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This honey mustard Chicken Tender Salad takes your salad game up a notch with a baked chicken that’s crispy and juicy, crispy bacon bits, and a lightened-up honey mustard dressing that’s 100% family-approved.
Table of Contents
Summer is around the corner, and that’s when I start craving all the warm weather foods—cold salads, fresh veggies, fruits, healthy smoothies, and, of course, corn on the cob. This honey mustard crispy chicken tender salad brings the flavors of summer straight to your home, without the hassle of traveling.
Both satisfying and good for you, this recipe features a lightened-up dressing with less oil and honey, a healthy almond flour breading, and loads of fresh veggies like romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, red onion, and carrots. The best part? It’s quick and packed with protein to keep you energized throughout those hot summer days.
Looking for more chicken salad inspiration? Try my chicken BLT salad, buffalo chicken salad with greek yogurt, or chicken and cranberry salad next!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A Lighter Dressing: The honey mustard dressing is lightened up with less oil and honey, keeping the vibrant flavor while reducing the calories—it’s a healthier spin on a classic.
- Fresh and Versatile: Fresh veggies like romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, and carrots add crunch and refreshing flavor, and while this dish is delicious on its own, you can easily add extra toppings or sides to customize it to your taste.
- Paleo-Friendly: With a Paleo-friendly chicken coating, this crispy chicken salad recipe caters to dietary preferences while remaining comforting and tasty.
Ingredients
- Chicken and Bacon: Chicken tenders serve as the main protein source, providing a lean cut of meat and a satisfying crunch to the salad. The bacon adds smoky flavor, richness, and an extra layer of texture that complements the chicken.
- The Coating: Egg whites act as the binder, helping the flour stick to the chicken and contributing to a lighter, crispier texture. Almond and tapioca flours work together to create a super crunchy exterior with a satisfying bite.
- Veggies: Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, and red onion form the base of the chicken finger salad, offering crunch and contrast to the warm, crispy chicken. They also boost the recipe’s nutritional value with added fiber.
- Mustard and Honey: Yellow mustard, with its high vinegar content, gives the dressing a tangy punch, while honey adds a touch of sweetness to balance the sharpness of the mustard.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- A Spicy Kick: Add some hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or Sriracha to the honey mustard dressing for a bit of heat.
- A Fruity Spin: Chop and add fresh fruit like green apples, strawberries, or mango to bring a touch of sweetness and a refreshing element.
- Add Healthy Fats: Sprinkle nuts like pistachios, almonds, or cashews on top, and slice up avocado for added creaminess and healthy fats. Both make the breaded chicken salad more filling and satisfying.
- Make it Vegetarian: Swap the chicken for roasted chickpeas seasoned with your favorite spices, or try baked or sautéed tempeh or tofu for a hearty plant-based option.
How to Make Chicken Tender Salad
Ready to enjoy a salad that’s both wholesome and satisfying? Whip up this chicken tender salad recipe in just 35 minutes for a quick, easy meal any day of the week. Start by cooking, draining, and chopping the bacon into bits. Then, gather the remaining ingredients and follow these 6 simple steps:
Step 1: Make the Dressing. Blend together the mustard, lemon juice, honey and oil until smooth.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Coating. Combine the almond flour, tapioca flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, in a bowl.
Step 3: Mix the Wet Coating. Whisk together the egg whites and 2 tablespoons of water in another dish.
Step 4: Dredge the Chicken. Dip each tender in the egg wash, then immediately in the dry mixture and coat liberally, shaking off any excess.
Step 5: Cook the Chicken. Cook the tenders 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Then place the chicken on a plate lined with paper towel and pat dry.
Step 6: Build the Dish. Layer the red onion, carrots, tomatoes and chicken tenders on top of a bed of lettuce. Then, garnish with bacon, drizzle with the paleo honey mustard dressing, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Shake off the Excess: When dipping the chicken tenders in both the egg wash and dry coating, be sure to shake off the excess before moving to the next step—especially before frying. This helps the coating stick and ensures a golden crust.
- Use Tongs for Flipping: To avoid cracking the crispy coating, gently flip the chicken in the pan using tongs. This helps maintain the texture while cooking.
