Grilled Apricot Kale Chicken Salad (Print Version)

Juicy grilled apricots and tender chicken with crisp kale, fresh basil, and honey-lemon vinaigrette.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs)

→ Produce

02 - 6 ripe apricots, halved and pitted
03 - 4 cups curly kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
06 - 1 small cucumber, sliced

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp honey
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Optional Additions

13 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

# Step-by-step Instructions:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts and apricot halves lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6–7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and juices run clear. Simultaneously, grill apricots cut-side down for 2–3 minutes until grill marks appear and fruit is slightly softened. Set both aside to cool slightly.
04 - In a large salad bowl, massage chopped kale with a pinch of salt for 1–2 minutes to soften.
05 - Slice the grilled chicken into thin strips. Cut grilled apricot halves into quarters.
06 - Add sliced chicken, apricots, red onion, cucumber, and basil to the bowl with kale.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
08 - Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to combine.
09 - Sprinkle with feta cheese and pine nuts if using. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The way warm grilled fruit plays against cool crisp kale creates this incredible temperature dance that wakes up your whole palate
  • Its somehow fancy enough for dinner guests but comes together in the time it takes to grill a couple chicken breasts
02 -
  • Overripe apricots will disintegrate on the grill, turning into mush instead of maintaining their shape, so choose carefully at the market
  • The kale massaging step might feel strange but it chemically breaks down tough cellulose, making the difference between eating salad and chewing on a garden
03 -
  • Preheat your leftover container in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding the salad, and the residual warmth keeps everything from shocking cold in the fridge
  • If massaging kale feels too weird, chop it extra finely and let it sit in the dressing for 15 minutes before adding everything else

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