Honey Mustard Salad w/Chicken

Are there any salad lovers out there? 🙋I love a good salad, but I need a little variety so I don't get bored.  I try to work a salad into my meal plan every week (or every other week) to make sure I'm getting enough veggies.  The truth is, salads can be just as tasty and satisfying as any other meal, you just need to put a little work into it.  I add protein and avocado to just about all my salads to make them more filling so they feel like a full meal.  I skipped the grains on this salad, but adding whole grains to a salad is also another great way to add body.

This honey mustard flavor combination is not only tasty, but goes great with chicken and veggies.  My favorite combination is a slightly charred chicken, sweet tomatoes, and creamy avocado.  I paired that with cucumber and romaine lettuce for the ultimate, easy, tasty and healthy meal.  The secret to this salad is marinating the chicken with a honey mustard sauce to intensify the honey mustard flavor and give the chicken a great crust.  The honey in the marinade will cause the chicken to turn a little dark (or black) in color, but that's okay because it's just crispy carmelization.  It gives the chicken a great flavor and texture.

I use a variety of different greens when it comes to salads, but romaine lettuce is the most common one I use.  Why?  Well, to be totally honest it's because it keeps for a lot longer than other greens.  I hate how quickly mixed greens go bad in the fridge, so I don't use them as frequently.  I also love the crunch romaine gives to a salad, a texture that this salad totally needs.  

Total Time: 15 minutes (+30 minutes for chicken marinade)

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

For the salad:

4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 pound thinly sliced chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes

1 medium cucumber

1 avocado

2 tbs avocado oil

For the marinade:

2 tbs avocado oil

2 tbs dijon mustard

1 tbs honey

For the dressing:

4 tbs avocado oil

4 tbs apple cider vinegar

2 tbs dijon mustard 

1 tbs honey

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Add marinade ingredients to a large zip-top bag, add chicken and marinade in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, chop your veggies.  Slice 1/4" thick ribbons of romaine lettuce, halve the grape tomatoes, and cut the cucumber into quarter moons.
3. When the chicken is finished marinating, preheat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the avocado oil to the pan.  Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken before adding to the hot cast iron.
5. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5-7 minutes on the first side, until a dark crust has formed.  Flip and cook the chicken for an additional 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts.
6. Remove the chicken from heat and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Allow to cool before adding to the salad.
7. While the chicken is cooling, mix together the dressing ingredients.
8. To serve, add all ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the dressing.