All the cozy feels with this Winter Kale Salad, perfect for any holiday gathering or even serve year round!
This post is sponsored by Pure Flavor®. All opinions are my own.
I am a huge salad lover, and when tasked to create a recipe to showcase the multi-color, flavor-packed Pure Flavor® Organic Sangria Tomato Medley in a recipe, my first thoughts went to what I call a "fun salad"!
I started using the term fun salad when I moved into my current apartment and had three roommates who all cooked somewhat similar to me, but also kept lots of nuts, seeds and random condiments stocked. Since I've moved in, on many Friday nights, we have a meal for Shabbat, and all contribute random odds and ends to a large salad. This results in such a fun salad!
Think all the best veggies, nuts and seeds, that pair nicely together thrown into a bowl, topped with a new dressing each week. This making of exciting, over-the-top salads has kept me looking forward to creating incredible salads each week.
Hence, I decided to create a fun salad for this collaboration and I couldn't be more in love with it!
This Winter Kale Salad has two leafy greens (kale and spinach), incredible Pure Flavor® tomatoes, and a variety of fresh vegetables paired with a balsamic vinaigrette and grilled/roasted chicken. Served as a side salad or a main dish, this salad will knock your socks off.
Let's get into the details so you can make this recipe for your friends and family!
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INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED
For the Chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
For the Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Garlic
- Maple syrup, honey or sugar
- Dijon mustard
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- Fresh kale
- Baby Spinach
- Purple Cabbage
- Yellow Pepper
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Walnuts
- Pure Flavor Organic Sangria Medley Tomatoes
- Pomegranate seeds
- Avocado
HOW TO MAKE WINTER KALE SALAD
- First, begin with roasting/grilling your seasoned chicken! I highly recommend grilling the chicken on a grill pan or outdoor grill, but if you don't have either (like myself at the moment), you can roast it in the oven to perfection. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature so your chicken will be perfectly cooked (about 160°F).
- Next, combine the dressing ingredients in a container or bowl and shake/whisk until well combined. Shaking the ingredients in a container will give you an incredibly emulsified dressing that will be a bit thicker and the ingredients will meld together better than if made in a bowl.
- Toast the walnuts for optimal flavor! Spread walnuts onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until fragrant. They will look slightly darker in color, but not burnt.
- Assemble the salad ingredients in a large serving platter or bowl and drizzle with the dressing. For photography purposes, I assembled the salad straight into this serving platter but still had leftover salad ingredients to make another half a platter. If making this for your family or guest, I recommend tossing ¾ of the ingredients in a large bowl, then place onto your serving platter if desired and top with remaining ingredients as garnish.
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT KALE SALAD
Can I make it in advance?
Yes! You can bake the chicken up to 2 days in advance and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge until the day of. You can prepare the dressing up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Toss all the salad ingredients together the day of and serve!
Do I need to massage the kale with my hands?
Yes! It is super important to massage the kale with your hands. It will make it softer, having a better texture that is more palatable.
Can I use a different protein instead of chicken?
Absolutely! You can add beans, crispy sausage, or even tofu this salad instead. The world is your oyster.
Can this salad be made vegan?
Absolutely! This salad is naturally vegan aside from the chicken. Swap the chicken for a vegan option such as fake chicken, tofu, beans or whatever you like.
Can I add roasted veggies to this salad?
Totally! Add roasted sweet potato or squash to this salad; it would be amazing!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
- Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
- Cucumber Radish Salad
- Salmon Quinoa Caesar Salad
- Broccoli Crunch Salad
Winter Kale Salad with Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
For the Salad:
- 1 large bunch kale stems removed and chopped
- 3 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage or thinly sliced cabbage
- 1 yellow pepper chopped
- ¼ cup store bought toasted pumpkin seeds
- ¾ cup walnuts
- 1 box Pure Flavor Organic Sangria Tomato Medley tomatoes or cherry tomatoes of choice, halved
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 avocado cubed or sliced
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced into a paste
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup honey or sugar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt or table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line an 8”x8” circle or square baking dish with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray.
- Place chicken breasts into the pan and drizzle with olive oil.
- Sprinkle over salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Rub spices all over the chicken so it’s coated on both sides.
- Bake for 18-25 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Every chicken is a different thickness, so be careful not to undercook the chicken and make sure it is fully cooked through.
- Once chicken is cooked and cooled, cut into thin slices or into small chunks.
Prepare the Dressing:
- Combine all dress ingredients in a medium container with a lid or in a bowl.
- Shake ingredients together if in a container or whisk well if in a bowl.
Make the Salad:
- Place walnuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, and cook for 6-8 minutes or until fragrant. Allow to cool, then roughly chop. Set aside.
- Place kale into a large bowl and drizzle with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil. Massage with your hands to soften the kale.
- Add remaining salad ingredients (including the kale) in a large bowl or serving platter. Leave aside a bit of each component to decorate the top of the salad with before serving to guests.
- Drizzle over ¾ of the dressing and toss until combined.
- Top salad with sliced chicken pieces.
- Drizzle remaining dressing over the salad if desired.
- Add remaining salad ingredients for garnish (if desired).
Notes
- If making this salad as the main dish, you can double or triple the amount of chicken to yield a more filling salad.
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