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Chopped Fall Harvest Salad With Chicken

Chopped fall harvest salad with chicken featuring roasted chicken, roasted beets, crisp apples, candied pecans, and goat cheese tossed with a maple balsamic dressing. A bright, autumn-style chopped salad with an easy emulsified dressing and a light, lightly tossed finish right before serving.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 2 chicken breasts Grilled or roasted, then sliced
  • 4 cup mixed greens or kale Chopped
  • 1 apple Cored and diced
  • 1 cup roasted beets Cubed
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup candied pecans
  • 4 oz goat cheese Crumbled
  • 0.25 cup red onion Thinly sliced
Maple balsamic dressing
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Dijon
  • 0.25 salt To taste
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste
  • 0.5 Italian herbs For seasoning chicken

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Roast and prep the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, and Italian herbs, then grill or roast until cooked through and slice. Transfer to a plate and cool slightly so the salad toppings stay crisp.
Make the maple balsamic dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon until emulsified. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper until balanced.
Assemble and serve
  1. Arrange the chopped mixed greens or kale in a large bowl, then top with sliced chicken, diced apple, cubed roasted beets, dried cranberries, candied pecans, crumbled goat cheese, and thinly sliced red onion. Keep the layers visible for a chopped fall harvest look.
  2. Drizzle maple balsamic dressing over the salad just before serving, then toss lightly. Serve immediately so the greens hold their texture.

Notes

For the freshest texture, chop greens and prep fruit and beets up to 24 hours ahead, but keep the dressing separate. Store assembled salad (without dressing) covered in the fridge up to 2 days; add dressing right before eating. Freezing is not recommended. For a lower-saturated-fat option, swap goat cheese for part-skim ricotta or a vegan cheese that crumbles well.