This sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing is the perfect flavor to pair with sweet mandarin oranges and nutty coconut. A bite of this Tropical Grilled Chicken Salad will make you feel as if you are in paradise!
(Blue’s Best Life is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. I earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. This helps me keep the blog going! -Bobbie)
The best part about living in Florida is how you feel like you are on vacation without even leaving to go any where. My husband and I love taking a day off together and trying out new restaurants on the beach. There’s no shortage of great places to try and they always inspire me to make new fun recipes in my own kitchen.
My inspiration for my Tropical Grilled Chicken Salad with Lite Honey Mustard came from a lunch special my husband ordered. It sounded great but I usually shy away from honey mustard dressings at restaurants. Unfortunately, they are loaded with mayonnaise. I decided to recreate this salad with a lighter version of honey mustard made with Greek yogurt, stoneground mustard and honey. Even my husband was impressed I was able to make this salad even better than the original!
How do I grill chicken?
This salad is quick to put together, just allow at least two hours to marinate before you grill. If you need grilling tips check out my recipe for Marinated Grilled Chicken with Blackberry Salad. There are step by step instructions on everything from starting a propane grill to how to properly clean the grill grates.
Once you get the hang of grilling chicken you won’t want anything else! It’s full of flavor and takes about 10 minutes once the grill is heated.
Greek yogurt versus mayonnaise?
I use plain Greek yogurt in everything from salad dressings to baked goods! I even use it on tacos instead of sour cream. It's a great substitue for butter, oil and mayonnaise. There are several health benefits to using greek yogurt. Even if you are using the full fat variety of Greek yogurt it is much lower in calories, sodium and fat. Plus Greek yogurt is packed with protein! Check out these stats!
Regular Mayo 1 cup
- calories 1440
- fat 160
- protein 0
Whole Fat Plain Greek Yogurt 1 cup
- calories 220
- fat 11
- protein 20
Wow! The difference in these numbers blew my mind!! This makes a lot of dressing so I hope no one is using an entire cup! If you eat a salad with a mayonnaise base you might as well get a burger and fries. It’s not doing you any good!
Once you put this salad together you’ll see just how colorful and gorgeous it is. Then take a bite of the tangy dressing with crunchy coconut and mandarin oranges and I promise it’s going to be your new favorite! Feed your family something you can feel good about.
Tropical Chicken Salad with Lite Honey Mustard Dressing
Equipment
- grill or grill pan
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cutlets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Salad
- 2 bags spring mix
- 1 diced mango
- 1 jar mandarin oranges, drained
- ½ cup flaked coconut
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
Honey Mustard Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons stoneground mustard
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare marinade by mixing all of the ingredients, set aside.
- Trim chicken of fat and cut breasts into cutlets for more even grilling.
- Put chicken in large bowl and pour marinade all over turning to coat all sides. Place in fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Prepare dressing in a blender by adding all dressing ingredients and pulsing for a few seconds until creamy.
- After chicken has marinated, preheat grill for 10-15 minutes.
- While grill is heating divide the salad mix ingredients into four bowls.
- Once grill is heated, put chicken on, turn to medium heat. Grill for approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip chicken, brush with honey mustard and cook additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from grill.
- Brush a little more honey mustard on chicken and allow to cool for at about 5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice chicken into bite sized pieces and arrange on top of salad. Drizzle with additional dressing and enjoy!
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