Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Salad

We are a couple of days away from Memorial Day and June is right around the corner. In my mind that means that grilling season is officially on. Some of my favorite things to make on the grill are fun and creative salads. Grilled foods with fresh crisp fruits or vegetables add so much dimension to a salad and make them irresistible! Oh and add in my killer homemade dressing and I guarantee I can turn even the salad haters into salad lovers with my epic recipes!

And while you’re at it make sure to serve it along side some epic cocktails like my Watermelon Vodka Cocktail or Grapefruit Salty Dog. I mean, you gotta have a fun cocktail to drink while your out there grilling. Right? Ok, let’s get started.

How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the dressing I make actually doubles as a marinade. It’s sweet, tangy and savory. You’ll need the following ingredients:

Honey: Kinda need this one in a “honey mustard marinade.”
Mustard: I use both dijon mustard and whole grain mustard because I like the variety in flavor and the “pop” from the whole grain mustard seeds.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is a staple in almost every dressing or marinade I make.
Thyme: You can use fresh or dry, but the thyme adds a fresh herb lemony taste to the marinade.
Red Pepper Flakes: Just a touch of this adds a nice hint of heat.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Vinegar will help cut through the sweetness of the honey and will help tenderize your chicken.
Olive Oil: I prefer to use olive oil in my dressings as opposed to other oils.

Once you have all the ingredients. To a small bowl add raw honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt. Whisk until blended and the dressing is well combined – meaning the oil and vinegar no longer separate. Now, to marinade, add 1/3 of the dressing to a medium bowl along with the raw chicken breasts. Gently toss the chicken in the honey mustard sauce to coat and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Set aside remaining sauce to use as dressing.

How to Make Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Salad

This salad comes together super quick. The longest part is marinating your chicken. But trust me, don’t skip this step because it will ensure you have juicy tender chicken!

Make Marinade/Dressing: To a small bowl add honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt. Whisk until blended.
Marinate Chicken: Add 1/3 of the dressing to a medium bowl with the chicken. Toss chicken to coat in the honey mustard sauce and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Set aside remaining sauce to use as dressing.
Prep: Heat grill to medium high heat, about 375-400°F and prepare vegetables.
Grill: Add corn earns and sliced onion rings to grill. Grill onion rings for 4-5 minutes, until slightly charred. Then flip and repeat on the other side. Remove onions from grill when they are tender and charred. For the corn, grill each side for 2-3 minutes or until slightly charred on each side. While the veggies are grilling, add marinated chicken to the grill. Grill each side for 4-7 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from grill when chicken is no longer pink or when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Rest & Slice: Let chicken rest for 5 minutes after removing from the grill to let the juices redistribute before slicing. Then cut the corn kernels off the grilled corn cob and set aside.
Assemble Salad: To a large bowl add romaine lettuce, sliced chicken, grilled onion, grilled corn kernels, roasted red pepper, tomato and sliced avocado. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Salad Topping Ideas:

Bacon
Mango
Strawberries
Asparagus
Homemade Croutons
Black Beans
Candied Pecans
Quinoa or Farro

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Salad with Avocado