This gorgeous kale and wild rice salad is loaded with so many delicious ingredients: chicken, avocados, feta, almonds, apples, and more! It’s so good!

Sometimes a really loaded, really pretty, really delicious salad is exactly what my January doldrum heart needs.

And this salad is like a big burst of happiness in a bowl. The flavors! The textures! That delectable dressing. I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and die a happy woman.

Loaded with All the Good Things

Let’s take a quick look at all the yummy ingredients in this salad that starts with a base of kale or power greens.

• brown/wild rice
• grilled or cooked chicken
• craisins
• toasted almonds
• honeycrisp apple
• fresh basil (but if you can’t find it, just add a pinch of dried basil to the dressing)
• avocado
• feta cheese

And as with any good salad, the ingredients could be swapped in and out depending on your taste preferences and/or creativity level.

For instance, I think roasted sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash would be amazing added to this salad. And the grilled chicken could easily be swapped for another protein or left out for a meatless salad.

Balsamic Dressing

The dressing for this salad is fresh, light, and tangy. It includes balsamic vinegar as well as fresh lemon juice.

For the balsamic, you can use regular (dark) balsamic vinegar or white balsamic. I have a delicious mango white balsamic in my pantry, and it is incredible in this dressing.

Red or white wine vinegar will also work. Blend everything together. It’s that easy!

This is a lightly dressed salad, so if you prefer a higher dressing to salad ratio, you might want to double the dressing.

Dress It Up

Sometimes with big main dish salads like this, I prefer serving the dressing on the side in case there are leftovers.

Too many times I’ve faced leftover salad in the fridge that has become decidedly less appealing overnight thanks to the soggy, limp lettuce and other questionable ingredients. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.

But all of the ingredients in this salad (minus the avocado) hold up very well to the dressing and as leftovers! (If you anticipate leftovers, consider serving the avocado on the side.)

Drizzle the dressing over the top, give a light toss, and dig in!

Recipes From Friends

This recipe comes highly recommended from my cousin-in-law, Tami, who I trust impeccably when it comes to recipes and food.

She sent the recipe to me saying it was one of the best salads of her life and that I needed to make it ASAP. I did. And I can’t disagree. It’s a keeper…and a recipe I will be making over and over.

I kept my greens in larger pieces, but Tami said her friend who made it chopped the kale/greens really finely. And I can see myself opting to do the same in the future when I am a bit more ambitious and not quite as lazy.

There’s no wrong way to enjoy this salad. The wide variety of delicious ingredients and that crazy good dressing make it an absolutely stellar salad!

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Kale and Wild Rice Salad

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Salad:

• ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend (see note)
• 6 ounces (about 5 lightly packed cups) coarsely or finely chopped kale/baby spinach or a power greens mix (see note)
• 2 to 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (see note)
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
• ½ to 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted (see note)
• ½ to 1 cup craisins or golden raisins
• ½ to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ to 1 cup chopped fresh basil (optional – if not in season, add a pinch of dried basil to the dressing)
• 1 to 2 medium avocados, diced

Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic (see note) or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
• Pinch of black pepper
• ¼ to ½ cup fresh cilantro

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• Cook the rice according to package directions. Drain (if needed) and set aside to cool to room temperature.

• For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and well-combined. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.

• Assemble the salad by placing the greens in the bottom of a large serving bowl or on a platter. Top with rice, chicken, apples, almonds, craisins, feta, basil (if using), and avocados.

• Drizzle dressing over salad and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately.

Dressing: this is a lightly dressed salad, so if you like a lot of dressing to salad ratio, consider doubling the recipe. 
Rice: this is the wild rice blend I like to use (if you have a Winco close, you can find it in the bulk bins). You can also use tri-color quinoa for a rice alternative.
Kale/Greens: for the greens, you can use all chopped kale or all chopped spinach, although I prefer using a power greens mix that has spinach, kale and other baby greens. The greens can be coarsely or finely chopped.
Chicken: a rotisserie chicken or other cooked chicken will work well for this salad. I’ve also made it by seasoning chicken tenders with salt, pepper and garlic and cooking them on the grill (you could also use an air fryer, skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, or an oven set to broil). 
Almonds: toasting the almonds adds delicious flavor and crunch – I use this easy microwave method to toast the nuts.
Balsamic Vinegar: this salad dressing is delicious with regular (dark) balsamic vinegar; it’s also delicious with white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar. 

