Curried Couscous and Kale Salad with Turmeric Ginger Chicken
If fall threw a party, this couscous and kale salad with turmeric ginger chicken and maple curry vinaigrette is who it would invite.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Butternut Squash
- 3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
For the Chicken
- ⅓ cup whole Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts approximately 2 breasts
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
For the Curried Maple Vinaigrette
- 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 4 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons whole-grain mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste I start with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper and taste as I go
For the Rest of the Salad
- 1 box couscous
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup pepitas green pumpkin seeds or chopped raw pecans
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- A spritz of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to finish the salad if desired
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in an airtight container and coat the chicken. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes but up to 24 hours.
- Make the couscous.
- Massage kale. Add the de-stemmed and chopped kale leaves to a large bowl and then drizzle it with 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice or extra virgin olive oil and use your hands to rub the leaves together gently for 2-3 minutes. They should look glossy and slightly reduced in volume when massaging is achieved.
- Make the vinaigrette. Add curry powder, garlic, and chopped shallot to a small bowl. Heat oil in a small skillet. It’s ready when you drop a chili flake or a whole peppercorn into it and little bubbles rapidly form around it. Remove from heat and pour carefully into bowl with spices. Add in apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and whole grain mustard, and whisk to combine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Set aside until it’s time to assemble the salad.
- Roast chicken and squash. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Use half of the sheet to coat butternut squash cubes and spread out in an even layer. On the other side of the baking sheet place the chicken breasts. Roast for 22-26 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165. The butternut squash will take the same amount of time, but are done once they start to turn golden on the edges and are tender when pierced through with a fork. Remove from oven.
- Assemble the salad. To the bowl of kale and couscous, add the chicken, the butternut squash, the cranberries, pepitas, chopped cilantro and toss in the curried maple vinaigrette. Taste, adjust salt and pepper as needed. Spritz with a little lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil over the top of the salad and toss again until the flavor and texture of the salad is just right for you!
Notes
Optionally, instead of tossing the chicken with the rest of the salad, you can slice it up and serve it on top of the salad for an eye-catching presentation.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!