Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
Honey Mustard Chicken Salad is a chilled chicken salad made with shredded chicken, mayo, honey, and two kinds of mustard. Apple, celery, red onion, and pecans break up the creamy dressing with delicious crunch. And it takes just 10 minutes to make!
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This chicken salad with honey mustard dressing has a tangy-sweet mayo base with Dijon, whole grain mustard and apple cider vinegar for plenty of tang. The salad is chunky enough to fill a croissant and sturdy enough for lettuce cups, wraps or crackers.
Another lunch salad using cooked chicken is this Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad. My Asian Ramen Salad with Chicken also uses cooked chicken, and has coleslaw mix and crushed dry ramen for crunch. And if you have extra apples or pecans, you might like to try this Apple Pomegranate Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing or bake up a batch of Apple Oatmeal Bars.
Why This Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Works
- Fast lunch prep: The recipe starts with cooked chicken, so the work is mostly chopping, whisking, and stirring. It’s a good use for rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken. If you have ten minutes to spare, you can whip up this summery salad!
- Sandwich-friendly texture: The dressing is thick enough for croissants, wraps or crackers. You could also add a scoop to mixed greens or find other ways to enjoy it.
- Tastes delicious: The chopped apple, celery, onion, and pecans give the salad crunch; the chicken is a filling lean protein; and the creamy dressing is so good.
- Handy make-ahead option: You can make this chicken salad recipe earlier in the day and keep it chilled until lunch.
Honey and Mustard Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Dijon mustard: Adds smooth mustard tang to the mayo dressing.
- Honey: Sweetens the mustard and vinegar base.
- Mayonnaise: Makes the dressing creamy and helps coat the shredded chicken.
- Whole grain mustard: Adds mustard seeds and a stronger mustard texture.
- Apple cider vinegar: Loosens the dressing slightly and contrasts with the honey’s sweetness.
- Garlic powder: Adds savory flavor to the dressing.
- Shredded chicken: Use cooled cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breast.
- Celery: Adds crisp pieces to the creamy chicken mixture.
- Red onion: Adds raw onion flavor. I always dice mine finely to distribute it through the salad evenly.
- Apple: Adds crunch and mild sweetness. You can use any kind.
- Pecans: Nutsdd nutty crunch to the salad.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use a rotisserie chicken: Pull the meat into small shreds and remove the skin if it seems greasy.
- Make it with chopped chicken: Chopped cooked chicken makes a chunkier salad.
- Change the nuts: Try walnuts or sliced almonds in place of the pecans.
- Include grapes: Halved seedless grapes can replace the apple for a juicier salad.
- Lighten the dressing: Use part Greek yogurt with the mayo. The dressing will taste tangier.
How to Make Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard (Step-by-Step Directions)
STEP 1: Whisk Dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper together.
STEP 2: Stir in the chicken, celery, red onion, apple and pecans.
STEP 3: Keep refrigerated until serving.
Tips for Making Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
- Use fully cooled chicken: Warm chicken loosens mayonnaise and can make the dressing too thin.
- Whisk the dressing first: I find that honey can sit in streaks if I rush the dressing. Whisking it together before adding the chicken helps the mustard and mayo blend.
- Cut the apple small: Small pieces mix into the chicken more evenly and fit better in a sandwich.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
- Using large onion pieces: Raw red onion is strong. Large pieces can overpower the honey and mustard dressing.
- Forgetting the chill time: Freshly mixed salad can taste too mustardy. A short chill helps the dressing settle around the chicken.
- Overmixing the salad: Stir only until the chicken is coated. Too much stirring breaks down the apple and chicken.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store honey mustard chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Keep it chilled until serving and return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly.
- Freezing: Don’t freeze this salad. The mayo dressing can separate and the apple, celery and onion will soften after thawing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this honey mustard chicken salad on croissants, sandwich bread, lettuce cups, wraps or crackers. It would also be good paired with my Crescent Roll Garlic Parmesan Bread, Alabama Fire Crackers or Homemade Italian Breadsticks. And if you want something different, my Pasta e Fagioli is a hearty Olive Garden copycat soup that would be good with chicken salad on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve tried this variation and it worked. I recommend that you drain it very well and break it up with a fork before mixing it with the dressing. Canned chicken is softer than rotisserie chicken, so you should stir gently.
The chicken may have been warm, the apple may have been very juicy or the salad may have been stirred too much. Use cooled chicken and drain off any liquid before mixing.
The two mustards do different jobs. Dijon blends into the mayo and whole grain mustard leaves small mustard seeds in the dressing.
You can, although the mustard tastes stronger right away. The short chill makes the dressing taste more even.
Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Apple Corer Optional
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 pound chicken cooked and shredded
- ½ cup celery diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup apple diced
- ⅓ cup pecans chopped
For the Honey Mustard Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the mayonnaise, Dijon and wholegrain mustard, honey, vinegar, garlic and black pepper.
- Whisk together and add salt to taste.
- Stir in the chicken, celery, apple, onion and pecans until everything is coated.
- Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve, at least 15 minutes.
Notes
- Dry the apple: Pat diced apple with a paper towel if it seems very juicy.
- Fold gently: Stir until coated, since rough mixing can break down the chicken and apple.
- Go easy on red onion: Raw onion can dominate the honey mustard dressing. Use a small dice. Sometimes, if an onion seems especially strong, I rinse it under cold running water for a minute.
Nutrition Information
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