- Best Oil for Cooking: For skillet cooking, use avocado oil or coconut oil. Both have high smoke points, making them great for frying. Coconut oil adds a stronger flavor, so I recommend avocado oil for its mild taste that won’t interfere with the chicken’s flavor.
- Storing: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to store the salad, chicken, and low carb honey mustard dressing in separate airtight containers to keep everything fresh. For longer storage, you can freeze the chicken (but not the salad) for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken tender salad is versatile and suitable for many dietary preferences. It can be enjoyed as a full meal on its own or paired for a light lunch, hearty dinner, or a side dish. Here are some great ways to serve it:
- Pair it with roasted veggies like a potato salad with sweet potatoes, creamy Brussels sprouts, or air fried yam fries.
- Go classic by serving it alongside a warm bowl of the best cabbage soup recipe, healthy corn chowder, or broccoli butternut squash soup for a comforting, filling meal.
- Scoop the meal into romaine or iceberg lettuce wraps, on top of a gluten free English Muffin, or a tortilla like this gluten free tortillas recipe for an easy, on-the-go option.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the breaded chicken in two ways—either in the oven or in a skillet. Both methods work great, but for a crispier, crustier coating, I recommend using the skillet, as I did for this recipe. If you prefer the oven, check out my oven baked chicken tenders recipe for that method.
While the chicken is best served fresh out of the pan, you can prepare the chicken tenders and salad ingredients ahead of time. Store the chicken tenders and the salad separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 1 day in advance. When you’re ready to serve, just reheat the chicken, assemble the dish, and drizzle with the dressing.
To reheat the chicken tenders, preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the tenders for about 10-12 minutes, or until heated through and crunchy again. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the coating soggy.
More Delicious Chicken Salad Recipes
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Healthy Crispy Chicken Tender Salad
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 tablespoons Avocado Oil
- 1 lb Chicken Tenderloins
- 1 Egg White
- ¾ cup Almond Flour
- ⅓ cup Tapioca Flour, or Arrowroot Powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
- 4 slices Bacon, or turkey bacon
- 8 cups Romaine Lettuce, or greens of choice
- 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, sliced
- ½ cup Red Onion, sliced
- ½ cup Shredded Carrots
Dressing
- ½ cup Yellow Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add the bacon slices and place in the oven.
- Bake at 350 F 5 minutes then lip and cook another 5 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- While the bacon cooks, whisk together the egg white with 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a seperate bowl, mix together with a spoon the almond flour, tapioca flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat 5 minutes until sizzling.
- Place a chicken tender in the egg wash and shake off the excess. Immediately place the chicken tender in the almond meal bowl and coat liberally. Shake off, then place in the skillet. Repeat for remaining chicken tenders.
- Cook 3 minutes then carefully flip with a tongs to not lose the breading and cook another 3 minutes.
- Once the chicken is gold brown, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and pat dry to cool.
- While the chicken cools, prepare the dressing in a blender by blending together the mustard, lemon juice, honey and oil until combined.
- Prepare the salad bowls by layering the salad, red onion, carrots, grape tomatoes and chicken on top. Roughly chop the bacon and crumb a slice over each salad bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!
Notes
- Shake off the Excess: Be sure to shake off the excess coating when dipping the chicken tenders in both the egg wash and dry mixture to ensure a crispy crust.
- Use Tongs for Flipping: Gently flip the chicken using tongs to avoid cracking the crispy coating and maintain texture while cooking.
- Storing: Store leftovers in separate airtight containers (salad, chicken, dressing) for up to 3 days. You can freeze the chicken (not the salad) for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for lunch today. It was so delicious and easy! It puts a fun twist on salad.
I hate it when people ask for substitutions,, but here I am doing it, anyway. These sound really good, but I don’t know if I will ever use arrowroot powder or tapioca powder if I buy some for this. (Who knows, I might!) but just in case, is there any thing else I could use that is comparable? If not, I’ll get some. Thanks!
Corn starch might, but it I cannot guarantee it will work well with almond flour. So yes, I recommend buying arrowroot or tapioca if you want the recipe to turn out properly.
This dish looks absolutely amazing! I can not wait to try this out one evening this week. I am certain my family will love it! Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! Enjoy!