Honey Balsamic Chicken Salad (Printable)

Juicy grilled chicken paired with strawberries, goat cheese, and honey balsamic glaze atop fresh mixed greens. Light, elegant, and ready in under 40 minutes.

# 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 (arugula, spinach, baby kale)
08 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
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 - While chicken marinates, combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and syrupy, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
04 - Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes per side 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, crumbled goat cheese, red onion, and toasted nuts if using.
06 - Place sliced chicken atop the salad. Drizzle generously with the honey balsamic glaze.
07 - Serve immediately while chicken is warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The honey balsamic glaze clings to everything and creates pockets of sweet tang that keep each forkful interesting.
  • Grilled chicken stays juicy and flavorful without needing a long marinate, so you can pull this together on a whim.
  • The combination of creamy goat cheese, fresh strawberries, and toasted nuts feels restaurant fancy but comes together in your own kitchen.
  • It works as a light main dish or an impressive starter that makes people think you planned ahead.
02 -
  • Do not skip resting the chicken after grilling or you will lose all those precious juices when you slice it.
  • The glaze should coat the back of a spoon when it is done, if it is too thin it will just disappear into the greens.
  • Slice the red onion as thin as possible so it adds sharpness without overwhelming the sweeter flavors.
03 -
  • Toast the nuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant, it wakes up their flavor and adds a deeper crunch.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken reaches 165 degrees internally so you never have to guess if it is done.
  • Drizzle a little glaze on the chicken while it rests so it soaks in and creates an extra layer of flavor.
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