Honey Balsamic Chicken Salad (Printable)

Juicy grilled chicken paired with strawberries, goat cheese, and a sweet honey balsamic glaze over fresh mixed greens.

# 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

# 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 allow to 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.
07 - Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout, making weeknight elegance totally doable.
  • The sweet tang of the glaze against creamy goat cheese creates a flavor contrast that makes every bite interesting.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day when the flavors meld together in the fridge.
  • You can swap out almost any ingredient based on what you have, and it still turns out beautifully.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after grilling, because cutting into it too soon releases all the moisture and leaves you with dry, sad slices.
  • Watch the glaze closely as it reduces, because balsamic can go from perfect to burnt in less than a minute if you walk away.
  • If your strawberries aren't quite sweet enough, a tiny pinch of sugar on them ten minutes before assembling works wonders.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating so they cook uniformly and don't dry out on the thin end.
  • Taste the glaze before drizzling, because some balsamic vinegars are sweeter than others and you might want to adjust the honey.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness instead of guessing, because perfectly cooked chicken makes all the difference in this dish.
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