Honey Balsamic Chicken Salad (Printable)

Refreshing salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, goat cheese, and honey balsamic glaze. Light, elegant, and ready in just 35 minutes.

# What You 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 (arugula, spinach, and baby kale)
08 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
09 - 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
10 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)
11 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Honey Balsamic Glaze

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

# Directions:

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 if using.
06 - Place sliced chicken on top of the salad. Drizzle generously with the honey balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like something you'd order at a bistro but comes together faster than takeout.
  • The honey balsamic glaze is dangerously good and you'll want to drizzle it on everything.
  • It's light enough to feel virtuous but satisfying enough that no one leaves hungry.
  • You can prep most of it ahead and assemble right before serving.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after grilling or you'll lose all those juices to your cutting board instead of keeping them in the meat.
  • The glaze will thicken more as it cools, so if it seems too thin on the stove, just give it a minute off the heat.
  • Slice your red onion as thinly as possible, thick pieces can be overwhelming and take over the whole dish.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant, it makes a huge difference in flavor.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken hits 165 degrees internally so you're never guessing if it's done.
  • If your balsamic is on the cheaper side, the glaze might need an extra minute or two to thicken properly.
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