I’m making an effort to eat salads and eat healthier in general, how ’bout you? I thought I’d share this Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Sliced Chicken Breast. It’s perfect for an early Spring day…filling and healthy with a nice crunch and a contrast of flavors.
This salad is loaded with the healthy Cruciferous vegetables: Kale and Brussels Sprouts, obs, but I’ve included the new “baby” of the cruciferous family, Cabbage. (Yep, cabbage is starting to trend. I suppose it’s going to get pricey now!) I’ve added sliced chicken breast and a few croutons to keep you interested. Now, you’ve got a meal, not just a salad.
About Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Chicken Breast:
You can choose just about any dressing you’d like for this salad. I love the Creamy Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing, right here on my blog. It’s bright, lemony and just plain creamy comfort. The tart lemon goes so well with all the veggies in this Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad and it works because it’s a strong enough flavor to stand up to and enhance all those veggies.
If you’re not feeling the chicken breast, add a handful of chickpeas instead for a gorgeous vegetarian salad. Maybe add a few of your favorite nuts instead of the croutons if you want to up your nutritional game.
This healthy Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad has a bonus. The sturdy veggies hold up well when packed without any worries of wilting so it’s a perfect meal prep recipe. More on that later, because coming soon is my first “real” Meal Prep Post. It’s Meal Prep Chicken and in that post I’ll take chicken breast, cook once and spread it out over a number of meals, one being this gorgeous Salad.
There are four others, a Pulled Chicken with Black-Eyed Pea Salad and Skaw, a Vietnamese Chicken Salad, Shortcut Fajitas & Virginia Brunswick Stew, so be sure to check out that Meal Prep chicken if you’re interested.
Making Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Chicken Breast:
Using the Meal Prep Chicken mentioned above gives you a leg up on this recipe, but feel free to use any chicken, something cooked up just for this recipe or maybe leftover already cooked chicken from another meal.
This salad is super simple to make with a handful of ingredients, so that’s always a good thing. I do recommend making your own homemade croutons; they really elevate the whole salad, they’re so delish and just take a few minutes to make. I always appreciate a little decadence in my healthy salads just to keep me going!
Saving Money on Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Chicken Breast:
When shopping for your veggies, take note of the specials, especially on the kale, which can be pretty pricey. Any kale works well in this but I do think the dark colors of the lacinato kale are lovely and give a little contrast. When storing your kale, don’t wash it or cut it ahead. Keep it tightly wrapped in the bag and keep it cold. It should last for several days. Make sure to use those ends up in your smoothies. They have a good amount of nutrition and lots of fiber.
Cabbage is usually inexpensive and Brussels are becoming more so, but sadly, the lowly cabbage seems to be getting more popular. Generally, that means a rise in price, so shop carefully. Check Aldi for the cabbage & Brussels. The Aldi in my area doesn’t carry kale.
PrintShaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Chicken Breast
A crunchy and so good for you salad loaded with Brussels sprouts, kale, and cabbage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup torn crusty bread
- 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1/2 medium bunch kale
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces Brussels sprouts, shaved (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 small cabbage, 2 cups cabbage in 1/2″ dice
- 2 cups cooked & sliced chicken breast
Instructions
For the croutons:
Add olive oil to a skillet and heat. Add the bread and cook, turning as necessary, until croutons are browned and crunchy. Remove each as done and add a little additional oil if necessary. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
For the salad:
Combine kale, 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl. Using your hands, massage kale to slightly soften, about 1 minute. Add Brussels sprouts and cabbage; toss to coat.
Serve salad with dressing of choice, recommended is Lemon Tahini Dressing, topped with sliced chicken and croutons.
Notes
Massaging the kale helps to tenderize it and takes away any bitterness. Kale keeps well, slightly coated in oil, which helps protect it.
This salad is a part of my Chicken Breast Meal Prep Lunches for Two. Divide this recipe in half for the meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 336
- Sugar: 5.1g
- Sodium: 735mg
- Fat: 14.2g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 31,3g
- Fiber: 4.9g
- Protein: 22.6g
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I’m sharing this recipe at Fiesta Friday #213 this week. It’s a fun round-up of recipes shared by bloggers all over the world. Stop by and take a peek!
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