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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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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!
This post was originally published on April 5, 2021
Delicious and super easy to make on a week night!
Hey there,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This is a DELICIOUS elevated salad recipe! The chicken has awesome texture and flavor with all the spices and the dressing is the perfect compliment! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
Hey there,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Can I substitute the tahini with anything? Thank you!
Hey Selena,
You can skip the tahini here if needed. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I used plain greek yogurt instead and it added a nice creaminess. 🙂
How spicy is the dressing ??? Should I omit cayenne if making it for the kiddies ?? Can’t wait to try this one !!!!
Hey Danielle,
The dressing is not spicy at all, but if you are concerned you can certainly omit the cayenne. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved this recipe, especially the salad dressing. I subbed Creole mustard for the Dijon and had no tahini. I made extra to have leftovers!
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a fantastic week! xTieghan
Made this tonight while I was home visiting the ‘rents. They are pretty simple eaters and couldn’t get enough. I was short in time (see:lazy) and used our favorite bottle honey mustard dressing instead. Think I might need to use the food processor on the pretzels next time but what a great twist on breading the chicken!! Another home run recipe!!!
Hey Molly,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a fantastic week! xTieghan
Another slam dunk salad. Dressing was delicious on its own. The Tahini really helps if you do have it. Pretzel chicken was super good, as I used chicken thighs.
I’m pretty sure I could eat salad everyday picking from the site.
Hey Percy,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
When making the honey mustard dressing, can I use avocado oil instead of evoo ?
Hey Brittney,
Yes, avocado oil will work just fine here. I hope you love this salad, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Followed the directions and all ingredients. It was yummy. Next time I make this I will definitely season my chicken beforehand; my family and I thought it was sort of bland despite the pretzel coating. Can’t wait to make this again.
Hey Kristine,
Fantastic! I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
I’m new to your site and this was the first recipe I made. This was amazing!! So simple yet sooo good!! I had my daughter help me with the pretzels. And that dressing is beyond delicious! It was a complete meal and got rave reviews from my hubby and young kids. A total win. Love how you pair flavors and can’t wait to try out more recipes. Thank you!
Hey Desiree,
Thanks so much! I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Made these for dinner last night. I believe there’s a misprint in the recipe with the salt. It’s listed as an ingredient, but you’re never told when to use it so I accidentally left it out….
So NOTE: add the salt in the preztel mixture with the chicken, probably about 1/2 a tsp.
My tenders came out our crispy but rather bland w/o any salt..,
Hey Amanda,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Incredible! The flavors come together so nicely. Pretzels give it a great crunch as well. Definitely recommend frying up your own bacon, and adding some green onion to the salad!
Hey Beth,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Incredibly delicious! The chicken was perfect and seasoned, but the real star is that dressing! I added cucumbers and hard boiled eggs to my salad.
Hey Lisa,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was amazing! My husband loved every bite and that dressing was delicious. Definitely a new favorite in our house! Followed the recipe exactly.
Hey Bri,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan
This was delicious! Made plenty for dinner tonight plus lunches tomorrow. I used the leftover dressing from the roasted cauliflower/chickpea salad. The chicken came out great.
Hey Bethany,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan