Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is a complete meal in a bowl—packed with protein and vibrant flavor. Easy to prepare and perfect for lunches or light dinners.

I love salads, but variety is key to keeping them interesting. This salad brings a range of textures and flavors: crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, crunchy sunflower seeds, and salty bacon, all balanced by a homemade honey mustard vinaigrette. Prep the components once and enjoy leftovers all week.
The dressing doubles as a marinade for the chicken and as the finished vinaigrette. Made with Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and a touch of paprika and cayenne, it delivers a bright sweet-and-tangy profile that outshines store-bought options.

This green-leaf salad includes cucumber, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled bacon, sliced avocado, and sunflower seeds. If you like cheese, crumbled feta or goat cheese pairs nicely. To mellow raw red onion, soak the slices in ice water for 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry—this reduces bite and improves flavor.

More Salad Recipes:
- Asian Chopped Chicken Salad
- Southwestern Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Chicken Salad with Avocado and Bacon

Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
This satisfying salad combines grilled chicken, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and a bright honey mustard vinaigrette for a flavorful, protein-packed meal.
Salad
American
chicken salad
15
minutes
12
minutes
4
499
kcal
Ingredients
Marinade/Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 head green leaf or romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
Instructions
-
Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Pour half into a large zip-top bag, add the chicken, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Reserve the other half to use as the salad vinaigrette.
-
Grill the chicken until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Let cool slightly, then slice.
-
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bacon, and avocado. Add the sliced chicken on top.
-
Taste the reserved vinaigrette and, if desired, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil to mellow it. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with sunflower seeds, and serve.
Recipe adapted from Cafe Delites
