Citrus Kale Salad With Baked Chicken recipe - this sweet kale salad is bursting with orange, lemon, kale, sunflower seeds, craisins, and baked chicken flavor!

picture of sliced chicken breast over kale salad in a bowl

This citrus kale salad is fresh, bright, and bursting with flavor - full of crunchy sunflower seeds, sweet and tart dried cranberries, shaved brussels sprouts, broccoli slaw, baked chicken, and a knockout citrus poppyseed vinaigrette dressing.

This salad is one of my favorites of all time - and if we're being honest, I'm not even a big fan of kale!

It is crunchy, sweet, tangy, and delicious - and it even tastes better if you make it about an hour or two ahead of serving - so it is a knockout recipe for picnics, cookouts, BBQs, and anytime you need a hearty and healthy salad that is perfectly portable!

Take Me To The Citrus Kale Salad With Baked Chicken Recipe Already

I have readers with all levels of comfort in the kitchen - and often get lots of questions on recipes.

I try to provide as much information as possible into my recipes after reader requests - if you'd prefer to get straight to this delicious citrus kale chicken salad, please scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find the easy printable recipe.

Easy Baked Chicken For Salad

If you're looking for the perfect baked chicken for salads, this recipe is the best!

Baked chicken is my favorite salad topping - it is crazy easy to make in under 20 minutes, and is filling with lots of protein - but doesn't drag down your calorie counts.

This is a super-simple baked chicken recipe that I use over and over for tons of dishes.

The adobo seasoning is the perfect way to add flavor without adding a tons of work for yourself - or empty calories!

Easy Baked Chicken For Salad Recipe

2 medium sized chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp adobo seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously coat chicken in olive oil and adobo seasoning.
Wrap in a foil pouch and bake until digital thermometer comes to 170 degrees internally.
Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes (chicken will continue to cook to 175 degrees in the foil pouch) before chopping into 2" chunks.

The Best Chicken for Salads

If you'd prefer to go with another easy chicken recipe, I am rounding up some of my favorites for salads - especially my easy boiled chicken recipe.

This shredded boiled chicken is a total knockout for salads, enchiladas, tacos, and more - so you can make a big batch and get a ton of recipes out of one cooking session!

The Best Chicken Recipes for Salads

The best recipes for chicken salads - baked, grilled, or stir fried chicken breasts, chicken thighs, shredded chicken, and more - perfect for salads!

Perfect Grilled Chicken Breasts

Delicious, never-dry juicy and flavorful Perfect Grilled Chicken Breasts are perfect for cookouts and picnics - or even chopped up cold for a sack lunch salad, wrap, or sandwich!

The Best Grilled Chicken Strips

Delicious, juicy, and flavorful - the best grilled chicken strips you'll ever make come from a quick and easy marinade and this perfect grilling method!

One Pot Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs Recipe

Easy Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs Recipe is a one pot chicken thigh dinner guaranteed to impress even the pickiest eaters - bursting with rich lemon garlic butter flavor and crispy, crunchy chicken thighs in under 20 minutes. Perfect in salads sandwiches or wraps, over pasta & rice, or on its own with vegetables.

The Best Easy Lemon Chicken Recipe

The Best Easy Lemon Chicken Recipe - the absolute best quick and easy lemon chicken recipe with simple ingredients and TONS of lemon chicken flavor! Recipe can be made with chicken thighs or chicken breasts, and is naturally low carb and keto diet compliant.

Greek Chicken Souvlaki

The quintessential Greek dish, this recipe for greek chicken souvlaki is made with simple ingredients for the perfect authentic summer meal.

Never Dry Baked Chicken

Never Dry Baked Chicken is the easiest way to get flavorful, juicy chicken that won’t dry out – even when reheating! Just marinate and toss in the oven for perfect healthy chicken everyone loves!

Dutch Oven Grecian Chicken

Dutch Oven Grecian Chicken is a simple, easy, and crazy delicious whole roasted greek chicken full of lemon, garlic, and oregano flavor!

The Best Boiled Chicken Recipe Ever

The best Boiled Chicken Recipe Ever – delicious tender, juicy shredded chicken with just a few basic ingredients. Great for tacos, burritos, wraps, salads, and sandwiches!

Easy Whole Roasted Montreal Chicken

Easy Whole Roasted Montreal Chicken - a foolproof way to make delicious smoky and spicy chicken with crispy skin that won't dry out, bursting with Montreal Steak Spices flavor that makes this whole roasted chicken unbelievably rich and flavorful in just one pot. This montreal whole roasted chicken will be your new favorite roasted chicken dinner recipe!

Easy Poppyseed Citrus Vinaigrette Recipe

This dressing can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one week.

To store longer or make in bulk to freeze, I like to pour this dressing into ice cube trays, then let them defrost when I need it – go ahead and whip up a big batch of this dressing!

This citrus poppyseed dressing is fabulous on chicken, fish, steak, vegetables, pasta, rice, and in cous cous – and as a fabulously fresh marinade. The sky is the limit!

