Kale Chicken Salad with Apples and Cheddar
An easy, delicious, and healthy kale salad recipe that highlights the best of early spring produce!
Servings 5 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup white cheddar cheese, cut into small pieces
- 1 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chiken
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, and vinegar. Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss kale with dressing. Using your hands, gently massage kale until tender (2-3 minutes). Add apple, cheddar, and chicken.
- Garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve!
Notes
TIFFY’S TIPS
- This recipe is fabulous with curly kale. Massaging kale is a technique that involves rubbing the leaves between your hands to break down the fibrous structure of the kale. This produces a slightly sweeter, much silkier texture.
- Although this recipe calls for kale, you can substitute your favorite greens, omitting the massage step.
- 1 rotisserie chicken yields approximately 3 cups of chicken. Grilled chicken is a great substitution.
- Adjust ingredients to your palette for salad dressings. I use 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar to 6 tablespoons olive oil, building other ingredients depending on your recipe to yield 1/2 cup dressing.
- To keep apples from turning brown, soak the apple slices in 1 part lemon juice to 1 part cold water until you’re ready to use. This mixture keeps apples from turning brown by preventing oxidation.
- Quickly toast pumpkin seeds on the stovetop. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, add seeds, stir frequently 5-10 minutes. When they start popping, and turning golden they are ready. Do not overcook as they will have a bitter flavor.