Easy Kale Chicken Caesar Salad recipe with a fun twist and a few secret ingredients. It’s the perfect salad recipe to have for the summer!
Something has been disturbing the “zen” I’ve had since our vacation and it’s something I wasn’t expecting.
During the day around nap time, which if you’re a mom you know is a SACRED time of the day.
Apparently, this female cardinal does not realize it is nap time because she is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that she belongs inside our house. So she will continue to try tapping on the window and then proceeds to try flying into the window thinking maybe that will do the trick.
After around ten minutes she gives up a little bit but then comes back in another ten to try again. The tapping and hearing a bird constantly fly into the window makes the inner hulk in me want to come out.
I’m not a violent or angry person, but I don’t think I’ve wanted to get a bee bee gun more than ever! This bird has GOT to find a different place to “knock” or I’m going GREEN and I mean hulk green!
Speaking of green, lets talk about this Kale Chicken Caesar Salad for a bit shall we?
On the way back from St Lucia we had a lay over in Miami so we had to stay the night. Whenever we are out and about looking for food one of my go to apps is the Food Network app. It hasn’t failed once. All of the restaurants listed on this app have been visited by a chef on the Food Network or have been featured on one of the shows. They are legit and the restaurant we went to was too.
Usually Mike and I like to order a couple dishes and then split so we can nibble and try a bunch of different options. One of the dishes we ordered on this particular night was a Kale Caesar Salad – it was delicious so I had to recreate it and make it my own at home. Clearly you can tell I didn’t waste to much time because it’s the first recipe I’ve made since we’ve been back!
The trick to making a good Kale salad is massaging the Kale with a little bit of salt so that it turns to a forrest green color and softens up a bit. The rest of this recipe is pretty easy, the dressing is made in a food processor and is egg and anchovy FREE! For the rest of this salad just top with fresh shaved parmesan cheese, pepitas, and grilled or pan sautéed chicken!
So simple, fresh, and light but absolutely delicious! Hope you give this recipe a try, it is a great salad option for the summer!
Kale Chicken Caesar Salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 large salads or 4 small side salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Easy Kale Chicken Caesar Salad has a fun twist and a few secret ingredients. It’s the perfect healthy salad recipe to have for the summer!
Ingredients
- 4 cups of fresh kale, torn into small pieces
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
- 1/3 cup of shaved parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup of pepitas, unsalted
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
Instructions
- Add freshly torn kale to a large bowl. Add a pinch of fresh sea salt to the kale bowl and gently massage kale with your hands for 3-4 minutes until kale turns to a more forrest green color. Set aside.
- Make caesar dressing in a food processor and set aside.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat. Add grape seed oil to pan and seasoned chicken breast. Saute for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove from pan and slice.
- To a large bowl add kale, parmesan cheese, pepitas, and chicken breast. Serve with caesar dressing on the side.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 373
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 898 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 39 mg
Filed Under:
IF YOU MAKE ONE OF THESE BURGER RECIPES, BE SURE TO SNAP A PIC AND HASHTAG IT #JOYFULHEALTHYEATS. I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU MAKE!
Want More Salad Recipes?
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Asian Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
16 comments on “Kale Chicken Caesar Salad”
Mmm, caesar salad is my favorite. I had no idea of that kale trick! And that bird would freak me out!! Hahaha
Oh yeah, it totally makes it more like a spinach consistency instead of like your eating a leaf off the tree! š You’ll love it!
And I am this close to getting a bee bee gun for that bird.. grrr!!!
Defiantly downloading that app as we are always stumped on new places to go, even when we are at home!! And I remember when we first moved into our house, we slept with the windows open (and this mama needed her sleep then!) and these birds would start chipping at like 5am. Not cool!!
Girl, you city has so many good places to eat! I’d don’t think you could ever run out of places to go, but this app will totally help when you have those “i don’t know where do you want to go” days! š
Birds chirping early in the morning is no bueno for sure!
Agh birds can be so annoying.
And how did I not know about that app?! I need to download it! I have turned my husband into such a foodie and we love trying new places!
This salad looks amazing! Love that you added pepitas, those are my faveee! š
YES you do! It is awesome, hasn’t failed us yet! š That and yelp! hehe I love that you turned your hubbie into a foodie, so fun!
This salad is perfect for summer! Love all that healthy kale and chicken….yum!
Thanks girl!
Having a bird tapping at my window would drive me nuts too! I’m going to have to check out that Food Netwrok app.
Love a caesar salad and this one looks especially good with that yummy Kale. š
Yes, you need to check out the FoodNetwork App, I love it! And you will love this salad too, de-lish!
I love this!!! I’m a sucker for caesar salads! š Gorgeous!
Me too! Love me a good caesar salad, although these days i ask for the dressing on the side because they load it down at restaurants. š
I had a bird perch on the ledge right outside my window and it wanted me to move away. I’m thinking that it was a baby bird but it wasn’t scared of me in the least! This salad sounds fantastic!
haha.. I know! I go out to shu it away and it comes right back!!
I definitely learned something today Krista…..I totally did not know the kale should be massaged with salt to soften it up. Thanks for the tip. Beautiful salad!
Awesome Allie! Yes it will softened that kale right up and it is soooo much better!