Chicken Harvest Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
Juicy, tender chicken, crisp bacon, apples, figs and almonds with a honey Dijon vinaigrette. The ultimate, feel-good autumn salad!!
Hello, Fall! Or should I say hello, Winter? I wore my parka this morning. No joke. It was 50 degrees F, and the highs next week will be 48 degrees F.
But hey, it’s technically Fall so I’m just going to roll with that and make this harvest salad for as long as possible. And yes, I am absolutely grilling my chicken until we have snowfall, which may happen in a few weeks! But don’t worry, guys. A grill pan on the stovetop will work just fine.
Aside from the juicy, tender grilled chicken thighs, we also have crunchy kale, crisp bacon, sliced apples, fresh, sweet figs, chopped almonds and crumbled goat cheese with a super bomb honey Dijon vinaigrette.
It’s the absolute must-have, feel-good Fall salad, guys. I promise.
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.
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
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.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!