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If you like Caesar salad then you should make this Kale Caesar Salad that’s topped with juicy sliced chicken breast and parmesan cheese. Easy to make and perfect for lunch or light dinner option.
Having a chicken kale salad is the perfect way to enjoy a nutrient-packed meal without any guilt. Made with good-for-you ingredients like kale, which is loaded with fiber, antioxidants, calcium, vitamins C and K, and iron. Lean grilled chicken breast added over this kale salad makes it a perfect meal to enjoy if you are looking to eat healthier and cut down on the carbs. Kale adds so much texture to your salad and overall a great choice of greens to use whether you are making a salad or not. With no croutons added, this Kale Caesar salad is a keto-friendly recipe and will be your go-to salad recipe. Kale greens do not wilt easily compared to other greens so this chicken kale salad will be a good option to pack for on-the-go lunch.
Why you will love this homemade kale caeser salad
- Easy to make: Making salad hasnt been easier, with the simple ingredients used to make this kale salad, it will be ready in just 20 minutes.
- Healthy: This kale salad is truly a perfectly healthy lunch or dinner option. Loaded with lean protein and packed with fiber and nutrients.
- Perfect for on the go: Make this kale salad to take with you to work. The kale holds its on and you can enjoy a not so wilted chicken salad.
Ingredients you will need to make this kale salad recipe
- Chicken breasts: use boneless and skinless chicken breast.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil: you may use avocado or grapeseed oil
- Kale: remove the kale leaved from the stems.
- Celery sticks
- Parmesan cheese: shave or shred your own parmesan cheese or you may use storebought.
- Mayonnaise: we used light mayo. You may use plain or Greek yogurt
- Garlic: use fresh garlic cloves. Don’t swap ot with garlic powder
- Lemon juice: best to use fresh lemon juice as opposed to the bottled kind.
- Coconut amino: or use low salt soy sauce
- Anchovy paste: you may skip this ingredient but it is recommended.
- Dijon mustard.
How to make this kale Caesar Salad
Allow the chicken to sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk well all the dressing ingredients. Season the chicken with just a pinch of salt and pepper (remember, the dressing is salty too, so don’t overseason it!).
Lightly grease the grill with a bit of olive oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
Grill the chicken breast until charred and no longer pink on the inside. Allow it to sit on a chopping board for 5 minutes, then slice it.
Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, add the kale and 1/2 of the dressing. Massage the kale for a couple of minutes to tenderize the leaves.
Top with grilled chicken, crunchy celery, shaved parmesan, and the remaining dressing. Toss and serve.
Recipe notes and tips
- Chicken: if using smaller-sized chicken breasts, then use 4 for 4 servings. If the chicken breast is large, slice them thinner in half to get 2 pieces from each breast.
- Use Light mayo or any plain yogurt. Greek works too
- Kale: be sure to remove the kale leaves from the stem. Do massage the kale with half of the dressing as instructed.
- If you don’t like kale, you may use any of your favorite greens
- Anchovies: if you aren’t too fond of anchovies, you can skip them.
- Swap the chicken with shrimp or any of your favorite proteins.
- You may use avocado oil in place of olive oil.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. Kale is known to be one of the most nutrient dense foods that can be enjoyed in salads or smoothies in the raw form and does not need to be cooked. If you do not like the taste of kale raw, you may steam in, make them in chips by baking them, or add them to soups like this White Bean and Kale Soup recipe.
Not all kale will taste bitter. In the occasion that it does, there are a few things you can do to prevent chewing on bitter tasting kale. The first thing we recommend is removing the kale leaved off the stem. Also, you can marinate the kale leaves for a bit in olive oil, garlic, and salt for up to 24 hours ahead. This will help reduce the bitterness if there is any.
Kale salad with dressing can last up to 5-7 days in the fridge. Store them in an airtight container before placing them in the fridge.
Get a large bowl and fill it up with cold water. Submerge the kale leaves in the bowl of water and give them a good shake under the water. Remove the kale leaves and place them on a towel. You may repeat this process for 2-3 more times to make sure there are no dirt residues left behind. TIP: consider diluting the water with some distilled white vinegar.
More salad recipes you will love
- Healthy Coleslaw Salad
- Fish Taco Salad Bowls
- Spinach Apple Pecan Salad
- Grilled Avocado Chicken Salad
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Southwest Chicken Salad
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Grilled Chicken Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, and chopped
- 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
Dressing:
- 1 cup lite mayonnaise, or plain yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Allow the chicken to sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk well all the dressing ingredients. Season the chicken with just a pinch of salt and pepper (remember, the dressing is salty too, so don’t overseason it!).
- Lightly grease the grill with a bit of olive oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken breast until charred and no longer pink on the inside. Allow it to sit on a chopping board for 5 minutes, then slice it.
- Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, add the kale and 1/2 of the dressing. Massage the kale for a couple of minutes to tenderize the leaves.
- Top with grilled chicken, crunchy celery, shaved parmesan, and the remaining dressing. Toss and serve.
Notes
- Chicken: if using smaller-sized chicken breasts, then use 4 for 4 servings. If the chicken breast is large, slice them thinner in half to get 2 pieces from each breast.
- Use Light mayo or any plain yogurt. Greek works too
- Kale: be sure to remove the kale leaves from the stem. Do massage the kale with half of the dressing as instructed.
- If you don’t like kale, you may use any of your favorite greens
- Anchovies: if you aren’t too fond of anchovies, you can skip them.
- Swap the chicken with shrimp or any of your favorite proteins.
- You may use avocado oil in place of olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
While I know it isn’t Caesar dressing, I’m disappointed to say it tastes nothing like Caesar dressing. Maybe too much Dijon? It’s very tart and mustardy