Honey Mustard Chicken, Avocado & Bacon Salad

Thank you Cafe Delites for this delicious salad recipe.  I am not huge on salads as they don't bring me a lot of satisfaction eating them, but there was something different about this one.  This one was rich, with a myriad of flavors.  I liked the salty bacon with the tangy/sweet dressing along with the crunch of the salad.  I will be making this one again for certain!

Honey Mustard Chicken, Avocado & Bacon Salad

Dressing/Marinade:
1/3 C honey
3 T whole grain mustard
2 T smooth and mild dijon mustard
2 T olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to season
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts

Salad:
1/4 C diced bacon, trimmed of fat
2 romaine hearts, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 C sliced grape or cherry tomatoes
1 avocado pitted and diced
1/4 C red onion, sliced

Whisk marinade / dressing ingredients together to combine.  Pour half the marinade into a shallow dish to marinade the chicken breasts for at least 2 hours if time allows.  Refrigerate the reserved untouched marinade to use as a dressing.

Heat a nonstick pan (or grill) over medium heat with a bit of oil and sear/ grill chicken on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through.  Once the chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.  You might need to lower the heat a bit to avoid burning the marinade.

Wipe the pan over with a paper towel and fry the bacon until crispy.  Cool bacon on a paper towel.

Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with romaine, tomatoes, avocado, chicken and onions.  Whisk 2 Tablespoons of water into the remaining untouched marinade / dressing and drizzle over the salad.  Sprinkle the bacon over the top and season with salt and pepper.