Honey Balsamic Chicken Salad (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant salad with grilled chicken, fresh strawberries, creamy goat cheese, and silky honey balsamic glaze over mixed greens.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
04 - 1 teaspoon honey
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Salad

07 - 6 cups mixed salad greens
08 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
09 - 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
10 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
11 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Honey Balsamic Glaze

12 - 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
13 - 2 tablespoons honey

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken breasts evenly in the marinade and let sit for 10 minutes.
03 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine balsamic vinegar and honey. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and syrupy, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
04 - Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and juices run clear. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
05 - Arrange salad greens on a large platter or individual plates. Top with sliced strawberries, goat cheese, red onion, and toasted nuts.
06 - Place sliced chicken on top of the salad. Drizzle generously with the honey balsamic glaze.
07 - Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than most weeknight dinners, and nobody has to know how simple it actually is.
  • The honey balsamic glaze does double duty as both marinade and dressing, which means fewer dishes and more flavor with less fuss.
  • You can swap out almost any ingredient based on what you have, and it still tastes like something you'd order at a bistro.
  • Leftovers keep well, and the chicken stays tender even when served cold the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip resting the chicken after grilling, cutting into it too soon releases all the juices and leaves you with dry meat.
  • Watch the glaze closely as it reduces, it can go from perfect to burnt in less than a minute if you walk away.
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to an even thickness before marinating so they cook at the same rate.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, guessing leads to overcooked chicken more often than not.
  • Let the glaze cool for a few minutes before drizzling, it thickens as it cools and clings better to the salad.
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, until fragrant, it only takes a few minutes and transforms their flavor.
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