Fall Harvest Salad is a hearty, meal-worthy salad loaded with roasted sweet potatoes, smoky seasoned chicken, crisp Honeycrisp apples, goat cheese, pecans, and dried cranberries, all tossed with a tangy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It's packed with 23 grams of protein per serving and tastes like autumn in a bowl, just like my fall harvest bowl with chicken and fall harvest skillet.
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Hearty Fall Harvest Salad with Chicken
This isn't one of those salads that leaves you hungry an hour later! Roasted sweet potatoes and juicy chicken make it a satisfying, complete meal, and the sweet apples, tangy goat cheese, crunchy pecans, and chewy cranberries make every bite different. The sweet potatoes and chicken even roast on the same sheet pan, so cleanup is a breeze.
The secret to the best kale salad is massaging the vinaigrette right into the leaves. It softens the kale and takes away that tough, bitter bite, so even kale skeptics will go back for seconds. If you love hearty fall salads, my shaved Brussels sprout salad is another one you'll want on repeat.
It's perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner, meal prep lunches, or as a gorgeous side at Thanksgiving. And if you need more fall salads like this one, you're going to LOVE my Cranberry Quinoa Salad or my Pear Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A salad that's actually filling. Chicken and roasted sweet potatoes turn it into a full meal with 23 grams of protein per serving.
- Sweet and savory in every bite. Apples and cranberries balance out the tangy goat cheese and smoky chicken.
- One-pan roasting. The sweet potatoes and chicken cook on the same sheet pan.
- Naturally gluten-free. Made with simple, whole-food ingredients.
- Holiday-worthy. It's colorful enough to bring to Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Fall Harvest Salad
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this fall harvest salad:
- Kale: A hearty base that holds up to the dressing without getting soggy. Massaging it makes it tender.
- Sweet potato: Roasted until caramelized and tender for a cozy, filling bite.
- Chicken breast: Seasoned with smoked paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder for a smoky, savory kick.
- Honeycrisp apple: Adds a sweet, juicy crunch. Any crisp apple works.
- Goat cheese: Creamy and tangy, it pairs perfectly with the apples and balsamic.
- Pecans and dried cranberries: The classic fall combo of crunch and chewy sweetness.
- Balsamic vinaigrette: A simple homemade dressing with balsamic, honey, and Dijon that ties everything together.
How to Make Fall Harvest Salad
Start by roasting the diced sweet potatoes at 425°F while you season the chicken with smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. After 20 minutes, toss the sweet potatoes, add the chicken to the same pan, and roast until the chicken is cooked through.
While everything roasts, whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette and massage it into the kale with your hands so the leaves soften. Then pile on the apples, sliced chicken, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, pecans, and cranberries, give it a toss, and dig in!
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the diced sweet potato with avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Step 2: Mix the chicken seasonings and sprinkle them over the chicken breasts. Remove the sweet potatoes, toss them, and add the chicken to the same pan. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Step 3: While everything bakes, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the kale and massage it in with your hands until fully coated. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Step 4: Top the kale with the sliced apple, chicken, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, pecans, and cranberries. Toss everything together and serve.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Massage the kale by hand. Work the vinaigrette into the leaves and let it sit at least 15 minutes. It breaks down the tough leaves and makes every bite easier to eat.
- Use one pan. Roast the sweet potatoes first, then add the chicken to the same pan for the last 16-18 minutes.
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly. Similar-sized cubes roast at the same rate and get nicely caramelized.
- Slice the apple last. Cutting it right before serving keeps it crisp and keeps it from browning.
- Toast the pecans. A few minutes in a dry skillet brings out even more nutty flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this fall harvest salad.
Yes! Roast the chicken and sweet potatoes and make the dressing up to 2 days ahead. Massage the kale and assemble the salad the day you plan to serve it.
Spinach, arugula, or a spring mix all work. Since they're more delicate than kale, skip the massaging and toss with the dressing right before serving.
Yes, this salad is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check that your Dijon mustard and dried cranberries are labeled gluten-free.
Absolutely. Leave out the chicken and add a can of drained chickpeas or extra roasted sweet potato for a hearty vegetarian version.
Feta or blue cheese are great swaps. For a dairy-free version, skip the cheese and add a little avocado for creaminess.
Storing leftovers
For the best leftovers, store the dressed kale, chicken, sweet potatoes, and toppings in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Enjoy within 1-2 days, and slice the apple fresh so it doesn't brown. This salad doesn't freeze well, but the chicken and sweet potatoes can be warmed up before adding them back to the kale.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
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Ingredients
- 4-6 cups shredded kale
- 1 sliced large honeycrisp apple
- 4 oz goat cheese
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup avocado oil or olive
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large sweet potato about 3 cups, diced into cubes or thin slices
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 small breasts chicken
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss together sweet potato with avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Mix together seasoning for chicken, then sprinkle it on the breasts.
- After 20 minutes, take sweet potatoes out of the oven, toss, and then add the chicken to the same pan as the sweet potatoes. Bake both for another 16-18 minutes or until chicken reaches 165F.
- While baking, prepare vinaigrette by mixing all ingredients together.
- Add vinaigrette to kale and toss till full coated. Let sit at least 15 minutes. I use my hands to massage the kale and break down the leaves, the more you do this, the easier it is to eat.
- Layer on sliced apples, cooked chicken, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, pecans, and cranberries.
- Toss to coat! Enjoy
- Massage by hand. Use your hands to mix the balsamic vinaigrette into the kale and let it sit at least 15 minutes. This breaks down the tough leaves and makes every bite so much easier to eat.
- Cook in one pan for less mess. Cook the sweet potatoes first, then add the chicken to the same pan for the final 16-18 minutes.
