- This hearty salad is perfect for using leftover chicken or turkey from Thanksgiving.
- Loaded with antioxidants, this salad provides immune-boosting nutrients.
- To make it vegetarian, swap the chicken with white beans and choose a feta made without animal rennet.
This Kale & Sweet Potato Salad with Chicken is the ultimate cold-weather salad. Kale and sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins A and C—perfect for supporting your immune system during cold and flu season. Plus, their fiber, combined with the protein in the chicken, will help you feel full and satisfied. The sweet potatoes develop a roasty caramelization, bringing out their natural sweetness, while the kale becomes tender and crisp from being massaged with the sweet, tangy, earthy dressing. Briny feta brings balance to the sweetness, while crunchy almonds complement the chewy raisins. Keep reading for our expert tips, including which type of kale works best for this salad.
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
- Incorporating tahini into this recipe is an excellent way to thicken the dressing without relying on mayonnaise or additional oils.
- If you can’t find whole blanched almonds, you can use slivered blanched almonds and omit the chopping step.
- We don’t specify which type of kale to use, but lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale) is more tender than curly kale. Regardless of which type you choose, be sure to massage the kale to help tenderize it, making it easier to digest.
- For an extra crunch, you can add hemp seeds. If you prefer a different flavor, substitute the golden raisins with dried apricots.
Nutrition Notes
- Kale serves double duty as both a leafy green and a cruciferous vegetable. It’s loaded with immune-supporting vitamins A and C, plus plant compounds that have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. The vitamin K in kale is one of the necessary nutrients for strong bones.
- Sweet potatoes add to this salad’s immune-supporting benefits by increasing the vitamin C and A content. Sweet potatoes are especially rich in vitamin A, which is great for healthy vision and eye health. The fiber in the sweet potatoes and kale will help keep things moving through your gut and is essential for heart health.
- Chicken brings an amazing source of lean protein to this salad. But that’s not all. Chicken is also a good source of micronutrients, like B vitamins, necessary for a healthy metabolism and brain health.
- Feta is a wonderful, briny cheese that adds a ton of flavor to any dish, even when used in small amounts. Because it’s a saltier cheese, though, it might not be a great one if you’re watching your sodium intake. In this case, you could use less feta than this recipe calls for, or you could use a lower-sodium cheese, like goat cheese—which will still give you that tang—or mozzarella, great if you prefer something milder.
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser.
