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Marinated grilled chicken sits atop a bed of crisp lettuce with cucumber, avocado, tomato, and sharp cheddar cheese in this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad recipe. The creamy, tangy homemade honey mustard dressing adds the perfect final touch. A quick & easy summer dinner!
There’s so much to love about this honey mustard chicken salad. The chicken marinates in a honey mustard blend that caramelizes beautifully on the grill, the dressing is creamy and tangy in the best way, and the whole thing comes together with crisp lettuce, cool cucumber, creamy avocado, and sharp cheddar. It’s filling, fresh, and the kind of lunch or dinner you actually look forward to.
Perhaps the biggest win is that it’s one of the few salads that boys in the family actually consider to be a meal. The only other chicken salads they love half as much are Southwest chicken salad and Chinese chicken salad. We’ve been rotating between the three on an almost weekly basis, especially the past month or so when the weather has been so hot. I’m always happy to whip up a dinner loaded with veggies that requires minimal cooking!
Why This Honey Mustard Chicken Salad Recipe Is A Favorite
- Lots of honey mustard flavor. There’s no shortage of flavor in this salad. The chicken is marinated in a honey mustard marinade to infuse every bite with that sweet-tangy flavor and then a creamy homemade honey mustard dressing is drizzled on top before serving.
- Stovetop or grill. One thing I love about this honey mustard chicken salad is that I can easily prepare the chicken on the grill in the summer, when it’s too hot to be in the kitchen. But I can also enjoy it year-round by cooking the chicken in a grill pan.
- Packed with fresh veggies. I love making this salad in the summer months when produced is fresh, in-season, and abundant. There’s just something about making a salad with freshly picked vegetables that makes it taste better!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s an overview of everything needed to make this salad. Keep in mind that the honey mustard marinade and dressing contain many of the same ingredients. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact measurements.
- Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts to top the salads.
- Dijon mustard – Adds the mustard flavor to both the marinade and the dressing.
- Honey – The honey in “honey mustard” for the marinade and dressing. It adds a nice sweetness to balance the heat of the Dijon.
- Olive oil – Thins both the marinade and the dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar – Adds a bit of acidity to the marinade and dressing that works nicely with the mustard and honey.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic adds an earthy bite to the marinade.
- Spices – Paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Lettuce – I like shredded iceberg lettuce as the base of my salad. Feel free to use any lettuce or other greens you prefer.
- Tomatoes – I like to use cherry tomatoes because they’re the perfect size when halved. Grape tomatoes also work. Just quarter any larger ones.
- Avocado – Adds a creamy bite that cools down the heat from the Dijon.
- Cucumber – I prefer English cucumbers as the skin is thinner and doesn’t need to be peeled.
- Red onion – I only add about ¼ of a red onion to the salad, just enough to add some flavor without overpowering everything else.
- Cheddar cheese – I top my salad with sharp cheddar. Feel free to use mild if that’s what you prefer. Freshly shredded is ideal.
- Croutons – My air fryer croutons are the perfect topping for this salad. Feel free to grab a bag at the store if you don’t have time to make your own.
- Mayonnaise – Provides the creamy base for the dressing.
How To Make Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
This salad requires minimal effort to prepare and assemble, which is why I love it for busy summer nights. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Marinate the chicken. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Grill the chicken. Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through and lightly caramelized. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Add a splash of water to thin it slightly, if needed.
- Assemble the salad. Combine the veggies, cheese, and croutons in a large bowl. Top with the sliced chicken and avocado. Drizzle generously with the honey mustard dressing. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Salad
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this honey mustard chicken salad recipe.
- Don’t skimp on marinating time. Thirty minutes is the minimum, but if you can leave it for a few hours (or overnight), the flavor goes so much deeper and the chicken stays juicier on the grill. It takes 2 minutes to mix so just do it the night before.
- Let the chicken rest. Once the chicken is fully cooked, let it rest on a plate for at least 5 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to redistribute and ensures the slices stay nice and juicy.
- Taste the dressing before serving. Mustard and honey vary a lot by brand. Whisk it together, taste it, and adjust. Add a little more honey if it’s too sharp, a little more vinegar if it’s too sweet.
- Add avocado and croutons last. Both go in right before serving. Avocado browns quickly and croutons go soggy fast once they hit the dressing.
- Customize. Feel free to customize this salad with whatever veggies you have on hand or enjoy eating. Corn kernels would be a great addition, and spinach makes a great base, too. Some other options to include are crispy bacon, nuts (walnuts, almonds or pecans), raisins or dried cranberries or celery.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: All elements of the salad can be prepared a day or two in advance. Just keep them separate in the fridge. Keep in mind that the avocado will brown quickly, so it’s best to just add it when serving.
- Leftovers: Be sure to dress each bowl of honey mustard chicken salad separately if you don’t plan to eat it all at once. Dressed salad doesn’t keep. The salad portion can be kept, covered, in a bowl, for ~2 days, depending on the veggies. The dressing and grilled chicken both keep for about 4-5 days.
Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
Marinated grilled chicken sits atop a bed of crisp lettuce with cucumber, avocado, tomato, and sharp cheddar cheese in this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad recipe. The creamy, tangy homemade honey mustard dressing adds the perfect final touch. A quick & easy summer dinner!
Servings: 4 salads
Ingredients
Honey mustard chicken marinade
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
- 4 cups iceberg lettuce shredded
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large avocado sliced
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup croutons
For the honey mustard dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoons water as needed for consistency
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and lightly caramelized. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients until smooth. Add a splash of water if needed to thin it slightly.
- In a large serving bowl, combine romaine, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cheddar cheese, and croutons.
- Top with sliced grilled chicken and avocado. Drizzle generously with honey mustard dressing and serve immediately.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
If you plan on leftovers, dress each salad individually and store the dressing separately in the fridge. Once dressed, the honey mustard chicken salad should be consumed immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1211mg | Potassium: 1278mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1301IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 3mg
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