The beautiful weather is here to stay, and I know we are all looking for a dish that is a little lighter to enjoy while sitting out on the porch, soaking in the sun. Whether you are watching your summer figure, or just looking for a tasty, mindful meal, this chicken and kale salad is the answer. It is so simple to prepare and so satisfying all at the same time, a shout out to our Sharp Chef Michelle, blogger for Sunkissed Kitchen, for providing us with this yummy recipe made to perfection in the Superheated Steam Countertop Oven.
This salad will serve up to four people, so it is perfect for a quick, mindful lunch for a few guests! It should only take about ten minutes to prepare and fifteen minutes to cook.
Begin preparing this dish by seasoning your chicken breasts. I usually do this by putting all my chicken in a bowl and adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of thyme, and sea salt and pepper to taste. I don’t know about you, but I always tend to make a mess with seasonings, so I think it works best when it is done in a bowl.
Make sure to flip the chicken and mix it around the bowl so that it is fully coated and seasoned. Add the pieces of chicken breast to the broiler tray once they are seasoned.
Next, you want to chop up three cups of butternut squash. I usually cut them into little flat triangular pieces. Once you are done chopping, place the butternut squash into another bowl and add in a tablespoon of olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste.
Just as before, make sure to really toss around the butternut squash in the bowl so that it fully gets coated with the seasonings. When finished, add the seasoned squash to the other side of the broiling pan.
You’ll want to take out your Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven and place the broiling tray filled with chicken and butternut squash on 400 °F for 15 minutes to Bake/Reheat.
While your chicken is baking, feel free to start preparing the rest of the salad. To start, de-stem the kale and then chop it. You want to make sure to do 1 bunch of kale. Make sure that it is fully de-stemmed because it simply does not taste the same if it is not! Add the chopped kale to a bowl.
Next, add in a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
When I do this step, I like to mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl before adding it to make sure the dressing is fully mixed, but it is your preference. Once you pour the dressing over the kale, be sure to massage the dressing into the kale using your hands so that the salad is fully covered.
Next, you want to chop up one apple. I always found the easiest way to do this was to cut off all four sides around the core of the apple and then chop them into square pieces. You can choose your preference of apple. Any apple will do.
It is time to assemble the salads and serve. Simply split the bowl of kale into four different containers or plates. (Unless you are serving less people and want a larger portion of this delicious meal.) Then, be sure to slice the cooked chicken into pieces. Add some of the sliced chicken, cooked squash, and chopped apple on top of the kale base in each container or plate. Garnish each salad with pecans and golden raisins for the finishing touch.
Now, enjoy your mindful yet delicious new favorite chicken and kale salad!
Autumn Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp thyme
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 cups butternut squash chopped
- 1 pinch pepper to taste
- 1 bunch kale de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 apple chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
Instructions
- Season the chicken with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Add to the broiler tray.
- Season the sliced butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, and add to the other half of the pan.
- Bake on 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. If baking in a conventional oven, increase baking time to 20-22 minutes.
- While the chicken and squash is cooking, destem and chop the kale. Add it to a bowl, along with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Massage the dressing into the kale using your hands.
- Chop an apple.
- When ready to assemble the salads, split the kale into 4 containers or plates. Add sliced chicken, squash and chopped apple.
- Garnish with pecans and golden raisins. These easily store for up to 4 days.
