Next Post
5 Minute Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Toast.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Keeping things fun, easy, and healthy with this Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad. Spicy chicken fingers, breaded in salty pretzel crumbs, oven baked and tossed together with fresh greens, avocado, and crispy bacon. Add a creamy honey mustard dressing and lots of parmesan for a colorful salad that’s anything but boring. This is quick to make and beyond delicious. It’s that salty, spicy pretzel chicken and sweet honey mustard dressing. The combo is hard to beat.
Here is what I have come to learn about myself. I really, really like recipes that remind me of past adventures…usually when I was a kid. Chicken fingers? Yup, I love them. Mac and cheese with the crunchy edges? 100%. Chicken and rice…Dad’s pasta dish? Yep, all some of my favorite recipes, and each from childhood.
And then this salad? While it’s not something I ever ate growing up, it does remind me of the days I’d spend with my family in Florida over spring break. I know I’ve been talking a lot about Florida and spring break this last week, but clearly, I can’t help it. It’s spring break season and geez, I really wish I had some plans to go to Florida. But I don’t, so instead, I’m making recipes that bring back all my favorite memories.
It’s fun…and delicious. Because let’s be real, the foods we ate when we were young were GOOD.
So this salad. When my family traveled to Florida for spring break we’d always stay with my Nonnie and Grandpa. My Nonnie and I were super close, so while mom basked in the sun and my brothers played in the pool with my dad, Nonnie and would sneak off, go do some shopping, then stop in somewhere for lunch.
When I was really young, I’d order chicken fingers nine times out of ten, but my Nonnie always switched up her order depending on where we were eating. Sometimes pasta, sometimes a sandwich, and then sometimes a salad. For some reason, I remember her eating a chicken salad with bacon. I’m feeling like it was a Cheesecake Factory Salad? Yep, that sounds about right.
Anyway, since I’ve been thinking so much about those trips and also trying to put ideas for lunches together, I took Nonnie’s salad and my chicken fingers and I combined the two. And you know? I really, really wish Nonnie was around to give this a taste test, because I think she’d fully approve. The bacon would really seal the deal for her and the pretzel chicken? Well, let’s just say that the salty pretzels would put the salad over the top. This salad has all of her favorite things. Mine too.
The Details…Start with the Chicken
What I love about this fun salad is that for how much it has going on, it’s actually really easy.
Start with the chicken. Finely crush the pretzels into crumbs to bread the chicken. The finely crushed pretzels are key. They flavor the chicken with the perfect amount of salt, which pairs wonderfully
with the sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing. I make the crumbs spicy with a little chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. They are delicious.
Tip? Pulse the pretzels in the food processor to really break them down into a fine crumb. If you don’t have a food processor, just add the pretzels to a ziplock bag, then step on the bag with your feet to finely crush them. Trust me, this works. You can even just use the actual pretzel bag and step on that. It’s what dad used to do when he’d make potato chip chicken when I was a kid. This trick is an oldie but a goodie.
Bake the chicken in the oven until it crisps all over. My secret is to lightly drizzle the chicken with olive oil before it bakes. This helps the coating to really crisp up nicely in the oven. You can’t skip this step, it’s crucial.
While the Chicken is Baking…
Toss the salad and make the dressing. For the salad, I kept it simple, mixed greens, tomatoes, lots of avocados, crispy bacon, and parmesan. Nothing fancy, but always a solid combo when it comes to salad. The avocado plus bacon is a favorite. Totally delicious.
And then the dressing. Hands down this is one of my favorite dressings. It’s extra creamy, sweet, and tangy, but with a kick from some cayenne. The tahini makes it extra creamy and the honey keeps things sweet, which is a nice balance to the spicy. And when you toss it all together with the pretzel chicken?
It is SO GOOD! Crunchy chicken, salty bacon, creamy avocado, and a sweet, creamy, and spicy dressing that really completes the salad and makes every bite special.
So you see? Salads can be delish…and fun!
