Amazing 5-star Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

By anna Boncoeur On August 15, 2025

If you’re looking for a salad that actually feels like a complete, satisfying meal, you’ve found it! This Honey Mustard Chicken Salad is my go-to when I need something bright, flavorful, and quick enough for a weeknight. I’m Anna, and I absolutely love sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes designed to make your everyday cooking easier and way more joyful.

Trust me, I’ve spent years perfecting how to balance creamy, sweet, and tart flavors in one bowl. That’s why this salad features juicy grilled chicken paired with sweet strawberries and creamy avocado over crisp romaine. It’s all tied together with a tangy homemade dressing that just sings! I promise this balanced combination is what makes this particular Honey Mustard Chicken Salad recipe a winner every single time.

Table Of content

Gather Your Ingredients for Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

When you’re building a salad this vibrant, the quality of your ingredients really makes all the difference. We aren’t just tossing things in a bowl here; we are creating layers of flavor, so grab the freshest produce you can find! Making the best Honey Mustard Chicken Salad starts long before you even turn on the grill. Everything needs to be ready to go so assembly is a breeze.

I’ve broken down exactly what you need below. Don’t skip the marinating step for the chicken—that’s where so much flavor gets locked in!

For the Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing

This dressing is the star, so pay attention to the mustard! You’ll need a whole cup of whole grain Dijon mustard—that texture is important for carrying the flavor. Then whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 and a half tablespoons of sweet honey, and 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Don’t forget to toss in 2 green onions, thinly sliced, along with half a teaspoon of salt and just a pinch—a quarter teaspoon—of black pepper.

For the Grilled Chicken and Salad Base

For the protein, I prefer 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicier on the grill, but breasts work just fine too! You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of olive oil just for brushing the grill grates later. For the greens, chop up one whole head of romaine lettuce—make sure it’s crisp! The toppings are what make this salad special: 4 slices of crumbled turkey bacon (we keep it lighter!), 1 and a half cups of fresh strawberries, quartered, 1 ripe avocado, sliced up right before serving, and 1 cup of corn kernels.

Essential Equipment for Your Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

You don’t need a ton of fancy gadgets for this recipe, which is why I love it for busy days. The most important thing is getting a good char on that chicken, so you’ll definitely want a grill or a solid grill pan ready to go. Next, grab a small bowl—a shallow one is best for marinating the chicken later!

You’ll also need a slightly larger bowl for mixing up the dressing and then a big, beautiful bowl for tossing the final salad. Don’t forget a whisk; you want that dressing perfectly emulsified, not just stirred! A sharp knife and cutting board round out the essentials.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

Okay, let’s get cooking! This process moves pretty fast once you get the grill fired up, so make sure your veggies are chopped and your dressing is ready before you start cooking the chicken. Following these steps ensures you get that perfect balance of flavor in every bite of your Honey Mustard Chicken Salad.

Whipping Up the Tangy Dressing

First things first, let’s tackle that amazing dressing. In a small bowl, grab your whisk! Combine that whole grain Dijon mustard—don’t be shy with it—with the olive oil, honey, vinegar, the sliced green onions, salt, and pepper. Whisk it really well until everything looks nicely combined and creamy. It should smell sharp and sweet all at once. Now for the crucial part: take that dressing and divide it exactly in half. One half is going straight onto the chicken to soak up flavor, and the other half is reserved for drizzling over your finished salad later. Don’t mix them up!

Marinating and Grilling the Chicken

Take that first half of the dressing and put it in a shallow dish or a sturdy resealable bag. Add your 1 pound of chicken thighs or breasts. Make sure they are totally coated. If you have time, let this marinate for at least an hour—up to six hours is great—in the fridge. While that’s happening, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium heat and give those grates a quick brush with a little olive oil so nothing sticks. When the grill is hot, take the chicken out; don’t wipe the marinade off! Grill the chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. You absolutely must check the temperature! Use that meat thermometer, and pull the chicken off the heat only when it hits 165°F internally. Then, move the cooked chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for a full 5 minutes before you slice it. This resting step keeps all the juices inside! If you’re interested in cooking chicken thighs differently, check out this guide on boneless chicken thighs baked at 400°F.

Assembling the Perfect Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

Now for the fun part—building this masterpiece! Grab your biggest mixing bowl. Start with the base: all of your chopped romaine lettuce. Then, gently scatter in those crumbled turkey bacon bits, your quartered strawberries, the corn kernels, and the sliced avocado. Don’t toss yet! Slice that beautifully rested chicken into strips against the grain and arrange those warm slices right over the top of your greens and toppings. Finally, take that reserved honey mustard dressing and drizzle it generously over everything. Now you can toss it gently, just enough so everything gets coated lightly. Serve this right away while the chicken is still warm for the best flavor contrast! If you enjoy creative salad ideas, you might like this cranberry walnut chicken salad recipe.

