Meow Recipes: Rainbow Chicken Salad with Almond Honey Mustard Dressing

Rainbow chicken salad in a bowl with a fork with almond honey mustard dressing on the side

One thing I love: this honey mustard dressing, which I am still licking off my fingers as I type this. Rude. Sorry.

Quick question: how do we feel about fruit in salad?

Red grapes, blueberries, that kinda thing? I feel reeeeeal good about it. Like, a whole bunch of juicy fresh yum just landed right in the middle of my salad. Also noteworthy in this salad is the golden brown chicken. It was simple and delicious and you know I love a good meatless main, but this spice-loaded, juicy and golden brown chicken in little bite-sized salad pieces makes me happy (and full). Add in some crunchy almonds, creamy tangy feta, and the gang’s all there. Almost.

All Hail The Almond Honey Mustard Dressing

As if I need to even tell you, the crown jewel of this salad is the dressing. It’s like regular honey mustard but a little more rustic-feeling, if that can be a thing for honey mustard (lol), because of that almost-smooth texture that a quality almond butter adds to the whole thing. The thickness of the almond butter gives it an ultra creamy texture, plus it has the perfect sweetness of a homemade honey mustard. It was just superdelicious.

So, better question: how do we feel about lunches and it’s-still-light-out dinners that are easygoing and colorful and very delicious?

Ingredients for a rainbow chicken salad in bowls

Enjoy The Rainbow

For my big bowl here, I used grapes and blueberries, but you just go ahead and make use of whatever remnants of fruit are hanging out in your fruit bowl or the back of your refrigerator. Oranges? Strawberries? Pomegranate? No one is going to be mad about any of that.

There is a little bit of lettuce in the bowl to make it, well, you know, A SALAD, but it’s not a sad salad lettuce situation. It’s more for a little bite of tender-crisp greenery and dare I say I even found myself enjoying those bites of delicate crispness as much as the rest of it. Look at me go, mom.

The color, the crunch, the texture, the wholesomeness of all of it together is a straight drive into warmer weather, lighter days, and all-around nicer feelings.

Eat the rainbow and be glad.

Rainbow chicken salad in a bowl with a fork

More Hearty Salad Recipes

Quinoa Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing (so colorful, so fresh!)
Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette (you know how we feel about fruit on salads – YES!)
Chopped Thai-Inspired Chicken Salad (one big ol’ chopping session and done)
Lemon Herb Pasta Salad with Marinated Chickpeas (a majorly delicious pasta salad reminding you that salad comes in all forms)

Watch How To Make This Recipe

Common Questions About Our Rainbow Chicken Salad

I have a nut allergy. What substitutions can I make?

First off, sad! We’re so sorry to hear this. But good news is this salad is super delicious when substituting sunflower seeds for the almonds and using sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter.

How can I make this vegetarian?

Some crispy pan-fried tofu would be great in this in place of the chicken.

Can I meal prep this salad for lunches?

Sure! We’d suggest just drizzling the dressing right before serving to keep things crisp and fresh. More meal-preppable faves can be found here.

Rainbow Chicken Salad with Almond Honey Mustard Dressing

4.9 from 35 reviews

Author: Pinch of Yum
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4

Print Recipe

Description

This Rainbow Chicken Salad is topped with tender chicken, plump grapes and berries, crisp lettuce, tangy feta cheese, crunchy almonds, and the real star – almond honey mustard dressing! Perfect for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

For the Salad

2 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were cut into smaller, thinner pieces which made the sautéing a bit easier)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups grapes, halved
1 cup fresh blueberries
3 cups curly lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup almonds, chopped or crushed

For the Dressing

3 tablespoons almond butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon stoneground mustard
1/2 tablespoon raw honey
1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic

Instructions

Video

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Saute in the oil for a few minutes, flipping the chicken now and then to cook through and get a nice golden color on both sides. When the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
Cut and prep all the vegetables and fruits. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite sized pieces. Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl – you can either arrange the bowl by ingredient, like pictured, or toss everything together. Refrigerate to chill.
For the dressing, puree all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust to your preferences. Pour dressing over salad and serve.