Harvest Salad with Balsamic Chicken
Inspired by the Harvest Salad at Sweetgreens, this salad is full of hearty, nutritious ingredients. The homemade version is always better!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Chicken marinade
- ¼ cup reserved balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1½ lbs chicken thigh, boneless, skinless
Roast the sweet potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potato, cut into ½" cubes
- avocado oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 5 cups arugula
- 5 cups kale, shredded
- 2 apples, cut into ½" cubes
- ¾ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
- 5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Balsamic vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients for the vinaigrette to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until emulsified. Reserve about ¼ cup for the marinade.
Marinate the chicken:
- Add the reserved marinade to a medium sized bowl or a gallon sized ziplock bag. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the sweet potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Add the sweet potatoes, avocado oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until well coated. Spread the sweet potatoes on the prepared pan and make sure to not crowd them so they can get golden and tender rather than steam. Roast about 20 minutes.
Cook the chicken:
- Roast the marinated chicken thighs at 375℉ until cooked through and a bit crispy, about 35-40 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes. Let rest before chopping into cubes.
Assemble the salad:
- Option 1: Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and add enough balsamic vinaigrette to coat and divide among 4 plates.
- Option 2: Toss the lettuce with enough balsamic vinaigrette to coat the leaves. Divide among 4 plates and arrange the remaining ingredients on top of the lettuce. Drizzle each with more vinaigrette, if desired.
Notes
*Time saving tip: you can pop your raw pecans in the oven as it is warming up for the sweet potatoes. Keep an eye on them and check every few minutes since the temperature is fluctuating. You will probably smell them when they are toasted.
*Airfrying your sweet potatoes and grilling your chicken are both great options.
*I often skip the kale and use all arugula for the greens.
*In a hurry? Use a rotisserie chicken from the store.