- Keep all the components separate if storing. The assembled salad with dressing gets soggy fast, so build only what you'll eat right away.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
Leave a star rating below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Ashlen Leonard says
This is my favourite fall salad, hands down! Love the flavour combinations. I could eat this most days of the week!
Erin says
Hi Ashlen, so happy you love it so much!!
Alyssa says
Usually I’m not a salad for a meal kind of person (I find I’m not left satisfied). HOWEVER, this salad had so many components and was so tasty and delicious that it filled me up and I wasn’t craving a snack or different meal afterwards.
Erin says
Hi Alyssa, so glad you loved it so much!!
Daniela says
I have been making this salad for months. It is my husband and It's favorite. It's SO GOOD!!! And so filling!!!
Erin says
Hi Daniela, so glad you both love it so much!!
Alexandria says
The most delicious salad! I love the version of this at a salad chain and was so excited to make my own. The dressing is so worth making from scratch - I thought about using bottled but I’m glad that I didn’t! I made this salad with honey infused goat cheese and it was delicious. SO good, you must make this!!
Erin says
Hi Alexandria, I am so happy you enjoyed making the dressing and the salad as a whole!!
Ellie says
This is how I get my BF to eat salads. He requests it now! It's so so good!
Erin says
Hi Ellie, so glad you both enjoy it!!
Jill says
The perfect harvest salad! Made this earlier this week and loved every bite of it. Had it for lunch yesterday and added some baked butternut squash instead of apple and it was, yet again, delicious. Thank you Erin!
Erin says
Hi Jill, I am so happy you loved it and great substitution!
Megan J says
This is my most favorite salad in the whole world! I can’t even describe how much joy it brings me to eat! & the homemade dressing 🤤
Erin says
Hi Megan, I am so happy you love it!!
Sarah Samuels says
One of my go tos at least every other week! I have made for fiancé, friends and family and they are all obsessed.
Erin says
Hi Sarah, I am so happy everyone enjoys the salad!!
Sandy says
So delicious! My go to salad during the work week. The dressing that goes along with it has become a staple for me. Highly recommend!
Erin says
Hi Sandy, thank you for sharing! 🙂
Alexx says
This is my favorite salad ever!!!! I make it ALL the time for lunch or dinner!! Everything just tastes so good together!
Erin says
Hi Alexx, thanks for sharing! I am so happy you love it!
Sara says
Top tier salad with all of my favorite ingredients, makes me wish it was fall year round!!
Erin says
Hi Sara, I am so happy you enjoyed it!!
Lo says
This salad is AMAZING. For dinner, my boyfriend and I generally prefer to eat our greens on the side with our main instead of reaching for a salad, but this salad looked compelling. We’re SO glad we made it. The flavors complement each other perfectly, and the salad was hearty and satisfying with an optimal combination of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Thank you for the fantastic recipe, Erin!
Erin says
Hi Lo, I am so happy you both liked it so much!!
Allie says
Absolutely delicious and so simple to make as well! I subbed sweet baby greens and arugula for the kale since I am not a huge fan of kale.
Erin says
Hi Allie, thanks for your kind words! I am so happy you enjoyed it and made it your own!
Kellen says
This salad was SO good! A perfect fall salad for meal prep last week. My husband and I both enjoyed eating it day after day!
Erin says
Hi Kellen, thanks for sharing! I am so glad you both enjoyed it!
Paige says
This salad is almost exactly what I would typically build at Sweetgreen — for like 1/5 of the price. Absolutely delicious, I could eat this everyday (minus the dried cranberries, but my boyfriend loved it with them!). Super easy prep, perfect to have as leftovers the next day. Make this!
Erin says
Hi Paige, so happy you love it and can make it yourself now!!
Kari says
Love this recipe! The dressing is amazing, and I normally don’t care for balsamic dressing. I’ve already made it at least four more times. And the chicken came out so moist and perfect.
Erin says
Hi Kari, thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad that you liked it and made it your own!
Kelly says
Love this salad! Great as a side salad with your fall apple burger as well!
Erin says
Hi Kelly, thanks so much and love that you made the two recipes together!
Ethan says
Whether you aren't a writer your recipe certain an artwork. This Fall harvest salad evenly colorful, provides balance starch, meat, vegetable, and fruit. What sauce will be suitable for this salad?
Erin says
Hi Ethan, thank you so much for the kind words! I am so glad you liked it. You can use the balsamic dressing! It's delicious! 🙂
Carrie says
Love this! Can you leave the dressing at room temperature?
Erin says
Hi Carrie, yes that's fine. Let me know how it comes out for you!
Olivia Porcello says
the best harvest salad I have had this season! everything pairs so nicely together, the dressing was GREAT and my dad said "this chicken is phenom"
Erin says
Hi Olivia, thank you so much for the kind words! I am so glad you both enjoyed it!
Ani says
I didn’t get it, so after 20 min take the potatoes out of the oven toss , add chicken to sweet potatoes and put it back to the oven? or take the sweet potatoes and put the chicken instead?
Erin says
Take the sweet potatoes out, toss, then add the chicken to the pan WITH the sweet potatoes (they need more time).
Ani says
okay great, that’s what I thought thank you 🙂
Erin says
Hi! You're welcome!!
Emily Kuechenmeister says
Hi! Do the sweet potatoes need to be warm on salad (deciding if I can
prep ahead of time).
Erin says
Hi Emily, no they don't need to be. You bake them in the oven as the first step, but personal preference if you want them warm in the salad!
Peyton payne says
Cannot wait to make this!! Salivating just looking at it
Erin says
Hi Peyton, yay! Let me know how your salad comes out!