Kale Salad with Chicken and Honey-Mustard Dressing Recipe
This salad is an example of modern American home cooking: kale, grilled chicken, crunchy apple, and a sweet-and-spicy honey-mustard dressing. In the USA, these kinds of power salads are often packed in a container and taken to work instead of a classic sandwich. The flavor is fresh, slightly sweet from the apple and honey, with a pronounced mustard note.
Takie sałatki z jarmużem, białkiem i słodkim dressingiem są popularne w amerykańskich delikatesach i barach sałatkowych jako alternatywa dla klasycznych kanapek.
Massaged kale, juicy chicken, crunchy apple, nuts, and a bold honey-mustard dressing create a salad that is both nutritious and satisfying enough to be a full meal.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Masowanie jarmużu z oliwą sprawia, że liście są miękkie, ale nie wiotkie.
- Prażone pekany i świeże jabłko dają kontrast do kremowego sera blue.
- Dwa rodzaje musztardy w dressingu dają głębszy, bardziej złożony smak.
- Cienko przekrojony kurczak smaży się równomiernie i pozostaje soczysty.
Chef's tips
If you’re new to eating raw kale, don’t skip the massaging step – it makes the leaves much more tender and pleasant to eat. You can also prepare the kale with oil and salt a few hours ahead; it only gets better.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls so the toppings and dressing are well distributed. It works well as a main course salad or as a hearty side for a simple soup.
Na co uważać
- Nie skracaj masowania jarmużu – zbyt twarde liście popsują teksturę sałatki.
- Nie przesmażaj kurczaka; suchy filet mocno odstaje od soczystej reszty.
- Dodaj dressing tuż przed podaniem, inaczej jarmuż i jabłko szybciej zmiękną.
Zamienniki
- Zamiast orzechów pekan użyj włoskich lub laskowych, też je upraż.
- Ser blue możesz zastąpić fetą lub kozim serem, jeśli wolisz łagodniejszy smak.
- Kurczaka da się podmienić na pieczonego indyka lub ciecierzycę dla wersji bezmięsnej.
Ingredients
- kale only the leaves without the tough stalks - 120 g
- chicken breast boneless, skinless - 250 g
- apple crisp, sweet-tart - 1 piece
- blue cheese e.g. Lazur, crumbled - 60 g
- pecan nuts lightly chopped, can be replaced with walnuts - 40 g
- dried cranberries sweetened - 30 g
- vegetable oil for frying the chicken - 1 tablespoon
- salt for the chicken, kale, and dressing, amount to taste - 0.75 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.5 teaspoon
- olive oil for the dressing and massaging the kale - 3 tablespoon
- honey - 1.5 tablespoon
- Dijon mustard hot, smooth - 1 tablespoon
- wholegrain mustard for texture, can be omitted - 1 teaspoon
- apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar - 1.5 tablespoon
- garlic finely grated, optional - 0.5 clove
Preparation
- Wash and dry the kale, then strip the leaves from the thick, tough stalks. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces with your hands and place in a large bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the kale. Massage the leaves with your hands for about 2–3 minutes, until they soften, turn darker, and become more pliable – this way they won’t be tough and rubbery when you eat them.
- Slice the chicken breast lengthwise into 2–3 thinner cutlets and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken for about 4–5 minutes on each side, until golden and no longer pink in the thickest part. Remove from the pan and let rest for a few minutes, then slice into strips or cubes.
- Wash the apple, remove the core, and cut into thin slices or small cubes. If you’re not serving the salad right away, you can drizzle the apple with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until they become fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from the pan and let cool.
- In a small bowl, make the dressing: mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, apple cider vinegar, grated garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously with a spoon or small whisk until the dressing is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add the chopped apple, chicken, cranberries, and most of the nuts (reserve some for topping) to the bowl with the kale. Pour over the dressing and gently toss so everything is coated.
- Sprinkle the salad with crumbled blue cheese and the remaining nuts. Serve immediately or after briefly chilling in the fridge.
Storage
Store the salad (without dressing, if possible) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Add the dressing just before serving so the kale and nuts stay crunchy.
This is one of my favorite make-ahead lunches – it keeps well, and the flavors develop nicely as the dressing soaks into the kale and chicken.
