Fall Kale Salad with Chicken | High Protein Main Dish Salad

A wholesome, fall Kale Salad with Hen made with roasted butternut squash, apples, pecans, and goat cheese with a maple-Dijon French dressing.

Fall Kale Salad with Hen

This wholesome fall chopped salad combines the nice and cozy flavors of fall in a light-weight, crisp, and refreshing chopped salad. Rotisserie hen is a straightforward protein, and the one cooking is roasting the butternut squash. And since kale is hearty and gained’t wilt within the fridge, it’s an ideal make-ahead meal. Extra fall salad recipes you’ll love are this Harvest Kale Salad with Winter Squash, Fall Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples, and Turkey Harvest Cobb Salad.

Harvest Salad Elements

• Butternut Squash: Cube 12 ounces of butternut into half-inch cubes. To avoid wasting time, purchase prechopped squash on the grocery store.
• Olive Oil to drizzle on the squash earlier than roasting
• Fall Kale Salad French dressing: Olive oil, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard
• Kale: You’ll want 5 cups of shredded kale.
• Apple: My favourite apples for kale salads are crisp, candy ones, like Honeycrisp or Pink Woman. Reduce the apple proper earlier than serving.
• Pecans: Toast and chop a 3rd cup of pecans.
• Dried Fruit: Use dried cranberries (craisins) or golden raisins.
• Hen: Purchase a rotisserie hen and cube the breast meat. When you’ve got leftover hen or need to cook dinner your individual hen, go for it.
• Goat Cheese: Sprinkle two ounces of goat cheese over the salad.

The way to Make Kale Salad with Hen

1. Butternut Squash: Toss the squash with a teaspoon of oil, half a teaspoon of kosher salt, and an eighth teaspoon of black pepper. Unfold it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes at 400°F.
2. Therapeutic massage the Kale: Drizzle the kale with a teaspoon of olive oil and therapeutic massage it for about three minutes to tenderize it.
3. Apple Cider French dressing: Whisk the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and remaining salt, and pepper. Step by step pour in olive oil, whisking till integrated.
4. Assemble the Salads: Divide the massaged kale into 4 bowls. High with 1 / 4 of the roasted butternut, diced apple, pecans, craisins, hen, and goat cheese. End every salad with 1 ½ tablespoons.

Variations

• Squash: Swap butternut squash for candy potato or acorn squash.
• Protein: Change out the hen with salmon or deli turkey.
• Cheese: Substitute goat cheese for feta or blue cheese.
• Dairy-Free: Omit the goat cheese.
• Apple: Swap the apple with a pear.
• Dried Fruit: Sub apricots, dates, or currants.
• Nuts: Use walnuts or almonds as an alternative of pecans.
• Vinegar: Change out apple cider vinegar for balsamic or white vinegar.
• Sweetener: Change maple with honey or agave.

Greatest Sort of Kale for Salads

The principle two kinds of kale are lacinato kale (additionally known as dinosaur or Tuscan kale) and curly kale. Since lacinato is extra tender, it’s higher for salads.

Massaging Kale for Salad

Massaging kale for salads is crucial! It breaks down the powerful leaves, making them way more palatable. Simply pour a bit of oil or dressing over the kale and therapeutic massage it for a couple of minutes till it turns into darker inexperienced and softer.

Does kale get soggy in dressing?

Kale is a hearty leafy inexperienced for salads that doesn’t get soggy when coated in dressing. It truly will get extra tender the longer it sits within the dressing, making it good for meal prep or serving at events.

The way to Meal Prep Kale Salad

This simple kale salad with hen will last as long as 4 days should you make the salad the identical day you purchase the rotisserie hen. Cooked hen solely lasts 4 days within the fridge, so in case your hen is older, eat the salad sooner. For the freshest salad, retailer it in hermetic containers and wait so as to add the pecans and apples till proper earlier than consuming.

Extra Kale Salad Recipes You’ll Love