Kale, Apple & Chicken Salad
Beat the winter blues with this delicious salad! Loaded with vitamins and low on calories, this recipe combines the best vegetables with lean chicken, nuts, fresh and dried fruit and a maple-bacon dressing.
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2-1 cup shredded carrots
- thinly sliced red onions
- 2 cups thinly sliced kale
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
- 1 apple or pear
- 1/4 cups toasted pecans or walnuts see note for suggestion
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- Parmesan or aged cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Fry bacon in a pan until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and crumble when cool; set aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of bacon drippings for vinaigrette. If you do not have enough drippings, add olive oil to reach 1/4 cup.
- Combine vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a small jar. Drizzle bacon drippings into jar, whisking until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine kale, cabbage, and arugula, shredded carrots, and red onion in large bowl. Drizzle with two tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss into salad mixture. Fold in meat and fruit and drizzle with a little more vinaigrette, if needed. Sprinkle nuts, cheese, and bacon on top before serving.
Notes
Rotisserie chicken works great in this salad.
A teaspoon of dijon or honey mustard is a good addition to the vinaigrette.
Lori's Sugar and Spice Pecans are amazing on this salad!