Crunchy Kale And Chicken Salad
Blog,Budget Bites,Salad |
April 18, 2023
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$6.19 RECIPE / $1.55 SERVING

Think again if you think a salad can’t satisfy your hunger.

This crunchy Kale and Chicken Salad are packed with juicy chicken breast, almonds, celery, and plenty of fiber-rich kale to keep you satisfied.

And what about the taste? Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about the taste. The salad is drenched in flavor with a zesty, sweet, and creamy honey Dijon dressing.

Add a few luscious golden raisins on top for a sweet finish, and you’ve got salad magic. And the best thing is this: Because all of these ingredients keep well in the refrigerator, this salad is ideal for your weekly meal prep.

If you like traditional chicken salad, I’m confident you’ll enjoy this kale and chicken salad.

It includes all of the same characteristics as classic chicken salad, but the components are stacked onto a bed of greens, and the dressing is made thinner so that it may be poured rather than acting as a heavy binder.

And, like traditional chicken salad, there’s a lot of space for creativity here, so keep reading for some inspiration.

CAN I USE VARIOUS GREENS?

Sure! You can substitute your favorite greens with kale if you don’t like it. A crunchy green like Romaine or finely shredded cabbage would be ideal, but you could use any green you choose for fresh salads.

WHICH KIND OF CHICKEN SHOULD I USE?

Crunchy Kale And Chicken Salad
Food: Crunchy Kale And Chicken Salad
Source: Wry Toast-

I used simple chicken breast that I quickly cooked in a skillet and then diced, but you could also use store-bought rotisserie chicken. For this dish, you’ll need roughly 1.5 cups of chopped cooked chicken.

SUBSTITUTES FOR RAISIN

I like the pleasantly sweet golden raisins in this recipe, but dried cranberries, chopped apples for added crunch, or even fresh grapes might be substituted (sliced).

DRESSING CHOICES

If you don’t have time to prepare your own dressing, a store-bought honey mustard or poppyseed dressing would be delicious with the flavors in this salad.

CRUNCHY KALE AND CHICKEN SALAD: HOW TO MEAL PREP

Because the salad’s ingredients are firm and crisp, they can easily be refrigerated.

I’d keep the dressing on the side to keep the crunch factor high, but the rest of the components can be preserved in single-serving containers. Salads prepared ahead of time will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.

CRUNCHY KALE AND CHICKEN SALAD

This Crunchy Kale and Chicken Salad have a tangy-sweet homemade dressing that adds flavor and texture. It’s ideal for your weekly food planning!
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS IN CRUNCHY KALE AND CHICKEN SALAD

SALAD

  • 1.5 cups chopped cooked chicken ($4.33)
  • 6 cups chopped kale ($1.25)
  • 1 cup chopped celery ($0.37)
  • 1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds ($0.79)
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins ($0.47)

DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise ($0.50)
  • 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar ($0.18)
  • 1.5 Tbsp. honey ($0.27)
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard ($0.09)
  • 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Chop the cooked chicken into little pieces that are easy to eat. Clean the celery and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Remove the kale stems, tear them into 1-2 inch pieces, rinse thoroughly in a strainer, and drain thoroughly.
  3. Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
  4. To make the salad, start with a kale foundation and add the chopped chicken, celery, almonds, and raisins on top. Drizzle the dressing over the top, stir to coat everything, and serve.

NUTRITION IN CRUNCHY KALE AND CHICKEN SALAD

  • Serving: 1 serving
  • Calories: 446 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 28 g
  • Protein: 23 g
  • Fat: 28 g
  • Sodium: 444 mg
  • Fiber: 2 g

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING CRUNCHY KALE AND CHICKEN SALAD

Crunchy Kale And Chicken Salad
Food: Crunchy Kale And Chicken Salad
Source: Wry Toast-
  1. You may use any pre-cooked chicken for this recipe, and after dicing, you’ll need roughly 1.5 cups. I used one 2/3-pound chicken breast that I filleted into two thinner pieces to fry rapidly in a skillet. Simply let it cool for 5-10 minutes once it is browned on the exterior and cooked through before chopping it into little pieces.
  2. I made the dressing while my chicken was cooling. This dressing is quite similar to a chicken salad dressing, but it’s a touch thinner so it’ll easily coat all of the kale. 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1.5 tablespoons honey, 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper in a mixing bowl Remove the dressing and set it away.
  3. Prepare the kale next. I used pre-chopped bagged kale because it’s handier and costs about the same as bunched kale. If your kale is still attached to the stem, just remove it and break it into 1-2 inch pieces. Drain it thoroughly after rinsing it in a colander. Salads that are too watery are never good. I used 1/2 cup of chopped leaves from a one-pound bag.
  4. Next, dice two celery ribs (about 1 cup once chopped).
  5. Cook the chicken and chop it into similar-sized pieces (about 1.5 cups chopped).
  6. Then just put together your salad(s)! You can make one large salad or four smaller single-serving salads.
  7. Begin with the kale bed, then add the chopped chicken and celery…
  8. Then stir in 1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds and 1/3 cup golden raisins.
  9. Just before serving, drizzle your dressing over the top.
  10. Toss to evenly coat everything in dressing, then serve! (Because I like pepper, I sprinkled a bit of additional cracked black pepper on top!)