This kale chicken salad is healthy, easy to make, and super filling! Sauteing the kale provides a garlicky taste and a softer texture! This salad recipe works great for both winter and summer meals!
Why you will love this recipe
- This kale chicken salad is easy to make and uses simple ingredients.
- It’s a great on-the-go meal and for meal prep.
- It’s healthy and filling!
Ingredients for this recipe
Kale: Shredded.
Garlic: To season the chicken breast and saute kale.
Chicken breast: We’ve used one small chicken breast for each portion.
Mango: Cubed or sliced.
Avocado: Cuber or sliced.
Feta: We’ve used crumbled feta cheese.
Sesame seeds: To garnish. This ingredient is totally optional.
Seasoning: To season the chicken breast, you will need lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. You will need olive oil, balsamic vinegar glaze, salt, and black pepper to season the salad.
How to make this recipe
First, add olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and lemon zest to a bowl and mix to combine all the ingredients.
Next, add the chicken breasts to a zip-lock bag and pour marinade over the chicken. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. Ideally, you can do this overnight.
Preheat the grill to high heat and grill the chicken breasts for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness. Transfer the chicken to a chopping board and cut to your liking.
Heat a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until soft. Then, add the shredded kale, a pinch of salt, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly soft.
Add the kale to a plate, then the chicken, avocado, mango, and feta cheese. Season with salt, black pepper, balsamic vinegar glaze, and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top to garnish.
Recipe variations and substitutions
- If you’re not a fan of garlic taste, you can massage the kale instead of sauteing it. You can check our kale salad recipe and see how to massage kale.
- Feel free to add other ingredients to this salad. Cherry tomatoes, radishes, strawberries, chickpeas, onions, or cucumber will work too!
- You can change your source of protein. Instead of chicken, you can use smoked salmon, grilled shrimp, or tuna.
- You can use cooked shredded chicken instead of grilled chicken.
Tips for making this recipe
Marinate the chicken overnight for best results: To make this recipe faster and the chicken breast tastier, marinate the chicken overnight, and it will be ready to grill whenever you want to make this recipe.
Don’t overcook the kale: If you overcook your kale, it will look mushy and unpleasant. Ensure you slightly sauté just to give a garlic taste and a slightly softer texture.
Meal-prep: If you would like to meal-prep this salad, place all the ingredients in different airtight containers in the fridge.
More salad recipes
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Kale Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken Breast Ingredients
- 2 small chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp of lemon zest from one lemon
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 5 oz shredded kale 150 g
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 mango cubed
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tsp sesame seeds optional
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar glaze
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, add olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and lemon zest to a bowl and mix to combine all the ingredients.
- Next, add the chicken breasts to a zip-lock bag and pour marinade over the chicken. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. Ideally, you can do this overnight.
- Preheat the grill to high heat and grill the chicken breasts for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness. Transfer the chicken to a chopping board and cut to your liking.
- Heat a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until soft. Then, add the shredded kale, a pinch of salt, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly soft.
- Add the kale to a plate, then the chicken, avocado, mango, and feta cheese. Season with salt, black pepper, balsamic vinegar glaze, and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top to garnish.