Chicken and Fruit Salad with Citrus Poppyseed Dressing

This dressing is also a knockout in my Chicken and Fruit Salad Recipe - be sure to check out all the fresh summer flavor in it here!

CITRUS POPPYSEED DRESSING RECIPE

⅓ c. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 T. honey
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 ½ tsp. poppy seeds

In a small bowl, whisk ingredients together until well combined.

I personally love to make a big batch of this dressing and put it in an easy to use container for later in the week – find my favorite in my amazon must-haves list here!

Other Easy Salad Recipes You'll Love:

If you love this easy and delicious citrus kale salad with chicken, be sure to check out some of my other favorite easy salads!

These recipes are all simple and easy - many of them keto or low carb - and all designed to fill you up without packing on empty calories!

Some dishes, like a stunning fig and chevre salad, a to die for spicy beef Thai salad, and a hearty low carb taco salad are my favorites!

You can also visit my salad recipe archives here.

The Best Easy Salad Recipes

The best easy salad recipes - chicken salads, beef salads, keto salads, shrimp salads, and more easy and quick salad recipes the whole family will love.

Black Bean Salad

Easy black bean salad bursting with fresh vegetables, onion, cabbage, and tomatoes!

Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad Recipe

Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad Recipe is a light, delicious, and refreshing meal full of spicy sweet Thai shrimp flavors! Great for picnics, parties, or a busy lunch or weeknight – for a delicious spicy sweet low calorie salad that is bursting with delicious Thai shrimp salad flavor!

Cheesy Chicken Taco Stuffed Avocados

Quick, delicious and easy Cheesy Chicken Taco Salad Stuffed Avocado Recipe is the perfect hearty low carb lunch or dinner that is bursting with cheesy chicken taco flavor!

Chicken and Fruit Salad With Poppyseed Dressing Recipe

Chicken and Fruit Salad With Poppyseed Dressing Recipe - delicious spinach salad bursting with fresh berries, citrus, poppyseeds, and tender, juicy chicken!

Low Carb Taco Salad

Low Carb Taco Salad – a delicious, easy, and low calorie lunch perfect for using up leftovers and super filling!

Spicy Thai Beef Salad Recipe

Spicy Thai Beef Salad Recipe is a light, delicious, and refreshing meal full of spicy sweet Thai beef flavors! Great for picnics, parties, or a busy lunch or weeknight - for a delicious spicy sweet low calorie salad that is bursting with delicious Thai beef salad flavor!

Fig and Honey Fruit Salad

Sweet, salty, and delicious- this fig, chevre, pine nut, and honey fruit salad is a beautiful balance of fresh flavors and perfect for breakfast!

Citrus Kale Salad With Baked Chicken Recipe

Name: Citrus Kale Salad with Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: For the Chicken (optional - can also use 2 pre-cooked chicken breasts, or 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken):; 2 medium sized chicken breasts; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp adobo seasoning; For the Salad:; 4 cups firmly packed shredded kale, finely chopped; 2 cups broccoli slaw; 2 cups finely shredded Brussels sprouts; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1/4 cup sunflower seeds; For the dressing:; 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice; 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice; 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice; 3 T. honey; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt; 1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

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Citrus Kale Salad with Chicken Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Citrus Kale Salad With Baked Chicken recipe - the most delicious citrus kale salad, bursting with orange, lemon, kale, sunflower seeds, craisins, and baked chicken flavor for a healthy, hearty salad the whole family will love!

Ingredients

For the Chicken (optional - can also use 2 pre-cooked chicken breasts, or 2 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken):
2 medium sized chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp adobo seasoning
For the Salad:
4 cups firmly packed shredded kale, finely chopped
2 cups broccoli slaw
2 cups finely shredded Brussels sprouts
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sunflower seeds
For the dressing:
⅓ c. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 T. honey
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 ½ tsp. poppy seeds

Instructions

For the chicken:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously coat chicken in olive oil and adobo seasoning.
Wrap in a foil pouch and bake until digital thermometer comes to 170 degrees internally.
Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes (chicken will continue to cook to 175 degrees in the foil pouch) before chopping into 2" chunks.

For the dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk ingredients together until well combined.

For the salad:

Mix salad ingredients and toss gently to mix well.

As you're tossing, drizzle with dressing, and add in chicken.

Serve immediately.

Comments

Jocelyn

May 24, 2019 at 2:51 pm

This delicious salad is going to be on repeat all summer long. My husband and I loved it!

Jen

May 22, 2019 at 1:54 pm

This has so much flavor and is definitely going to be eaten a lot this summer! Loved it!

Kristyn

May 22, 2019 at 1:21 pm

This salad looks absolutely delicious!! I love all the ingredients. Salads are my favorite during summer!

Katerina @ diethood .com

May 22, 2019 at 10:59 am

Oh my, this is the perfect lunch!! I LOVE it!

Citrus Kale Salad With Baked Chicken Recipe