Chicken Harvest Salad
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Juicy, tender chicken, crisp bacon, apples, figs and almonds with a honey Dijon vinaigrette. The ultimate, feel-good autumn salad!!
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reasons to make chicken harvest salad
- Must have feel-good salad. Made with juicy, tender chicken thighs, crunchy kale, crisp bacon, sliced apples, fresh, sweet figs, chopped almonds and crumbled goat cheese
- Can be made all year long. We’re talking outdoor grill during the warmer months, cast iron skillet when there’s a snowstorm outside.
- Includes a homemade honey Djion vinaigrette. This is one of those dressings that will simply knock your socks off, and can be used on all other salads.
how to make an easy harvest salad all year long
- Make the dressing – cover and store up to 1 week
- Cook the bacon until brown and crispy
- Grill the chicken until tender and juicy
- Massage the kale
- Toss all of the above for a happy, feel-good salad
tips and tricks for success
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the dressing up to 1 week in advance, and prepping and dicing the vegetables 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Cut in uniform size. Cut all of the salad ingredients in similar size pieces for a consistent bite.
- Use extra virgin olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings.
- Massage the kale. Massaging the kale softens the leaves, making them more tender and flavorful.
- Mix it up. Swap out the kale for baby spinach, use candied pecans in place of almonds, or sub blue cheese or feta cheese.
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Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
Chicken Harvest Salad: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Gala or honeycrisp apples would work beautifully in this recipe.
Halloumi, ricotta, feta, or cotija cheese are all great substitutes for goat cheese.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Yes! The dressing can be made 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) and placed in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and shaking well before using.
Chicken Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cut into thirds
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large bunch kale, stems removed and leaves shredded
- 1 medium apple, thinly sliced
- 1 cup quartered fresh figs
- ½ cup sliced celery
- ½ cup roasted salted almonds, coarsely chopped
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
For the honey Dijon vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey and thyme; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Season chicken with thyme, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- To assemble the salad, place kale in a large bowl; top with bacon, chicken, apple, figs, celery, almonds and goat cheese. Pour the honey Dijon vinaigrette on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
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Delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I prepared this for my daughter going through a dreaded diet for a cancer scan. She loved it and I’ve added it to my family’s roster.
Another winner! This salad is absolutely delicious; such a wonderful balance of sweet, savoury & salty. This one is now definitely in the rotation. Thanks for posting!
* I had to make two subs because it’s what I had on hand: I toasted up some raw sliced almonds and used dried figs, sliced thin (one per serving). So, so good!
It was delicious. I will make it again soon. It’s a perfect recipe to serve to guests- Guests who like figs. I did use apple cider vinegar rather than white vinegar in the vinaigrette
Hubby loved this! It is healthy & pretty which makes it even tastier.
Figs are in season now and I am always looking for new ways to use them.
Looks absolutely delicious! I’m going to make this meal this week! I’m also a year-round griller. I’ve done it rain or shine, in the snow and while it’s snowing. As long as I have a glass of wine in my hand while outside grilling I’m good! Nothing beats grilled meat and veggies!
Chungah,
I’m on a 1,000 a day calorie diet, so this salad is going to be a delicious meal to add to my meal plan! I can’t wait to try it! I’ve signed up for your emails, so I look forward to many more!
Kim
OOOOOOH I can’t wait to try this!
We really enjoyed this tonight! It’s warm here by day and then chilly in the evening so the cool fruits and veggies contrasted with the grilled chicken was perfect!
I made this with the friend so that we didn’t have to order out. Yum. So much yum.
It looks colorful and healthy..drooling
I have got to try this!
I love salads but I often end up eating the same. This one has all my favorite ingredients so putting it on my menu for next week!
Delicious! My whole family (husband and two teenagers) loved this for dinner tonight. I didn’t have kale, so substituted green and red leaf lettuce. I also added radish. The dressing is so good and could be used on other salads as well. Thanks for this recipe!
You are so welcome, Megan!