KALE FIESTA SALAD

Kale Fiesta Salad image

I'm always looking for a new salad to make in bulk for the work week. I've made other kale salads but this is my favorite. Lots of texture, loads of flavor, colorful, crunchy, and sweet.

Provided by appletrix

Categories Salad Green Salad Recipes Kale Salad Recipes

Time 1h35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 lemons, juiced, divided
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, divided
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 (8 ounce) package kale, ribs removed and leaves torn into pieces
1 English cucumber, cubed
1 large heirloom tomato, cubed
1 large carrot, cubed
1 cup fresh corn kernels
½ (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ (6 ounce) can black olives

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Blend juice of half of 1 lemon, 1/2 of the basil, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together in a food processor until smooth. Place chicken thighs in a nonstick baking pan.
Bake naked chicken thighs in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour blended mixture over chicken.
Continue baking until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, about 15 minutes more. Let cool for 10 minutes. Shred chicken using 2 forks. Set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in onion and cook until softened and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add remaining lemon juice and basil, vinegar, and honey. Heat dressing thoroughly, about 5 minutes.
Mix chicken, kale, cucumber, tomato, carrot, corn, black beans, and olives together in a bowl.
Pour warm dressing onto salad; massage and toss until well coated.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 343 calories, Carbohydrate 42 g, Cholesterol 35.8 mg, Fat 14.9 g, Fiber 11.1 g, Protein 19.1 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 532 mg, Sugar 9.6 g