Winter Pear Salad
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So hearty with so many feel-good ingredients! Lemon rosemary chicken, brussels sprouts, pear and a honey dijon dressing!
reasons to make winter pear salad
- Hearty, veggie-loaded holiday side dish. Need something to balance out all the starches like this creamy potato gratin and sweet potato casserole? This winter salad is a great way to get in your greens and vegetables during the holidays.
- Bright, fresh, vibrant flavors and colors. The pop of orange from the clementines and bright pink pomegranate seeds will have your guests reaching for the salad first!
- No oven space required. This recipe maximizes your kitchen space without using up the coveted oven space. Live in a warm climate city? Fire up the grill for the chicken!
- Can easily be made vegetarian or vegan. Skip the chicken, add more veggies, and swap the cheese for vegan blue cheese.
what is a winter salad
A winter salad is a seasonal salad packed with winter vegetables, citrus fruits and pomegranates. And with any salad, this can be made with a variety of dressings. I went with a honey dijon dressing for this one – perfectly sweet and tangy with every bite.
tips and tricks for success
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are ideal here, delivering the best kind of flavor.
- Massage the kale. Massaging the kale softens the leaves, making them more tender and flavorful.
- Use extra virgin olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings.
- Mix it up. Use your favorite cheese, swap out the candied walnuts for pecans or use apple in place of pear.
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
Winter Pear 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.
Not a fan of kale? Romaine, iceberg or butter lettuce will work well here.
Gorgonzola, roquefort, stilton, goat cheese or feta cheese are all great options.
Winter Pear Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups shredded kale
- 3 cups shredded brussels sprouts
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 bosc pear, sliced
- 3 clementines, peeled and segmented
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ¾ cup candied walnuts
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.* Working in batches, add chicken to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- In a large bowl, combine kale, brussels sprouts and green onions; drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, honey and Dijon. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with chicken, pear, clementines, pomegranate, walnuts and blue cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
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