This grilled cherry chicken kale salad is so satisfying and delicious! Grilled balsamic chicken, fresh cherries, red onion, goat cheese, pistachios and an amazing rosé vinaigrette. It’s incredible!
Some days I crave a good kale salad.
And today is one of those days! This juicy, smoky grilled chicken is sliced and served over a kale salad massage with rosé vinaigrette, fresh cherries, sliced red onions and goat cheese.
It’s a satisfying summery salad that tastes really darn good!
That’s all that matters.
This is a fairly simple and straightforward salad, but made with ingredients that make it taste amazing and go together so well. Flavor, texture, crunch, satiety!
I use some balsamic for the chicken, use kale since it holds up well, add in some cheese and nuts and tangy, crisp slices of red onion.
The star of the show are the fresh cherries. I live for fresh cherries this time of year. They are the perfect snack and I love using them in salads and savory dishes. Even the kids get excited for salads and vegetables when cherries are included.
Plus, they are beautiful little summer gems!
Let’s talk about this DRESSING!!
A boozy vinaigrette is right up my alley.
I use some rosé to make this vinaigrette and it brings the best summer flavor. Especially if the wine you’re using has notes of melon and peach.
If you don’t care for rosé or don’t have alcohol in your house, any dressing will work here that you enjoy!
I have so many delicious options for dressings here. I also really like this blue cheese vinaigrette on here, and then you can skip the goat cheese!
First up! I make the dressing. A tiny bit of dry rosé wine is whisked with red wine vinegar. I make this first because I use it to massage the kale.
That’s the important part! Take a few drops of dressing and add it to the big bowl of kale. Massaging the kale is key for salads. Doing this removes the bitterness and takes some of the chew away from the greens. After the massage, I let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes.
Time to grill the chicken! I like to marinate it overnight with the balsamic vinegar, but other times I throw it right on the grill after on a few minutes. Balsamic is such a great marinade for that reason – it’s strong and tangy. And I want this chicken perfectly juicy! After grilling, I let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes.
Before slicing the chicken, I combine the salad ingredients. The massaged kale, topped with super thinly sliced red onion, fresh cherries, crumbly goat cheese and pistachios (or a nut of your choice for crunch).
The goat cheese and cherry combination is SO delicious. If the chicken is still warm, it often makes the goat cheese a little melty and that is wonderful too. When I serve my portion on a plate, I love to thoroughly mix the ingredients almost so the cheese creates a big of a creamy dressing with the vinaigrette.
Tastes amazing!!
Grilled Chicken Cherry Kale Salad
Grilled Chicken Cherry Kale Salad
This grilled cherry chicken kale salad is so satisfying and delicious! Grilled balsamic chicken, fresh cherries, red onion, goat cheese, pistachios and an amazing rosé vinaigrette. It’s incredible!
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 6 to 8 cups kale torn from the stems
- 1 cup cherries, pitted and sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup pistachios, chopped
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Season the chicken all over with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place the chicken in a dish and add the balsamic vinegar. Toss until all the chicken is coated. You can marinate this overnight or even just let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes or so for some added flavor.
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Make the rosé dressing and chop/sliced/crumble the remaining ingredients.
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Put the kale in a large bowl. Add the sliced red onion. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dressing and massage the kale with your hands for a few minutes, making sure to get all the pieces coated. Set the bowl aside.
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Preheat the grill to the highest setting.
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Once hot, place the chicken on the grill and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken easily flips. Flip the chicken and grill for 5 to 6 minutes more, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
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To the bowl of massaged kale, add the cherries, goat cheese and pistachio. Top with the sliced chicken.
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Serve with the remaining dressing!
rosé vinaigrette
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Whisk together the rosé, vinegar, garlic, honey and a big pic of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. This stays good in the fridge for a few days in a sealed container!
