Winter Roasted Veggie and Chicken Chopped Salad is the ultimate winter salad! Chocked full of baby kale, roasted Brussels, roasted cauliflower, chopped chicken, and aged gouda, this salad is drizzled with a lemon vinaigrette that makes the whole meal truly unforgettable!

I’m going to be completely honest here. I never ever thought I would be sharing a recipe like this with you. I mean, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower? 

Five years ago, I would have said forget it. No way, no how. Buuuut, as my mom must have assured me 1000x as a kid, your tastes change.

My feeling, as a bonafide, full-on adult, is that maybe your tastes don’t actually change. Maybe it’s more that you do actually mature and accept that veggies that were completely shunned by kids of all ages for decades just got a bad rap. 

Wouldn’t you expect this of veggies that have either been microwaved until soggy or boiled to within an inch of their lives and then doused with fake electric orange cheese sauce? I’m certainly hesitant to eat food like this even as an adult!

But the simple method of roasting vegetables is a complete game-changer. Crank up the oven, drizzle said veggies with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper (or in the case for this recipe, add some minced garlic and red pepper flakes too), and roast until the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are browned and the flavor has concentrated and caramelized. 

It’s the magical solution to boring or previously disregarded vegetables!

So, with these roasted beauties, you’ll also roast a couple of boneless chicken breasts, then top some fresh baby kale with the chopped chicken, veggies, and some shredded, salty, and sharp gouda, and then drizzle it all with a lemon vinaigrette. 

Guys, this chopped salad recipe is just plain awesome! We’ve made it no less than 3 times in the past month, have added in other roasted veggies (butternut squash and broccoli), and have also used other dressings (Kyle prefers a creamy Parmesan peppercorn).

Any way you make it, you can’t go wrong. With the season of Brussels sprouts coming to an end soon, I suggest you get on this chopped winter roasted veggie and chicken salad train now. Like, right now!

More Awesome Winter Salads

When amazing summer produce is out of season in the fall and winter, adapting your meal plans around seasonal produce is a great idea! This Kale, White Bean, and Farro Salad is a hearty vegan salad with bright and delicious tahini dressing.

This Crunchy, Spicy Peanut Lime Salad will satisfy the Asian flavor lovers in your house with its punchy dressing, crispy bell peppers, and crunchy shredded cabbage base.

And this Thai Crunch Chicken Salad is bound to be a big winner at the table! The Thai-inspired vinaigrette alone is worth its weight in gold!

Continue to Content

Winter Roasted Veggie and Chicken Chopped Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Winter Roasted Veggie and Chicken Chopped Salad is one of those meals that you'll keep making again and again every year. The lemon vinaigrette recipe pulls the whole meal together and perfectly complements the deeply roasted veggies and chicken like you wouldn't believe.

Print

Ingredients

• 12 oz Brussels sprouts, stem-end cut off, halved, and quartered if large (about 3 cups of chopped sprouts) - mine were tiny so I didn't need to trim or cut them
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon
• 8 cups baby kale
• ½ cup freshly grated aged Gouda (Trader Joe's 1000 day Gouda is excellent here)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Spread the sprouts and cauliflower out on a large baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, whisk ¼ cup olive oil with the garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side and then transfer the chicken to the baking sheet with the vegetables.
4. Roast for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken over, stir the vegetables, and roast for another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer should read 165° F). Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before chopping into bite-size pieces.
5. Whisk the lemon zest and juice with the remaining olive oil mixture to make a vinaigrette. Divide the kale between 4 bowls and top each with some veggies, chicken, and shredded gouda. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salads before serving while the chicken and vegetables are still warm.

Notes

adapted from Pink Parsley

Recommended Products

As a member of the Amazon Associate affiliate program, I earn a small percentage from your qualifying Amazon purchases when you click the Amazon links on this page. I'm not informed of who purchases what, just of what products are purchased.

• 
  OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Half Sheet 13 x 18 Inch
• 
  Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
• 
  J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL CLASSIC Hollow Edge Santoku Knife 7-inch Black/Stainless Steel
• 
  Large Walnut Wood Cutting Board by Virginia Boys Kitchens - 17x11 American Hardwood Chopping and Carving Countertop Block with Juice Drip Groove

How much do you love this recipe?

Follow Smells Like Home on Pinterest and click that little Pin button at the top of this recipe card to save this recipe and share with your Pinterest followers!