This lemon kale Caesar salad recipe calls for savory chicken chunks, crispy croutons, and fresh greens tossed together in a delicious homemade Caesar dressing. We’d love for you to try it and see how this lovely side dish can brighten up your meal!
Is Lemon Kale Caesar Salad Healthy?
The simple answer is yes, it is very good for your health.
First of all, this dish is low in carbs and calories, which makes it a wonderful option for those seeking to lose weight or are on low-carb diets. To be specific, this dish contains only 249 kcal, and the amount of carbohydrate in the dish is 5.4 g which accounts for just 2% of your daily recommended intake.
With chicken as one of the main ingredients, the amount of protein in this dish is fairly high, specifically 22g per serving. Sufficient consumption of protein is important because it helps with building and repairing muscles and tissues.
Kale must be mentioned, too. It is known as a superfood, packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber such as vitamins A, C, potassium and calcium. Kale can do a world of good for your body, such as helping to improve eye health, heart health, and skin health.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the ingredient list!
Ingredients for Lemon Kale Caesar Salad
1. For the Salad:
- Chicken breast: For this recipe, we chose skinless boneless chicken breast for a lean source of protein.
- Seasoning: To season the chicken, we simply used salt, pepper, paprika and olive oil.
- Lettuce: We chose romaine lettuce for its mild taste and crunchy texture.
- Kale: This salad works best with fresh, raw kale.
- French baguette: We use a French baguette to make crispy croutons for added crunchy texture.
2. For the Lemon Caesar Dressing:
- Olive oil: For the best quality, use cold pressed extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
- Spices: Spices for seasoning and making the dressing include salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Mustard: Traditional Dijon mustard is slightly salty and has a complex tang. Adding this to the dressing creates a sharper and stronger taste.
- Lemon zest: Lemon zest is added for extra flavor and aroma.
- Lemon juice: Tangy lemon juice will do wonders for your salad in both lifting and preserving it.
How to Prepare Ingredients for This Salad
- For the Meat
Make sure to marinate the chicken before you cook it. Simply rub the chicken with paprika, pepper, salt, and olive oil. Feel free to adjust the amount to fit your taste.
- For the Vegetables
Pick and wash your greens before chopping them into bite-sized pieces. A tip for making your raw kale less harsh in texture and less bitter in taste is to give them a quick massage. Place your kale in a large bowl, add in 2 tablespoons olive oil or lemon juice, then gently massage your kale for about 3-5 minutes.
- For the Topping
Simply cut the French baguette into small cubes for making croutons later.
What to Eat With Lemon Kale Caesar Salad
If you are on a low-calorie diet, then having this dish as a main for lunch or dinner would be awesome, thanks to the protein from the chicken breast and the fiber present in the veggies.
However, if you’re looking for something more fulfilling, then this lemon kale Caesar salad can be served as a delightful appetizer or as a lovely side dish to complement your meal.
How to Store the Leftovers
It is best to separate the salad and the dressing before storing them in the fridge. This will help the veggies remain crunchy and not go limp.
By doing this, you can keep your salad fresh for up to 2 days, whereas dressed salad can only last for 1 day in the fridge.
How to Make Lemon Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz French baguette cubed
- 12 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt divided
- 3 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp traditional Dijon mustard
- 1 oz romaine lettuce chopped
- 3 oz kale chopped
- 0.5 oz parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Place 1/2 oz baguette cubes into an air fryer. Bake at 350 °F for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, marinate the chicken with 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil.
- In a pan over high heat, add 1/2 tbsp olive oil, then sear the chicken for 5 minutes until golden brown on both sides (turn halfway through).
- Next, place the chicken into the air fryer and cook at 390 °F for 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce while waiting for the chicken to be ready. Mix together 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp mustard.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. After it cools down, cut the chicken into small cubes.
- Place 3 oz kale, 1 oz romaine lettuce and 1/2 oz croutons into a salad bowl, and top with the chicken chunks. Drizzle the sauce over it, and top with 0.5 oz parmesan cheese. Then serve!
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