This Avocado Chicken Salad is a flavor-packed, hearty dish that’s as satisfying as it is fresh. The star of the show is the honey mustard marinade and dressing—a perfectly balanced blend of sweet honey, tangy mustard, and garlic. It does double duty as a marinade for the juicy chicken and a drizzle over the salad. I love how every bite is a blend of textures and tastes. This salad is perfect as a main dish for lunch or dinner and is just as impressive served at a gathering! If you love the combination of sweet and savory flavors in this salad, I have another recipe you have to try—my Strawberry Chicken Salad!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Honey Mustard Marinade/Dressing: The flavorful marinade is also the dressing for the salad! It is made with honey, whole grain mustard, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and garlic. If you are missing one mustard, just use 5 tablespoons of either Dijon or whole grain mustard—the flavor will still be delicious. Dijon gives a smooth texture, while whole grain adds a bit of chunkiness, but both work perfectly!
- Chicken: Both chicken thighs and chicken breasts work well in this recipe, so it is all about your preference. (I have made it with both.) Marinate the chicken overnight in the honey mustard marinade. Then, when cooking the chicken, make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Bacon: I prefer thick-cut bacon so it doesn’t get ‘lost’ in all of the other ingredients. If you don’t want to cook the bacon in a skillet, I have a no-fuss, easy clean-up how-to-bake bacon you will love. I bet you will use the oven method for bacon from now on! For a lighter option in the salad, try turkey bacon.
- Lettuce: I used Romaine lettuce for this salad. But, feel free to use your favorite greens or a mixture of your favorites! Swap it with spinach, arugula, kale (massage it first), or a spring mix!
- Avocado: For the best results, add avocado when ready to serve the salad. This will keep it from browning.
- Vibrant Add-Ins: The vibrant add-ins—juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet corn kernels, and sharp red onion—bring a burst of color, texture, and bold flavor to every bite of the salad. You can also swap these for other ingredients like bell peppers, cucumbers, or even shredded carrots for a different crunch and flavor.
Can I Use Grilled Or Rotisserie Chicken In This Salad?
Absolutely! You can definitely use grilled or rotisserie chicken instead of the chicken cooked in the recipe. Grilled chicken will add a smoky flavor (or use leftover shredded chicken), and rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver. Just make sure to shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces before adding it to the salad!
Can I Make This Avocado Chicken Salad Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make parts of this salad ahead of time! You can cook the chicken and bacon, then store them separately in the refrigerator. Chop the vegetables and store them in an airtight container. Just wait to add the avocado and dressing until you’re ready to serve, so everything stays fresh and crunchy.
How To Make Avocado Chicken Salad For A Sandwich
Do you want to serve this as a sandwich? To turn this into a sandwich, skip the lettuce and chop the ingredients into smaller pieces. Then, pour the honey mustard dressing over everything and mix well. If you prefer, you can also use a classic chicken salad dressing made with mayo, mustard, and lemon juice instead of honey mustard.
How To Store Avocado Chicken Salad
To store avocado chicken salad, keep the components separate to prevent the avocado from browning. Store the chicken, bacon, vegetables, and dressing in airtight containers in the refrigerator. If you’ve already mixed the salad, try to consume it within 1-2 days for the best freshness. Add the avocado just before serving to keep it fresh and green.
Avocado Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Honey Mustard Marinade/Dressing
- ⅓ cup (113 g) honey
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs
Salad
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 6 cups (282 g) Romaine lettuce leaves, washed, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (149 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ large avocado, pitted and sliced (can use all if you prefer)
- ¼ cup (41 g) corn kernels
- ½ medium red onion, sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine honey, whole grain mustard, Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and garlic. Transfer half of the dressing to a clean bowl and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
- To a large bowl, add chicken. Pour the remaining dressing over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (an hour works, overnight is better)
- When ready, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chicken. Cook one side of the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, flip the chicken and cover the skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. After resting, slice into strips.
- While the chicken is resting, carefully wipe the skillet mostly clean. Return it to the stove over medium heat.
- Add diced bacon. Cook until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Assembly
- Assemble the salad by plating the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, corn, and red onion. Top with the chicken strips and bacon.
- Drizzle the salad with reserved dressing. Serve immediately.
Video
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I will absolutely try this!! YUM!!
May I say that all the little videos that play down in the corner of you cooking something are WONDERFUL!!!!
HOWEVER……
There is NO NAME a on them….and no way to get the name and link to the recipe to get at it…..
It seems they are only vignettes and disappear so FAST!! (NEXT/STAY)
How can we remedy this….????
I have so many of your recipes bookmarked on my computer! I know you have a cake cookbook but are there any plans to put all of your great dinner recipes in a “real” cookbook? I would love the ease of a physical book!
Either way thank you for all the easy and yummy meal ideas! And of course the sweet dessert recipes too!
this was delicious and great for meal prepping! my family loved it!
Gorgeous colors and textures, this has to be made!!