**In place of the mayonnaise, you can use plain Greek yogurt for a slightly healthier swap!

***Chicken thighs also work but may take longer to cook.

Tips:

Add a bit of water to your honey mustard dressing to thin it out if it's a little too thick. It may thicken a bit while it sits in the fridge.
Toss your sliced avocado in a tiny bit of the apple cider vinegar before adding it to the salad to prevent browning.
After dicing the red onion, soak the pieces in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain to give them a more mellow flavor.
Feel free to add more toppings, such as diced apples, slivered almonds, or corn kernels!
Slice the chicken against the grain. Look for the tiny lines in the meat and cut perpendicular to them. This ensures every bite of the chicken breast is tender rather than stringy.

Alternative Cooking Methods:

Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes. Place the marinated chicken breasts in the basket and air fry for 16-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
Sous Vide: Set your sous vide to 160°F. Seal the marinated chicken in a zip-top bag, and submerge in the sous vide bath for 1 hour. Optionally sear in a pan for extra browning.
Instant Pot: Place 1 cup of chicken broth in the bottom of your pressure cooker, then place the marinated chicken breasts on top of the trivet. Seal and pressure cook on "HIGH" for 8 minutes, then natural release.

Meal Prep: This makes a great jar salad! Pour the dressing at the very bottom, followed by the sturdy ingredients, like cherry tomatoes and red onion, then the chicken and bacon, and finally the mixed greens at the very top to ensure they never touch the dressing until you're ready to shake and eat.

Storage: Store honey mustard chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition