The best Honey Mustard Salad Dressing takes this chicken and veggie salad to the next level, topped with crunchy bacon and creamy avocado.

Finished homemade sauce being poured over grilled chicken, enhancing the dish with delightful flavor.
chelsea

author’s note

Five-Ingredient Honey Mustard Salad Dressing!

This Crispy Chicken Salad is a favorite at my house, and it inspired me to create a dressing similar to the one in that salad, but without the BBQ sauce. This creamy, delicious dressing is seriously the best part of any dish.

While store-bought dressings are convenient, this homemade version is just as quick and easy. With only five ingredients, all you need to do is whisk everything together, and your dressing is ready in no time.

It’s so tasty that I often double the recipe to use as a veggie dip or for other snacks throughout the week.

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Process of making honey mustard salad dressing, prepping lettuce, grilling chicken, and tossing it all to create a delicious salad.

Ingredients In Honey Mustard Dressing

  • Mayonnaise: Use a good high-quality mayo. I love Hellmans/Best Foods.
  • Yellow mustard: Make sure it’s yellow mustard not dijon.
  • Honey: he amount can be adjusted according to personal taste.
  • Red wine vinegar: In a pinch white wine vinegar will work.
  • Salt and pepper: Taste and adjust.

How To Make Honey Mustard Dressing

  1. Mix full-fat mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Adjust the amount of honey based on your preference for sweetness.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
  4. Place the dressing in a jar with a lid and refrigerate it to allow the flavors to meld and chill before using it on the salad.

Storage

Dress the salad right before serving and only what you’ll eat that day. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Stir or shake before using.

More Delicious Salads:

5 from 4 votes

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing (with crispy chicken salad)

This favorite Honey Mustard Dressing tops a chicken and veggie salad loaded with crispy bacon and creamy avocado—so good!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Salad
  • 5 cups romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 1/4 of a large onion
  • 1 large avocado thinly sliced or chopped
  • 6 slices center cut bacon cooked and chopped
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken or thinly sliced, see note 1
Dressing
  • 1/2 cup mayo full-fat
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard not Dijon
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Start by adding all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl. Add honey to personal preference (I like 2 tablespoons). Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon each). Whisk together with a fork or small whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust to personal preference. Transfer dressing to a jar with a lid and refrigerate to allow flavors to meld and chill before adding to the salad.
  • Chicken: See note 1.
  • Heat a large pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 6–8 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool slightly. Chop coarsely for the salad.
  • Chop the lettuce and add to a large bowl or platter. Top lettuce with cooked chicken, chopped bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and a thinly sliced or chopped avocado. Drizzle on dressing to personal preference. (You may not use all the dressing; use any leftover dressing on other salads or with veggies. Dressing stays good for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge). Enjoy salad immediately; salad does not sit well with dressing and avocado.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: There are lots of options for how you can add chicken to this salad. Pick one of the following and make sure to chop or thinly slice before adding to the salad. If using chicken breasts, you’ll want about 3/4 pound of chicken (1 large breast).
  • Quickest option—rotisserie chicken: Purchase a fresh and hot rotisserie chicken and chop it up for this salad. Or for an even quicker prep, a lot of grocery stores have rotisserie chicken that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded.
  • Leftover chicken: If you’re making chicken during the week, make some extra and save it for this salad. I recommend making a double batch of this Grilled Chicken Marinade; it’s my favorite!
  • Store-bought crispy chicken: While I’m no expert on crispy chicken tenders (I don’t buy them all that often), Taste of Home magazine shares the best chicken to use for this recipe. If you use frozen crispy chicken, I recommend baking the chicken for this salad, not microwaving it. Allow the chicken to slightly cool to a warm temperature, then thinly slice and add to the salad.
  • Fresh grilled chicken: If grilling chicken for this salad, I recommend drizzling olive oil and adding a generous amount of salt, pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning. Grill until cooked through, about 4–6 minutes per side (or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperatures register 165°F).
  • Fresh sautéed chicken: Halve thick chicken breasts and drizzle both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt, pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning. Cook in a hot skillet for about 4–6 minutes per side (or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperatures register 165°F).
Nutrition Note: Nutrition information is for the dressing and salad. In a serving of the dressing, there are 131 calories.
Storage: This salad doesn’t sit well once dressed. Add the dressing right before enjoying and only to what you’ll enjoy the same day. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container for up to 5–7 days in the fridge. Give it a quick stir or shake before adding to a salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 6servings | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.7g | Protein: 24.1g | Fat: 27.2g | Cholesterol: 86.2mg | Sodium: 287.4mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 4.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

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5 from 4 votes

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6 Comments

  1. Randa says:

    5 stars
    Found this recipe online and just made a batch of the dressing (didn’t get around to making the chicken) and it’s SO good!! The perfect lunch! Thank you!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I am so happy to Hera this! Thanks so much Randa! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Eden says:

    5 stars
    So good! Loved all the flavors! The perfect dinner!

  3. Lily says:

    5 stars
    I loved this easy dressing I am planning on using it for other salads, but today we tried it with your salad it was an incredible lunch filling and delicious. Thank you.

  4. wilhelmina says:

    5 stars
    Love this salad! It makes a perfect summertime meal!

  5. Sabrina says:

    wonderful dressing (and salad) each has everything I love, that is, the salad and the dressing, so thank you!