This Grilled Honey Chicken & Pea Salad is fresh, flavorful and perfect for Spring & Summer! Smokey Grilled and Honey Glazed Chicken atop crisp lettuce, sweet peas, fresh mint, radishes and red onion, with a creamy Mustard Vinaigrette. It’s hearty, yet healthy and can be served as a side salad or a main meal!
Yes! You read that right. Salad on a MONDAY.
We’ve margarita’ed. We’ve brunched.
But today we are going to hippie lettuce the ish out of Monday. And you are going to LOVE it.
Because, when a salad is THIS amazingly delicious, you NEED it on a Monday.
And then every day thereafter on repeat.
Obviously.
I kid you not, friends.
This salad is jazz hands type of seriously scrumptious. 👐
It is my new faaavorite salad.
Did you just roll your eyes?
Okay, okay. So I know I say that, like, every third Monday of the month, BUT I’m seriously smitten with this chicky, green beauty. 😍
Check it oooout…
Grilled Honey Chicken & Pea Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Aka – THE chicken salad of spring. AND summer.
Juicy, succulent, tender, smoky grilled and honey glazed chicken atop refreshing, crisp bibb lettuce, with pops of sweet peas, slices of spicy radishes, bunches of fresh, cooling mint, and a generous scattering of pungent red onion.
But, we mustn’t forget about the dressing. A super creamy, silky smooth, slightly sweet, terrifically tangy mustard vinaigrette.
See what I mean?
SERIOUSLY scrumptious, I tell ya!
All the components of this dish are amazingly delish on their own – the chicken, the salad and the dressing – but when their powers combine… oh wait, I can’t steal from captain planet.
When their DELICIOUSNESS combine, it is nothing short of straight up SPECTACULAR.
How to make Grilled Honey Chicken & Pea Salad:
Word to the wise, this salad does require a bit of planning for the chicken, but other that this beauty is a breeze!
First, marinate the chicken by combining a bit a honey with a few splashes of oil, a couple cloves of garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of salt n’ pepper. Whisk it all together. Place the chicken breasts in a zip-closure bag and pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag and transfer the chicken to the refrigerator to marinate.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette by adding all the ingredients for the dressing in a small food processor or blender. Pulse until everything is silky smooth.
When the chicken is done marinating, remove it from the marinade, and toss it on the (preheated) grill. Grill the chicken, turning once, for 5-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean work surface and let it rest for at least 3 minutes.
In the meantime, arrange the lettuce and mint on a platter, scatter on the peas, radishes and red onion. Slice the chicken and toss it in a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette, then add it to the salad. Drizzle everything with more vinaigrette, swoon over how pretty it is, and then serve.
Notes, Tips & Tricks for the best Grilled Honey Chicken & Pea Salad recipe:
- You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts if you would like. Simply adjust the grill time accordingly. The amount of time the chicken takes to cook through will depend on the thickness of your chicken. Chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- For the most flavorful Grilled Honey Chicken & Pea Salad, I highly suggest you let the chicken marinate for the full two hours. However, if you are short on time you can let it marinate for as little as 20 minutes.
- You can either make the vinaigrette in a food processor/blender or you can use a mason jar. I recommend using a processor or blender, because it will make the dressing super creamy. However, if you don’t have one of those machines, a mason jar will do. Just make sure you chop the shallot really fine.
- While entirely optional, I recommend cutting the grilled chicken (after it has rested) and tossing it with a few tablespoons of the mustard vinaigrette before serving. If you didn’t let the chicken marinate for the full 2 hours, I would definitely do this to really punch up the flavor of the chicken.
Summer salads don’t have to be bland, boring, or made just for birds! Get your grill on and whip up this Honey Chicken & Pea Salad! Your taste buds will thank you. 😉
Until Thursday friends, cheers – to summer grilling!
XOXO
Cheyanne
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Grilled Honey Chicken & Pea Salad with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette Recipe👇
Smoky Grilled and Honey Glazed Chicken atop crisp lettuce, sweet peas, fresh mint, radishes and red onion, with a creamy mustard vinaigrette.
- 1.5 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 3 TBS Honey , plus extra for brushing
- 3 TBS Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 1 large Lemon - juice
- Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
- 1 head Bibb Lettuce or Butter Lettuce – trimmed and separated into leaves
- 1 bunch Mint Leaves - torn
- 1 Cup Sweet Peas – fresh, cooked or frozen, defrosted
- 2-4 Radishes – thinly sliced
- ½ small Red Onion – small dice
- 1 small Shallot – roughly chopped
- 6 TBS Olive Oil
- 3 TBS Lemon Juice
- 1 ½ TBS Dijon Mustard
- 2 tsp Honey
- Marinate the chicken: In a small non-reactive bowl combine the honey, oil, garlic, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk until well combined. Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag and transfer the chicken to the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a small food processor or blender. Season generously with salt and pepper. Puree until silky smooth. Transfer to a container with a tight fitted lid and set aside.
- Grill the chicken: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill, turning once, about 5-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through*. During the last few minutes of grilling, brush the tops of the chicken with honey if desired. Transfer chicken to a clean work surface and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes. Cut the chicken into thick slices. (Optional: toss the chicken slices in a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette)
- To Serve: Arrange lettuce and mint on a platter, or individual serving plates. Top with peas, radishes, red onion and sliced chicken. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish as desired. Enjoy!
1. You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts if you would like. Simply adjust the grill time accordingly. The amount of time the chicken takes to cook through will depend on the thickness of your chicken. Chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
2. For the most flavor, I highly suggest you let the chicken marinate for the full two hours. However, if you are short on time you can let it marinate for as little as 20 minutes.
3. You can either make the vinaigrette in a food processor/blender or you can use a mason jar. I recommend using a processor or blender, because it will make the dressing super creamy. However, if you don’t have one of those machines, a mason jar will do. Just make sure you chop the shallot really fine.
4. While entirely optional, I recommend cutting the grilled chicken (after it has rested) and tossing it with a few tablespoons of the mustard vinaigrette before serving. If you didn’t let the chicken marinate for the full 2 hours, I would definitely do this to really punch up the flavor of the chicken.
*Nutritional Information includes everything (chicken, salad, and dressing).
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