Juicy, tender chicken, crispy bacon, apples, figs and almonds with a honey Dijon vinaigrette. The ultimate feel-good fall salad!!
Hello autumn!
Or should I say hello, Winter? I wore my parka this morning. No joke. It was 50 degrees F and next week’s highs will be 48 degrees F.
But hey, it’s technically fall, so I’m just going to roll with it and make this harvest salad last as long as possible. And yes, I am definitely grilling my chicken until we get snowfall, which may be in a couple of weeks! But don’t worry guys. A grill pan on the stove works well.
Alongside the succulent, tenderly grilled chicken thighs, we also have crispy kale, crispy bacon, sliced apples, fresh sweet figs, chopped almonds and crumbled goat cheese with a super bombshell honey Dijon vinaigrette.
It’s the absolute must-have, feel-good fall salad, folks. I promise.
- 4 slices bacon, cut into thirds
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, taste
- 1 large bunch of kale, Remove stems and shred leaves
- 1 medium apple, thinly sliced
- 1 Cup quartered fresh figs
- ½ Cup sliced celery
- ½ Cup toasted salted almonds, roughly chopped
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbles
For the Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
- ⅓ Cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, taste
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In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Put aside.
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; Place bacon on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
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Preheat grill to medium heat. Season chicken with thyme, onion powder and garlic powder.
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Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the broiler and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
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To assemble the salad, place the kale in a large bowl; Top with bacon, chicken, apple, figs, celery, almonds and goat cheese. Pour the Honey Dijon Vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently.
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Serve immediately.