Tips for Achieving Perfect Honey Mustard Chicken Salad Results

Getting this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad right is all about simple execution and paying attention to texture. We want creamy avocado, crisp lettuce, and perfectly charred chicken, not mush! A few little tricks I’ve learned over the years make sure this salad always comes out restaurant-quality, even when I’m rushing after work.

Don’t be tempted to skip the resting time for the meat; that’s the difference between flavorful chicken and dry chicken. Also, remember that the dressing is potent, so a light hand when tossing at the end is key to letting the fresh ingredients shine through.

Ingredient Preparation Guidance

Let’s talk about that beautiful avocado. As soon as you slice it, the air turns it brown, and nobody wants brown avocado on their beautiful salad! My trick is to toss the slices immediately with a tiny squeeze of fresh lemon juice—not enough to taste the lemon, just enough to slow down that oxidation. As for the corn, if you’re using frozen, just thaw it quickly under cool water, and then toss those kernels on the grill for a minute or two before adding them to the bowl. That little bit of char makes them taste like they were fresh-cut off the cob! For more grilled vegetable inspiration, see our charred chicken corn salad.

Timing Your Salad Assembly

This salad is fantastic for lunch prep, but you have to be smart about it. If you are making this ahead of time, you absolutely must keep the dressing separate from the greens and the chicken. I learned this the hard way years ago—dressing lettuce too early guarantees a soggy mess! Store the grilled chicken, the chopped veggies/fruit, and the dressing all in separate sealed containers.

When you are ready to eat your Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, just combine the greens, toppings, and chicken, then drizzle with just enough dressing to coat. This keeps everything perfectly crisp right up until that first amazing bite.

Common Questions About Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

It’s normal to have questions when you’re trying out a new favorite recipe! People always ask me about swapping ingredients or changing up the cooking method for this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad. I’ve tried nearly every variation, so let me share what works best to keep that flavor profile sharp and balanced.

Don’t stress about making tiny changes; cooking should be fun and flexible! Here are the most common things folks ask me about before they dive into assembling their salad.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs for this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad?

You absolutely can use chicken breasts! Chicken thighs are my personal preference because they are much more forgiving on the grill and stay tender even if you accidentally cook them a minute too long. If you go with breasts, just watch them closely. They are leaner, so they cook faster—usually about 4 minutes per side is plenty—but always double-check that internal temperature of 165°F with your thermometer. You don’t want dry chicken in your beautiful strawberry avocado salad!

What is the best way to grill corn kernels if I am not using fresh corn?

If fresh corn isn’t in season, don’t worry! Thawed frozen corn works perfectly well. The key is getting a little color on it to bring out that sweetness. If you aren’t grilling the whole cob, just toss the thawed kernels right onto your preheated grill pan for maybe two minutes, stirring constantly until you see a few nice, dark grill marks appear. If you’re really short on time, you can skip the grill step entirely, but trust me, those few minutes of char add a huge depth of flavor to the final Honey Mustard Chicken Salad.

Storing Leftovers of Your Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

This salad is so good you’ll definitely want leftovers, but you have to store it correctly to keep that romaine crisp and the avocado looking fresh. The absolute golden rule here is separation! Never store the fully assembled salad if you plan on eating it the next day. The dressing is a killer for lettuce texture.

Keep the grilled chicken separate from the greens, and keep the dressing in its own little container. That way, you can rebuild your perfect bite whenever hunger strikes. It’s worth the extra minute of assembly time, trust me!

Storage and Reheating Table

Here’s a quick guide on how long each component lasts in the fridge when stored properly in airtight containers:

Component	Approximate Storage Time	Reheating Tip
Grilled Chicken	3 to 4 days	Eat cold or gently warm in a pan.
Honey Mustard Dressing	Up to 1 week	No reheating needed; use cold.
Salad Base (Veggies/Fruit)	1 to 2 days (Avocado best used within 24 hours)	Keep cold. Do not reheat.

Sharing Your Homemade Honey Mustard Chicken Salad Experience

I truly hope this recipe brings a burst of fresh, easy flavor to your table! If you loved how simple this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad was, please come back and let me know how it went. Did you try adding feta cheese? Did the strawberries work their magic for you? Leave a rating or a comment below so I can see your beautiful creations! For more recipe inspiration, follow along on Pinterest.