I’m convinced that anyone who says they do not like salad, has never had a good salad. You can fight with me about it in the comments!
When I make a salad that is the main event, I want it to present like a 5 course meal.
I don’t want anyone even close to thinking, “I wish there was something else to go with this salad.” In fact, I want the opposite. I want you to think, “This is the only thing I need in my life right now!!”
To that end I have created a winter salad that is both cozy and bright. It is both insanely filling and gives you a much needed break from the heavy dishes of winter!
We start with roasting winter veggies. I like using delicata squash, red onion, and a Japanese sweet potato. But you could also do Brussels sprouts or butternut squash.
I roast the veg until it is caramelized and golden!
The base is kale which can stand up to all these roasted veggies! I use store-brought rotisserie chicken to make it quick for a weeknight. Then I add dried cranberries, a cubed apple, toasted walnuts and goat cheese.
To bring it all together I drizzle my apple cider honey vinaigrette all over it. It is both tangy and sweet. The perfect compliment to every element in this salad, bringing everything together like a well orchestrated melody.
This salad was so good Jeremy and I were eating mouthfuls of it right out of the bowl. Each bite was sweet, rich, warm, tangy, creamy, crunchy…a flavor explosion in every bite.
We finally decided to be humane about it and serve it up in bowls. Bonus points if you serve it with Cranberry Walnut bread slathered in butter!
Main Character Winter Salad
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Ingredients
2 cups kale, ribs removed roughly chopped
1 cup arugula
2 cups cook chicken, shredded (I use a rotiessiere chicken)
1 red apple, cubed
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans (roughly chopped)
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
3 oz goat cheese
For the Roasted Veggies
1 medium delicata squash (halved, seeded, sliced into half-moons)
1 sweet potato (I love the Japanese sweet potatoes!)
1 red onion, thickly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp kosher salt
Apple Cider Maple Vinaigrette
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 small shallot, diced
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Roast the Veggies
Preheat the oven to 425°F
Toss the squash, sweet potatoes and red onion with olive oil, salt, pepper and maple syrup. Place on a sheet tray coated in oil (make sure the veggies are not overlapping). Roast for 25 minutes, flip the squash and turn the sheet tray 90 degrees and cook for another 20 minutes (we’re looking for the edges to caramelize!).
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While that bakes, prep your kale! Add the kale to a large salad bowl. Drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil and about 1/4 tsp kosher salt over the kale. With your hands, massage the oil into the kale for about 1 minute. Add the arugula and toss with the kale. Place in the fridge.
Toast the Nuts
Optional, but makes a difference! Throw your nuts into a small skillet over medium-high heat. Toast for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
Make the Vinaigrette
Add everything to a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously to combine.
Assemble
To the large salad bowl with the kale and arugula, top with the roasted vegetables, then add the shredded chicken. Top with the nuts, dried cherries or cranberries, and the cubed apple. Crumble the goat cheese on top. Drizzle the vinaigrette all over it!
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