Crispy Chicken Salad

crispy chicken on a salad in a white bowl

5 from 1 vote

Crispy Chicken Salad with creamy honey mustard dressing is a homemade version of a restaurant-worthy meal. Baked on a sheet pan, the chicken tenders get extra crispy but are a healthier take on crispy fried chicken. Make a big batch of creamy honey mustard to use both to dress the salad and to flavor the chicken.

To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.

Prep Time40

Cook Time15

Total Time55

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken dinner, Chicken Recipe, easy salad, Entree Salad, gluten free, honey mustard

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $10.00

Equipment

Half Sheet Pan
Mixing Bowl
Cutting Board
Knife

Ingredients

Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing

3/4 cup Plain or Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Red or White Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Stone-Ground Mustard
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper

Crispy Chicken Salad

1 1/2 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, thinly sliced
2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs (see note)
2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
Salt and Black Pepper
2 hearts Romaine Lettuce, chopped
10 ounces Shredded Carrots
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded Sharp White Cheddar
3 stalks Green Onions, chopped (use the dark and light green parts)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F / 232°C.
Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing.
In a mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup of the dressing and the chicken (reserve the rest of the dressing for topping the salad). Stir well to coat the chicken.
Pour the panko breadcrumbs into a bowl or shallow baking dish.
Drizzle the oil over a large rimmed sheet pan and tip the pan until there is a thin layer of oil covering the entire surface.
Working with one piece of chicken at a time, press it firmly into the panko breadcrumbs to coat it on both sides.
Line the chicken up in a single layer in the sheet pan.
Spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray or drizzle them lightly with some more oil. (This helps them to brown.)
Season the tops of the chicken pieces generously with some salt and pepper.
Bake the chicken until golden on top and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. In the last few minutes of cooking, you can turn on the oven’s broiler to give the chicken a darker brown crust.
In a large bowl toss lettuce, carrots, bell pepper, cheese, and green onions. Add in about half of the dressing, tossing everything to coat.
Divide salad between serving bowls and top with crispy chicken. Serve extra dressing on the side to drizzle over the finished salads.

Notes

Panko Breadcrumbs - Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs that give these chicken tenders a lot of crunch. These are also great with crushed cornflakes or gluten-free panko for a gluten-free option.

Shortcut Version - Want to simplify this meal? Buy store-bought fried chicken from the prepared food counter or frozen chicken tenders (cook them in the oven or air fryer). Store-bought honey mustard also works great here if you’d prefer to skip making your own.

Nutrition