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This Green Salad with Peas and honey-marinated grilled chicken is fresh, nutritious, and totally delicious. Featuring smoky honey grilled chicken breast atop a bed of crisp lettuce with vibrant green peas, colorful radish, fresh mint, red onion, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette, this hearty pea lettuce salad is the perfect warm weather side dish or entree.
“I’m always looking for new salad recipes to try and thought this looked like such a beautiful one to try. No wonder it is your favorite at the moment, it’s DELICIOUS! Thanks.”
– Adina
Update: This recipe was originally published in May 2017. I made updates to the article below to include more information about making the best salad with peas, lettuce, and chicken at home.
Table of Contents
About this green salad with peas
Looking for a stunning salad to celebrate the start of Spring or Summer? This Green Salad with Peas recipe brings you juicy honey-marinated and grilled chicken breasts atop crisp Bibb lettuce, sweet peas, fresh mint, and slices of radish and red onion.
If that wasn’t enough, this recipe includes a subtly sweet and tangy homemade mustard vinaigrette drizzled over the fresh pea salad just before serving.
The three main components of this dish are incredible on their own, but they make a knock-out dish when brought together! Garnish this lettuce and pea salad with grated parmesan cheese, seeds, lemon wedges, microgreens, and crushed red pepper flakes.
If you’re looking for more hearty dinner salads, be sure to try this italian grinder salad, California blt salad, and spinach strawberry salad.
Why you’ll love this recipe!
This lettuce and peas salad is among my best spring and summer salads. Here’s why:
- Nutritious! Lettuce and peas salad combines healthy greens and protein for a balanced meal.
- Main or side dish! Enjoy this lettuce and pea salad as a side dish or main meal for your backyard barbecues, potlucks, easy lunches, or midweek dinners.
- Simple ingredients. Salad with peas and lettuce calls for inexpensive and readily available ingredients. You probably already have at least half of them!
- Quick and easy. Make this lettuce and pea salad in just 35 minutes, which can be further reduced if you prepare ahead!
- Easy on the eyes! Look no further if you want to add bright colors to the table and impress your family and guests. This refreshing pea salad recipe with lettuce is a beauty!
- Customizable! I’ve included a laundry list of delicious ingredients that complement this salad. Mix and match to create YOUR best pea salad.
Ingredients for lettuce pea salad
This lettuce pea salad recipe consists of three elements – the marinated chicken, the fresh salad, and the vinaigrette. Here’s everything you’ll need to get started:
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Substitution: You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts, but the grill time must be adjusted accordingly. Other tasty protein options include crispy bacon, crispy prosciutto, rotisserie chicken, leftover salmon, and grilled shrimp.
- Honey – For the chicken marinade brushing the tops of the chicken during the last few minutes of grilling.
- Substitution: Agave or pure maple syrup.
- Olive oil – Use high-quality olive oil.
- Substitution: Avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
- Garlic – Minced cloves.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper – For flavor.
- Lemon juice – A touch of lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken.
- Substitution: Bottled lemon juice can be used as a second option.
- Lettuce – Bibb lettuce or butter lettuce, trimmed and separated into leaves.
- Mint leaves – Torn.
- Substitution: Freshly chopped chives.
- Sweet peas – Use fresh, cooked, or frozen (defrosted).
- Radishes – Thinly sliced. These add color and subtle spice to the pea green salad.
- Red onion – Diced into small pieces. However, pickled red onion works here too.
- Optional add-ins and garnishes – I love garnishing this fresh pea salad with freshly grated parmesan, crumbled feta or shredded cheddar cheese; pine nuts or baked croutons, lemon wedges, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Recipe variations
Salads are incredibly easy to vary to suit personal tastes and dietary preferences. Get creative with some of these simple variations:
- Vegan. Use tofu instead of chicken, maple syrup instead of honey, and vegan cheese.
- Crunch: Toasted walnuts or candied walnuts, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, croutons, or roasted chickpeas will all add extra crunch to this salad with fresh peas.
- Protein. Crispy bacon, soft prosciutto, rotisserie chicken, leftover salmon, grilled shrimp, and hard boiled eggs are a great way to add sustenance to this pea salad recipe with lettuce.
- Veggies. Salads are such a great way to use up any fresh vegetable or cooked leftover veggies you have hanging around your fridge. Asparagus, avocado, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, edamame beans, sugar snap peas, roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash cubes all work well here.
- Greens: You can use different salad greens, add microgreens, and whatever fresh herbs you love. (My vote would be dill, chives, parsley, scallions, or basil.)
- Grains: You can easily and cheaply add bulk to this salad by adding some cooked grains, such as barley, farro, or rice.
- Dressing. Use a store-bought salad dressing for convenience, or try a different homemade dressing like this Avocado Green Goddess Dressing.
Expert tips for the best success!
- 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 chicken, 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.
FAQs: frequently asked questions
How long is fresh pea salad good for in the fridge?
Most pea salads last for up to 3 days in the fridge. This salad with bibb lettuce can be stored for 3 days, but it’s best to eat leftovers within 1-2 days once it has been assembled since the lettuce will start to wilt and soften from the dressing.
What is pea salad made of?
Pea salad consists of a mixture of greens, fresh or frozen (thawed) peas, and a dressing (either creamy mayo-based or vinaigrette). There are many variations of the classic pea salad, some of which include protein and other delicious additions.
What kind of lettuce is best for salad with fresh peas?
Different salad recipes call for different types of salad. The type of lettuce used in any salad comes down to personal preference. I love to use Bibb lettuce or Butter lettuce in this recipe for pea salad, but you could also use Romaine lettuce or Iceberg lettuce.
Ditch those bland and boring salads and celebrate spring and summer in style with this tantalizing green salad with peas. It’s a great excuse to get your grill on and whip up some honey-marinated chicken for this salad! You can thank me later!
Cheyanne
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More recipes with peas!
If you love bright green peas, try these recipes next:
Lettuce Pea Salad with Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Large Resealable Storage Bag (for marinating the chicken)
- 1 Grill or Grill-pan (for grilling chicken)
- 1 Large Bowl (for tossing salad)
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 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
For the Pea Salad:
- 1 head Bibb, Boston, or Butter Lettuce – trimmed and separated into leaves
- 1 Cup Sweet Peas – fresh, cooked or frozen, defrosted
- 1 bunch Mint Leaves – torn
- 2-4 Radishes – thinly sliced
- ½ small Red Onion – small dice
- To Taste Honey Mustard Dressing (substitute: your favorite salad dressing)
- Optional Mix-ins: Grated Parmesan, Toasted Walnuts, Microgreens, Croutons, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (See notes section below for a comprehensive list)
Instructions
- 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 resealable storage 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.
- 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 (SEE NOTES). 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 with a few tablespoons of honey mustard dressing.)
- Toss Salad: To a large bowl, add the lettuce, peas, mint, radishes, red onion, and any other salad mix-ins you love. Drizzle a small amount of salad dressing over the top and then toss well to combine. Transfer the tossed pea lettuce salad to serving plates and top with the sliced grilled chicken.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, if using. Serve with remaining salad dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs instead of 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.
- Marinating: 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.
- Dressing: You can use store-bought or homemade. I prefer homemade or a honey dijon vinaigrette here.
- While entirely optional, I recommend cutting the grilled chicken (after it has rested) and tossing it with a few tablespoons of the mustard dressing before serving. It adds a ton of flavor and moisture to the chicken. Plus, if you dress the chicken, you won’t need to put as much dressing on the actual salad.
- Customize it! This salad recipe is endlessly customizable. I’ve included a pretty extensive list of ingredients that pair well here in the article above. But here’s a quick reference cheat for you:
- Crunch: Toasted walnuts or candied walnuts, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, croutons, or roasted chickpeas
- Protein. Crispy bacon, crispy prosciutto, rotisserie chicken, leftover salmon, grilled shrimp, hard boiled eggs, or tofu.
- Veggies. Asparagus, avocado, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, edamame beans, sugar snap peas, roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash cubes all work well here.
- Greens: You can use different salad greens, or add microgreens, and whatever fresh herbs you love. (dill, chives, parsley, scallions, or basil)
- Grains: Barley, farro, or rice
Nutrition
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Kevin | Keviniscooking
Between the terrifically tangy mustard vinaigrette and the grilled chicken I’m all over this one!
Ashlee
I have been all about salads lately with the warmer weather and this looked so gorgeous I had to try it. Perfect timing since I literally just picked up our CSA box for the week and it has a ton of lettuce in it! Really lovely flavors. I especially love the honey mustard here. I will be making this again, thank you!
Anu – My Ginger Garlic Kitchen
Absolutely in love with this beautiful and flavorful looking salad. Green and crisp salads like this are my favorite too, so I guess it’s gonna be my new favorite salad as well. It’s lunch time I am craving for it now. Have a lovely week ahead. 🙂
Adina
I’m always looking for new salad recipes to try and thought this looked like such a beautiful one to try. No wonder it is your favorite at the moment, it’s DELICIOUS! Thanks.
Katherine
Cheyanne this salad is so perfect for spring/summer! It looks so light and fresh, and I loooove the sounds of that marinade. I think salads for dinner are the bomb. Especially when they’re full of peas and creamy dressings. Beautiful, beautiful photos here!!
Cindy
This salad is a beauty, or a stud? i almost want to treat as a Friday night date. That good looking and you are sooo right this is spring a d summer courting. Brilliant salad.
Stacey @ The Sugar Coated Cotted
This salad is everything! Great close up shot on the peas!! I love bibb lettuce, its my favorite, I find it crisp yet silky. The chicken marinade is making me hungry and I love that the dressing is creamy, just seems to suit those perky peas perfectly… hmmm, the use of that many “p”s all in a row there was not intentional, lol, but it works. Take care 🙂
Ruby & Cake
That salad looks so green and fresh and crisp! Pinning to try for this week yum!!
Marissa
This is EXACTLY what I’m craving right now. After a week of heavy eating (vacay!), I’m so ready for hearty but veggie-forward (and delicious of course!) meals like this.
Keri @ Fashionable Foods
What a beautiful salad, Cheyanne! I’m swooning over this! I absolutely love salads that have peas, especially in spring when I can get ’em fresh from my garden. That vinaigrette looks fab and has my mouth watering! Can’t wait to try!
Maria
Gorgeous photos, but they still don’t do justice to this salad. There flavor and colors are vibrant, and it wasn’t very difficult either.
Ben|Havocinthekitchen
“Summer salads don’t have to be bland, boring, or made just for birds!” Did you just quote me, Chey? Cause it’s exactly what I’ve been saying for many years. (Well in my case I normally refer to lavender when I say this haha) This salad is utterly scrumptious – totally agree with this! That’s a perfect summer combo for a light but satisfying salad. Well done!
Pamela (BrooklynFarmGirl)
This looks so good!
Manali@cookwithmanali.com
I love the sound of the salad, looks perfect for spring! 🙂
Catering Den Haag
This looks like the perfect dish! Yum!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Oh yes! I am so ready for salads, salads, and more salads….and maybe a little ice cream. 🙂 This salad looks amazing! Love those little peas 🙂
Mary
OMG Al the recipes you’ve been posting have been diet friendly and I really love you for that. I’m so easily tempted, you are keeping me on track more than you know Cheyanne. Yay Hippy Lettuce, I’m all about hippy lettuce lol. Hello Jazz Hands, lol I’m giving you some awesome Jazz Hands right now. Loving the addition of peas, radishes, and mint… I’ll devour this salad in minutes.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
So healthy and so delicious Chey! I love that creamy mustard vinaigrette too. I’m sure I’ll be slathering that on just about everything! Hope your week is off to a great start!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
There’s nothing boring or bland about this salad at all, Chey! In fact, I’ve got some shrimp and may whip up this dressing for a salad tonight since I have everything I need and it would be amazing! I can see why you would put this on repeat! Cheers!
Sues
Yummm I can see why you love this and are dubbing it a perfectly acceptable Monday food! I LOVE a good salad, especially when it’s packed with as much deliciousness as this one. Plus, you need something to go hand in hand with your Monday margarita. JK! Kind of 🙂
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ
This salad is definitely a beauty Cheyanne! I’m like the biggest fan of salads especially when the weather warms up like it has here. I could pretty much eat salads all summer and be totally content, so I’m always looking for new ones to try. Love the addition of peas, radish, and mint..YUM! Such a great combination and your pictures just make me wanna reach through the screen. Have a wonderful week 🙂
Lindsay | With Salt and Pepper
I feel like I could and should eat a TRUCKLOAD of salad after the last couple of weeks of margarita-ing and brunch-ing and wine and dine-ing..This salad sounds SO GOOD!!!!! Loving it Chey!
Demeter | Beaming Baker
But seriously, how did you even take these photos??? And where did you get this magnificent, magically perfect salad from? My dear, I never roll my eyes when you’re talking. Especially not when it’s about food! This salad could not be more beautiful. Plus, who doesn’t need more salad recipes? You’re always inspiring me to get more creative with mah greens! This beauty is picture perfect. Wishing you an awesome week ahead! Can’t wait til we can chat. Miss you loads and loads! xoxo
annie@ciaochowbambina
After the celebratory food we indulged in all weekend, I’d say we’re beyond ready for a gorgeous salad like this! I just love Bibb lettuce! So pretty and presentational… I can’t wait to try this one with your fabulous vinaigrette! Cheers, dear! xoxo
Gaila
Hey Chey! How was your weekend, mine super cool, we went to a Sting concert on Saturday night! and it was great! You had me at honey and peas! love this.
Odile
Hi Cheyanne,
I don’t usually eat just salad for lunch, is always salad with meat, or empanada or a slice of quiche. But your salad looks so comforting and the flavors go together so well, I am glad you share this.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Such a perfect dinner salad with great flavour! This is definitely the fresh food I’m craving right now. Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
Salads are the perfect thing for Mondays! But I’m all about the hippie lettuce :). It’s so hot here that all I’ve been eating lately is salads because I just can’t do heavy food when it’s 100 degrees outside. So bring on alllll the beautiful salad recipes! This one looks perfect. Have an awesome week, Chey!
marcie
Healthy salads should be a Monday thing because it’s what we need most after weekend excess! haha This looks so fresh and inviting and the flavors sound off the charts delicious. That dressing! This is what I want for dinner tonight!
Shashi at Savory Spin
Hahaha, Oh Cheyanne – I’m so gonna LOVE joining ya as ya “hippie lettuce the ish out of Monday!” Yes – bring on all the salads – especially when they come with a delicate and seriously scrumptious vinaigrette as this dreamy creamy one here!
It was close to 90 here yesterday and salads are so appropriate – for this hot weather – funny how I can eat a big bowl of salad but pick at heavier food when the heat’s on! Looking forward to what comes outta your kitchen next!
Happy Monday, friend! Hope this week is a wonderful one for ya! xoxo
Dawn – Girl Heart Food
I could eat salads every day, especially looks as yummy as this one! It looks bright, fresh and ‘happy’ if that’s such a thing for a salad to be. Love the chicken in there for extra oomph and the mustard vinaigrette sounds divine! Salad for the win!! Have a wonderful week, Chey! xo
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice
Salad on a Monday is the BEST! Actually, salads any day are just fine, as I adore salads. And sometimes because overeating just happens to occur on the weekends (wink wink) salads are definitely needed come Monday. I’m loving the bright colors in here, Cheyanne! The pops of peas and mint look gorgeous, as does that vinaigrette. I think I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My kind of meal! Pinned and can’t wait to try out. Happy Monday to you!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
I love that beautiful Bibb lettuce! Makes me want to reach right in and turn this gorgeous salad into wraps! Love all the Spring veggies in here! Happy Monday, dear friend!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes
I am definitely a salad person. You have just turned those everyday ingredients into such a fine salad. Excellent, Chey. I must try your creamy mustard dressing…looks so GOOD!
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table
Yes to ALL the salads this week, please! Especially when they are as pretty and tasty as this one! Love me some peas and especially on a salad with those pops of mint and radish and red onion. And that chicken is seriously making my mouth water!! Way to do salad right my friend! Have a wonderful week! XO