This crispy chicken salad is packed with all your favorites and topped with a perfectly sweet tangy honey mustard dressing! This is the salad I grew up loving, finally made paleo with a Whole30 option! Crispy grain-free “breaded” chicken is tossed with greens, bacon, chopped eggs, tomatoes and avocado to make it just like the classic.
A good crispy chicken salad is a meal I will choose above anything else!
But, it’s basically impossible to get gluten free (and definitely not paleo!) one from a restaurant. I’m sure you might have noticed!
So, we’ll make our own then, and it will be JUST as good!
Seasoned “breaded” crispy chicken, bacon, greens, tomatoes, avocado, hardboiled eggs, and a paleo friendly honey mustard dressing.
I even created a Whole30 version that sweetens the dressing with dates if you’re doing the Whole30!
Let’s get into all the recipe details 🙂
What You Need to Make This Crispy Chicken Salad
Dressing:
- raw honey OR dates
- stone ground mustard or dijon
- fresh lemon juice
- avocado oil or olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
chicken:
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- blanched almond flour
- arrowroot or tapioca flour
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- refined coconut oil or avocado oil
- egg
salad:
- bacon
- avocado
- eggs
- cherry tomatoes
- salad greens
How to Make This Paleo Crispy Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard
I like to prepare this first to have it ready.
For the version with honey, whisk all ingredients except for the oil in a bowl, then, slowly stream oil into the bowl while continuing to whisk until fully combined.
Have your bacon and eggs cooked, crumbled, sliced and ready to go before making the chicken. See below for my methods.
Mix almond and arrowroot flours in a shallow bowl and add the salt and pepper.
In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with additional sea salt and pepper.
Dredge the chicken in the egg and dry mixture, then fry in the sizzling hot oil in the skillet until golden brown on both sides.
Remove chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool a bit, then slice into bite size pieces.
Assemble the salad – in a large serving bowl arrange the greens with the bacon, sliced eggs, tomatoes, avocado, and chicken.
Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately with dressing drizzled over or on the side for dipping.
How to Make the Dressing with Dates {Instead of Honey, for Whole30}
For the Whole30 version, place the dates, water, mustard, and lemon juice in a high speed blender or food processor and blend on high until pureed.
Then, with the blender continuing to run, slowly stream in the oil until fully combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
How to Bake Bacon
I like to cook my bacon in the oven – place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes depending on your bacon and preference.
For medium-thick bacon this usually takes no more than 17 minutes.
My Method for Hardboiled Eggs
place in a medium saucepan and cover with water, then bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cover.
Allow the eggs to steam in the covered pot for 13-15 minutes, then transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool, then peel.
Crispy Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing {Paleo, Whole30 Option}
Crispy Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing {Paleo, Whole30 Option}
This crispy chicken salad is packed with all your favorites and topped with a perfectly sweet tangy honey mustard dressing! This is the salad I grew up loving, finally made paleo! Crispy grain-free “breaded” chicken is tossed with greens, bacon, chopped eggs, tomatoes and avocado to make it just like the classic.
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons raw honey melted (if firm) *see notes for Whole30
- 1/4 cup stone ground mustard or any mustard of your choice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into strips
- 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg whisked
- 3-4 tablespoons refined coconut oil or avocado
Salad:
- 4-6 slices nitrate free bacon cooked and crumbled**
- 1 medium avocado sliced
- 4 large eggs hardboiled and sliced***
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 5 oz container salad greens or the equivalent fresh greens
Instructions
Dressing:
-
I like to prepare this first to have it ready. For the version with honey, whisk all ingredients except for the oil in a bowl, then, slowly stream oil into the bowl while continuing to whisk until fully combined.
-
For the Whole30 version, place dates, water, mustard, and lemon juice in a high speed blender or food processor and blend on high until pureed. Then, with the blender continuing to run, slowly stream in the oil until fully combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
For the Salad:
-
Have your bacon and eggs cooked, crumbled, sliced and ready to go before making the chicken.
-
Mix almond and arrowroot flours in a shallow bowl and add the salt and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with additional sea salt and pepper.
-
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once sizzling hot, (breading with soften and fall off if oil isn’t hot enough) dip a piece of chicken in the egg, shaking off excess, coat with dry mixture, and place in the skillet. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
-
Cook on one side until golden brown, about 3 mins, adjusting the heat if necessary. Turn carefully using tongs so as not to lose the breading. Cook on the second side until golden brown on the outside and cooked through inside - about 5 minutes total depending on thickness.
-
Remove chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool a bit, then slice into bite size pieces.
-
Assemble the salad - in a large serving bowl arrange the greens with the bacon, sliced eggs, tomatoes, avocado, and chicken. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately with dressing drizzled over or on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*For Whole30 version, use 1/4 cup packed pitted medjool dates, softened + 2 1/2 tablespoons water.
**I like to cook my bacon in the oven - place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes depending on your bacon and preference. Drain on paper towels.
***My method for hardboiling eggs: place in a medium saucepan and cover with water, then bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cover. Allow the eggs to steam in the covered pot for 13-15 minutes, then transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool, then peel.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo and Whole30 Salad Recipes? Try One of These!
Shrimp Cobb Salad with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad with Ranch
Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with Honey Dion Dressing
Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Paleo Running Momma!
This looks fabulous…BUT…am I somehow ‘missing’ the instructions for the meat component?! I only see the recipe from the dressing portion of the recipe?! Many thanks…and gorgeous photography by the way!
Hi! The instructions are #3 in the “make the salad” section. Enjoy!
Honey mustard is my favorite salad dressing! Can’t wait to try it with that breaded chicken! 🙂
I’m obsessed with this salad. The dressing is so good. Sometimes my husband and I just make the chicken tenders and the honey mustard if we aren’t in the mood for a salad.
This looks delicious! Do you have directions for making the chicken in the air fryer?
Thanks for the recipe. This was such a delicious salad!! I did skip the honey mustard since I already had some paleo ranch, but it still tasted great.
This is literally SO GOOD. I can’t rave enough. Have made it numerous times and figured I better leave a review. AMAZING. I crave this everyday. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! I LOVE all you recipes and this one is one of my main faves. I was wondering, have you tried any new tactics to bread the chicken without egg since you have found out you are egg-sensitive? I too cannot eat eggs so with this recipe I didn’t know if a flax egg is too aggressive for breading the chicken. ha. Thanks!
Thanks. https://restaurantthatdeliversnearme.website
Yum. Thanks for the “make the pan super hot or else” tip. I almost skipped the breading because it always ends up a mess for me. But this time it turned out perfectly.
uigbujyvb
Hey, thank you fir this interesting article! It seems so delicious , I’d like to try it asap !
This recipe is the perfect lunchtime meal for the summer! It’s easy to make and full of flavor. The honey mustard dressing adds a sweet, spicy flavor that goes great with the honey and chicken. The crisp lettuce, carrots, and cucumber offer a crunchy texture to the dish. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover chicken! free cdn for live streaming
Delicious and simple paleo crispy chicken salad with a flavorful and tangy honey mustard dressing! Good.
Amazing! Question if I double honey mustard how long can that last in frig?
tasty
can the sauce be made without egg?
Neem honey is a delightful discovery! Its distinct flavor and potential health benefits make it a unique addition to my pantry. The rich, robust taste sets it apart from regular neem honey and I appreciate the reported medicinal properties. A tasty and wholesome choice for those seeking a natural sweetener with added wellness benefits. Neem honey has become a staple in my kitchen.
This was an amazing meal and was a huge hit with my (sometimes picky) husband too! Ty!