I can't stop making this one, y'all! It's tasty and it makes me feel good after I eat it. Being healthy can also be fun when it's this delicious!
Not only is this easy to throw together, but it travels super well, so I love it for my work lunches. Roasting the chickpeas is the hardest part, and even that's easy as long as you know how to turn on an oven. (If you don't, you need more help than I can realistically provide here.)
Nolan and I have salad as a side to our meal upwards of three times a week. Normally, we have to head to the store and buy one of the bagged ones the day of, or the day before we make dinner. Although I love the bagged salad kits at the store – they’re easy and they’re fun – they aren't very practical. The last time I made this salad for meal prep, we pulled out the extra to use as a side for the pasta we made. That’s when I realized just how versatile and wonderful this meal is. Plus, it's super friggin’ healthy so it's a win all around.
I like adding rotisserie chicken when I feel like this salad needs a little more oomph. I also think it would be delicious with some grilled or sauteed shrimp. You can even add some salmon or steak if you want to make it really hearty. Otherwise, you can leave it on the lighter side with just the chickpeas. Keep in mind, beans have a lot of protein in them, too. Sometimes, they have even more protein than your average meat. Just some food for thought. (Pun intended.)
I'm also addicted to the healthy Caesar salad dressing that accompanies this recipe. I refuse to use store bought Caesar dressings now. It's super simple and comes together with just a few pantry staples. Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, give it a shake, and you’re done! Plus, there are no raw eggs in sight! (Yes, traditional Caesar salad dressing is made with raw egg… weird, right?) The only thing I had to source for this dressing was some anchovy paste, but at the rate I’m making this recipe, it just might be a future pantry staple. I found this dressing recipe on the Wooden Skillet, and I love it! Check out the original recipe here. The salad itself was inspired by one I found on Simple Recipe Kitchen and you can look at the original recipe for that here.
Before we conclude, I want to emphasize the importance of massaging your kale. There is a right way, and there is a wrong way to prepare kale. Don’t – I repeat – don’t buy the bagged, pre-cut kale! Take a minute to cut the stems and ribs out of the bundle of leaves, cut the remaining leaves into ribbons, give them a quick wash, and then make them the first addition to your salad bowl so you can give them a little rub-down. Add a teaspoon of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt before you get massaging so it can help soften the leaves. Squeeze your leaves for 3-5 minutes. Then they’re good to go! I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I promise it’s not. Trust me, it's worth it. I fooled my boyfriend into thinking the salad was sans-kale with this method. He didn't know until after admitting to enjoying the salad and that he couldn't tell the offending lettuce was part of the mix!
Finally, Chloe's official rating: 9/10. Chloe loves kale! Her only note: not enough anchovy paste.
Lemon-y Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients for Crispy Chickpeas:
1 12 oz can chickpeas, drained and dried
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder, or 2 tsp grated garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for Salad:
2-3 heads of Romaine lettuce hearts, washed and chopped
1 large bundle of kale, washed, ribs removed, and chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2-4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (optional)
Ingredients for Caesar Salad Dressing:
½ cup mayo
3 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp garlic, minced or grated
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp anchovy paste
½ tsp red wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions for Crispy Chickpeas:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Then, use a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels, to dry them off well. Remove any loose skins from the beans that came off during the drying process.
Put the chickpeas in a medium bowl and add the olive oil, garlic powder, lemon zest parmesan, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Give the chickpeas a toss to coat them in the oil and seasonings.
Dump the chickpeas onto your prepared sheet pan, spread them out, and then put them in the oven to bake for about 40 minutes. Check on them at the half-way point, about 20 minutes, and give the beans a shake.
Once the chickpeas are a medium to dark golden brown, depending on how crispy you like them, pull them out of the oven and set them to the side to cool.
Directions for Caesar Salad Dressing:
Combine all of the ingredients for the salad dressing in a medium bowl or a mason jar and stir to combine. Depending on how thick the mixture is, add a little more lemon juice to thin it out, or add a little more parmesan to thicken it up.
Directions for Salad:
While the chickpeas bake, begin prepping the salad, starting with the kale.
Take your kale and remove the stems and ribs. I like to fold the leaves in half and cut the ribs out that way. You can also just rip the leaves off the ribs, however it’s easiest! Once you’ve removed the ribs and stems, cut the leaves into thin ribbons. Place them in a large colander set inside a big mixing bowl, or a salad spinner if you've got one, and wash your kale. Dry the kale off and place it in an extra large salad bowl.
Next add the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl with the kale and begin massaging the leaves. I do a scrunching motion, almost like I'm wringing something out, but gently so you're not twisting or ripping the leaves. Do this for about 3 minutes.
Next chop your romaine lettuce and give those leaves a bath using the same set-up you used for the kale. Dry them off and add the romaine to the big salad bowl with the kale. Toss with tongs to combine.
Next, you can begin assembling the salad into individual bowls, and dividing the chickpeas, dressing, and optional chicken evenly amongst servings. Or, you can add all of the chickpeas, dressing, and chicken into the salad bowl and toss to combine. Serve it with an extra sprinkle of parmesan and a lemon wedge, if desired.
Enjoy!
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