Fall Harvest Salad

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from kristineskitchenblog.com

This fall harvest salad features the best autumn flavors! I serve it with sliced chicken or rotisserie chicken for a satisfying main dish salad, or leave off the chicken and it makes a beautiful side salad. Everyone always asks for this recipe!

Prep Time25

Cook Time25

Total Time50

Servings: servings

Calories: 710kcal

Author: Kristine Rosenblatt

Ingredients

For the quick candied pecans:

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup raw pecan halves

For the roasted sweet potatoes:

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes about 1.5 pounds
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

For the honey mustard dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons smooth (not grainy) Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Remaining Ingredients:

6 cups baby arugula 5-6 ounces
3 cups sliced cooked chicken breast or chopped rotisserie chicken
1 large apple chopped
⅓ cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Make the quick candied pecans:

Add the butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt to a medium skillet or saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted, then stir in the pecans. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes, until liquid is reduced and caramelized on the pecans and pecans are lightly toasted. Spread pecans out in an even layer on a sheet of parchment paper and let them cool.
1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 1 cup raw pecan halves

Roast sweet potatoes:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the sweet potatoes, if desired. Or, leave the skins on for added texture. Chop the potatoes into ¾-inch cubes and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the potatoes with the oil and seasonings, then spread them out in an even layer with some room in between each piece.
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then toss/flip the sweet potato pieces and continue baking for 10-15 minutes more, until they are golden brown on the edges and tender in the middle. Let cool slightly.

Make the honey mustard dressing:

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a lid. Whisk or shake until well combined.
3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 ½ tablespoons smooth (not grainy) Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Assemble salad:

Add arugula to a large salad bowl. Add the sliced cooked chicken, chopped apple, roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, feta and candied pecans. Drizzle dressing over salad, a little at a time, and toss to combine, until salad is dressed to your liking. You may not need all of the dressing.
6 cups baby arugula, 3 cups sliced cooked chicken breast, 1 large apple, ⅓ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Video

Notes

Nuts: You can substitute toasted pecans or walnuts for the candied pecans if desired. You can also use walnuts in the quick candied pecans recipe.
Sweet Potatoes: You can swap roasted butternut squash for the sweet potatoes.
Apple: I like to use a sweet-tart apple, such as Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp or Sugar Bee.
Cheese: Goat cheese or sharp cheddar (white or yellow) are also great in this salad. You can swap them for the feta.
Dressing: If you don’t care for honey mustard dressing, I also love this salad with my Lemon Vinaigrette recipe.
Make Ahead: Candied pecans can be made up to one week ahead. You can roast the sweet potatoes up to 1-2 days ahead. The salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Whisk it well before using. Store all components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the salad.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.