Looking for other spring salad recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Chickpea Salad
Lastly, if you make this Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 819 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 pound boneless chicken tenders
- 1 cup finely crushed salted pretzel twists
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt and black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
- 1-2 avocados, diced
- 4 slices cooked thick cut bacon, crumbled
Honey Mustard Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Combine the pretzels, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. 3. Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.4. To make the salad. Combine the greens, tomatoes, parmesan, avocados, and bacon in a salad bowl.5. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.6. Toss the chicken in with the salad. Add a little of the dressing. Enjoy!Â
This salad is absolutely amazing. The dressing is a perfect balance between sweet and tangy. It complements the chicken strategically. This recipe has been in my regular weeknight dinner rotation since Tieghan posted it earlier this year. Double the batch and it makes leftovers you’ll be excited about. Swap the pretzels for gluten free bread crumbs to make it a little more guilt free 🙂
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xxTieghan
Second time making this! I eat a lot of salads, this is one of my favorites! I did leave tahini out, not a fan, the dressing is fav part. Thank you for sharing recipie
Hey Katlynn,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for making it! xTieghan
I have tried a lot of baked chicken recipes pretending to be fried and always been disappointed. This one lived up to the crunch. I used avocado oil to spray a foil lined baking sheet as well as the chicken and it came out so crunchy. I can’t wait to try the next recipe!
Hi Melanie,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
This is my first recipe I made from your blog and I can confidently say it will not be the last! I’ve never seen a recipe put crushed pretzels on the chicken but WOW did it taste good. This salad was delicious and filling. I forgot to grab tahini for the dressing but it was still really good without it!
Hey Alyssa,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
The best chicken ever! This salad is so good
Hey Colleen,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go:) xTieghan
This was REALLY good! A perfect summer salad that is also very filling and has a ton of flavor. The chicken was awesome and was so crispy that I couldn’t believe it was baked, not fried. I did drizzle olive oil over it and use an olive oil spray to really coat it as well as throw the pretzels in the food processor to start. The dressing was perfect, even for my husband who doesn’t typically love honey mustard. Thanks for a recipe that I’ll be sure to make again and again! XO
Hey Liz,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
10/10 Amazing! My husband who’s not a big salad lover said this is the BEST salad he’s ever had! I love that it seems pretty healthy and the flavor is amazing! I’m keeping this one in my recipe book! Thanks Tieghan, you really knocked this one out of the park!
Hey Tiara,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Made this tonight for dinner. It was so good!!! Baked the chicken in the air fryer instead of the oven. Definitely making this again! My family loved it!
Hey Angela,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
HOLY MOLY. Soooo good and SO simple! Just so happened to have all these ingredients on hand and made last minute. Will definitely be making again!
Hey Rachel,
Fantastic! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
My BF loved it! I liked it too but wasn’t crazy about the chicken, but everything else was amazing. I tend to lean more toward the lighter Halfbaked Harvest salads (especially the ones with seasonal fruit!). My boyfriend absolutely loved every part of the salad so we’ll definitely be having it again!
Hey Kate,
Happy Wednesday!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xxTieghan
Made this last night and it was a hit! The chicken was perfectly crunchy even though it is baked and I was skeptical of the tahini in the dressing, but it is seriously the best honey mustard dressing I have ever had. I added some fresh corn cut off the cob and some shredded carrot to add a little more veggies and it was a perfect summer meal! Even my 4 year old and 2 year old loved it and that is so rare for me to find a meal that everyone in our family loves. Thank you for the great recipe as always!
Hey Jenny,
Awesome! It is so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xTieghan
Great salad and dressing. Had lots of dressing left over but it’s great for dipping, especially all the left over pretzels.
Hey Gloria,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
My husband and I really enjoyed this salad. It had a good spice level, but was very refreshing for a summer evening meal.
Hey Kayla,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This was overall pretty easy and so tasty. Love the homemade honey mustard dressing. Very refreshing and felt healthy! Will definitely make again:)
Hey Allison,
Awesome! So so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xxTieghan
I thought the chicken tasted kind of like a dorito, and was not a particular fan of it. The dressing, however was delicious!
Hey Flora,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, so sorry you did not enjoy the chicken! xTieghan
WOW! This was the best dinner we’ve made in a long time, and for a salad…absolutely no words! The dressing pulls all of the flavors together so well. We cannot wait to add this into the rotation.
Hey Ashley,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan