Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad With Honey Mustard Recipe

Juicy chunks of mango, tangy-sweet honey mustard dressing, and crunchy pepita seeds make this chicken and spinach salad pop.

Yvonne Ruperti

Updated January 27, 2024

WRITE A REVIEW

Overhead closeup of grilled chicken and spinach salad with honey mustard, served in a blue bowl. — Serious Eats / Yvonne Ruperti

Why It Works

Combining mango and honey mustard lends the salad two sources of acidity and sweetness, giving it a bright depth.
Briefly sautéing the onions tames their pungency while keeping them crisp.
Adding the cooked onions to the spinach while hot lightly wilts some of the leaves, resulting in a salad with varied texture.

Summer is all about grilling and making salads. Combine the two into one big hearty dish and you've got the makings for a terrific main course that's perfect for a light but satisfying dinner. Chicken is a great choice to bulk up greens with because it's quick to grill and goes with everything. If you decide to use leftover chicken instead of cooking on the grill, the dish is even easier to assemble.

Here, I started with fresh chicken, cooked on the grill (an indoor grill pan is also an option) to develop crispy charred edges and then sliced into strips. I had a big, juicy mango, a bag of baby spinach, and a red onion on hand—a great combo for a salad—so all I had to do was decide on the dressing. One of my favorite flavors for chicken is honey mustard, so I whisked up a quick dressing and tossed it all together. At the last minute I decided to sauté the onions briefly to help take off their raw edge (but feel free to skip this step if you'd like). For a final touch I tossed in some crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds. With only minimal effort, this salad of juicy grilled chicken, grassy spinach, sweet mango, and zingy honey mustard makes for a quick, fresh meal that makes a lot of summer sense.

July 2013

Recipe Details

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad With Honey Mustard Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Cook 35 mins

Active 20 mins

Total 40 mins

Serves 2 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 breast halves; see note)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 mango, peeled, pitted, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 ounces baby spinach
1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 small red onions, halved and sliced thin (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted pepitas (see note)

Directions

Halve breasts horizontally so that pieces are of equal thickness. Brush with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through (155°F or 68°C), or cook on preheated grill pan over medium-high heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and let rest 5 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch strips.
Whisk honey, mustard, and vinegar in small bowl. Place spinach and mango in serving bowl.
Heat remaining oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook very briefly, about 30 seconds more (do not overcook).
Immediately add to spinach and toss with honey mustard dressing, chicken, and pepita seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately (see note).

Special Equipment

Grill or grill pan

Notes

Pre-cooked chicken can be used in this recipe for an even quicker meal.

I used pepita seeds, but sunflower seeds or other nuts will also work.

Serve right away before the salad starts to exude liquid, which will pool at the bottom of the bowl.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
748	Calories
28g	Fat
81g	Carbs
49g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	748
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g	36%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 108mg	36%
Sodium 1251mg	54%
Total Carbohydrate 81g	30%
Dietary Fiber 9g	33%
Total Sugars 63g
Protein 49g
Vitamin C 128mg	640%
Calcium 186mg	14%
Iron 6mg	32%
Potassium 1573mg	33%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.