This Chick-Fil-A kale salad recipe is made with curly kale, green cabbage, and toasted almonds drizzled with an apple cider and dijon mustard vinaigrette. It makes a healthy and delicious side dish or snack, and the kale, cabbage, and almonds are good for your mental health. Add grilled salmon to make this kale crunch salad a main dish loaded with omega-3 fats.
This post was written by Lindsay Delk, RDN. It is for informational purposes and is not intended to replace medical advice or instructions given by your healthcare provider.
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Chick-Fil-A Kale Salad Recipe Ingredients & Mental Health Benefits
>Kale & Cabbage
Leafy greens have the highest antidepressant food score of all plants according to research. This is largely because it is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate.
The fiber in leafy greens is also a prebiotic that “feeds” the good bacteria in the gut, which affects mental health through the gut-brain axis. And don’t forget about the super-healthy phytonutrients in leafy greens.
>Almonds
Almonds are good for mental health primarily because of their magnesium and fiber. They are also high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and vitamin E.
How to Make the Chick-Fil-A Kale Salad
Rinse the kale and cabbage, and remove the center stems from the kale. Chop the kale and cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
Toast the slivered almonds in a skillet over medium heat for around 3 minutes. There is no need to use any oil; the almonds will toast nicely without it. Stir them frequently to prevent burning.
To make the apple cider and dijon mustard vinaigrette, combine the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil or avocado oil until fully combined.
Combine the kale, cabbage, and dressing in a medium bowl with your hands, massaging the greens with the dressing. Divide the salad among 6 serving dishes and sprinkle evenly with the toasted almonds.
How to Soften Kale
When you combine the kale, cabbage, and dressing, you should massage the greens with the dressing. This will break down the toughness and give the kale a softer texture. But don’t over-massage the kale, or it will become limp and soggy.
You also don’t want to add the dressing and massage the greens until less than 12-24 hours before serving.
Chick-Fil-A Kale Salad Tips & FAQ
- Add grilled salmon, chicken, or shrimp to make this salad a main dish.
- Customize this recipe by adding your favorite toppings: quinoa, chickpeas, chopped fresh or dried fruit, broccoli, carrots, onion, shredded Brussels sprouts, avocado, other leafy greens, or other types of nuts or seeds. You could even add Cowboy Caviar.
- The Chick-Fil-A kale crunch can be substituted for the waffle fries at Chick-Fil-A at no extra cost.
- You can keep the combined salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but then it starts to get soggy. Don’t add the almonds until ready to serve.
- To make the salad last longer than 24 hours, store the greens and the dressing in the fridge separately, then combine and top with almonds when you are ready to serve.
Chick-Fil-A Kale Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped curly kale center stems removed
- 2 cups chopped green cabbage
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Instructions
- Toast the slivered almonds in a skillet over medium heat for around 3 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Combine the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until fully combined.
- Combine the kale, cabbage, and dressing in a medium bowl with your hands, massaging the greens with the dressing.
- Divide the salad among 6 serving dishes and sprinkle evenly with the toasted almonds.
Notes
- Customize this recipe by adding your favorite toppings: quinoa, chickpeas, chopped fresh or dried fruit, broccoli, carrots, onion, shredded Brussels sprouts, avocado, other leafy greens, or other types of nuts or seeds.
- You can keep the combined salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but then it starts to get soggy. Don’t add the almonds until ready to serve.
- To make the salad last longer than 24 hours, store the greens and the dressing in the fridge separately, then combine and top with almonds when you are ready to serve.