Grilled Chicken with Chopped Sweet Kale Harvest Salad

This right here is what keeps autumn cooking fresh to me! I absolutely look forward to this delicious crunchy Sweet Kale Harvest Salad topped with delicious protein rich Grilled Chicken and Steamy Roasted Sweet Potatoes. It rounds out the week’s heavier, richer offerings. Most often I have no problem whipping this up and grilling those chicken breasts myself, however it also has the very forgiving option of snagging a couple of deli rotisserie chickens and the prepared bag salad on those days when you just don’t have much oomph to offer. As of me writing this, a Costco rotisserie chicken is $4.99. They lose money on these just to get you into the store. The downfall? There is some controversy about some of the ingredients injected into them that provide that flavor and juiciness. Most of the time I cook up my own chicken but if I’m on the fence of giving in to bad decisions like chicken strip baskets and blizzards or swinging by the deli for the bit of convenience then I would go with the deli rotisserie option. You do what you think is best. Here is the full breakdown to bring the three elements of the salad, chicken and roasted sweet potatoes together.

For the Grilled Chicken:

• Chicken Breasts or Tenders (If using breasts and they are thick slice them in half butterfly style for thinner pieces)

• Salt and Pepper to preference

• Optional garlic powder

Lay out the chicken onto a cutting board, spray with avocado oil cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place onto a broiler style pan and cook in the oven until cooked through. 165 F is generally recommended. Using the air fryer is also a great option. If that’s what you want to use but only have space to cook one thing at a time then start with the potatoes then once those are cooked place them in a microwave safe dish and place in the microwave just to hold warmth then finish up by cooking your chicken in the air fryer.

For the Salad:

*There are two options. You can either use the Sweet Chopped Kale Salad that Costco or most grocers offer or follow the recipe below.

• 4 Cups of Chopped Curly Kale

• 2 cups of thinly sliced Brussel Sprouts

• 1 Cup of Broccoli matchstick style

• ½ cup dried Cranberries

• ¼ cup salted and roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• ¼ Cup of Mayo

• 1 ½ Tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar

• 1 Tablespoon Honey

• 1-2 Tablespoons of Milk to thin

• 2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds

• Salt to preference

Combine all of the salad ingredients into one bowl including the Kale, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli matchsticks, Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds.

In a separate bowl mix the dressing. Combine all of the remaining ingredients including Mayo, White Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, Milk, Poppy Seeds and Salt to taste.

For Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

• Sweet Potatoes, diced to about ½ inch

• Salt and Pepper

Spray the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes with avocado oil spray or olive oil, toss with the salt and pepper and place into the air fryer. Set to bake mode for about 15 minutes.

After that chicken has rested a few, slice it up while warm and top that salad along with some of those steamy potatoes. So, so delicious!

Enjoy!