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Method: Stovetop

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 225mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g

Recipe Source: by way of my cousin-in-law, Tami (and her friend who served it to her!)

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Grilled maple salmon salad with kale, corn, apple, and Parmesan. A high-protein, healthy dinner or lunch idea, ready in 30 minutes. It’s sweet, savory, and packed with crunch.

Jump to: Overview | Ingredients | How To Make | Recipe Tips |  Serving Suggestions | Full Recipe Card | More Salmon Recipes And More Kale Recipes

This is a grilled maple salmon salad bowl I make on a regular basis because it’s equal parts yummy and good for you.

The salmon is simply pan-seared with a little maple syrup and lemon right at the end, so it gets this beautiful sweet-savory glaze that works so well with the rest of the bowl.

The salad itself is a crunchy, colorful mix of kale, lettuce, red peppers, cucumber, sweet corn, apple, and Parmesan. There’s a real balance of flavors here: creamy, tangy, sweet, salty, and a little umami from the cheese.

The first time I made this, it was one of those “what do I have in the fridge?” situations. I had a couple salmon fillets and a whole bunch of half-used produce: kale, corn, some crunchy lettuce, and half an apple. I tossed it all together, whipped up a quick dressing, and honestly… it was kind of magic. I loved the combo so much, I made it again a few days later—this time with grilled chicken—and it totally held up.

This is one of those meals that hits that sweet spot between being really satisfying but not too heavy thanks to the fiber-rich kale and veggies, plus the lean protein in salmon. It’s naturally gluten-free and high in both protein and fiber, which helps support gut health and keep blood sugar levels steady.

Nutrition (per serving): ~525 calories, 39 g protein and 6 g fiber.

This recipe is part of my high-protein and fibre meals, you might also like these: Mediterranean fish with white bean purée, spicy tuna salad bites, chicken shawarma with baked rice, smashed chicken tacos, or Italian chopped salad with ham. Check out more salmon dinner ideas here.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this grilled salmon salad with kale, corn & Parmesan recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

• Salmon fillets – I used salmon fillets with skin off. Great source of protein and omega-3s. Plus, live oil spray for cooking, salt and pepper for seasoning and maple syrup and lemon juice for that glossy, tangy sweet glaze finish.

For the Salad

• Kale & lettuce – fiber-packed and crisp, the base of the salad. Swap kale for baby spinach or rocket if preferred.
• Red pepper, cucumber, carrot, green onions – crunchy, colorful veg.
• Apple – for a little sweet crunch that pairs surprisingly well with Parmesan.
• Corn – adds sweetness and heartiness. I use frozen corn which I defrost in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
• Freshly grated Parmesan – salty, umami, a must! Use feta instead of Parmesan for a tangier vibe. For dairy-free: skip the cheese or use a vegan option.
• Add cooked quinoa or chickpeas to bulk it up.

For the Dressing:

• Lemon juice, maple syrup – bright and balanced.
• Dijon mustard & balsamic vinegar – tangy depth.
• Olive oil – richness and body.
• Salt, garlic powder, black pepper – classic seasoning blend.

How To Make Grilled Salmon Salad with Kale, Corn & Parmesan

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for grilled salmon salad with kale, corn & Parmesan.

• Prep the veggies: Massage kale, chop lettuce, dice all the veg and apple, grate the cheese.
• Make the dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients in a big salad bowl.
• Toss the salad: Add veggies, corn, and Parmesan. Mix well.
• Cook the salmon: Heat a non-stick pan or a skillet, spray with olive oil, season salmon with salt and pepper. Cook 3–4 minutes on one side, then flip for 2 minutes.
• Glaze the salmon: Drizzle with maple syrup and lemon juice right at the end of cooking.
• Assemble: Divide salad between bowls and top with salmon.

Recipe Tips/Variations

• Make ahead: The dressing and chopped veggies (except apple) can be prepped a day ahead. Just toss fresh before serving.
• Storage: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days, but store the salmon and salad separately for best texture.
• Add crunch: Toasted seeds or croutons work great here.
• Variations: Add a soft-boiled egg, avocado, or even swap the salmon for grilled chicken or tofu. You can swap veggies and leafy greens depending on what you like.

Serving Suggestions

This is a complete meal on its own, but if you want to stretch it out, serve with a slice of crusty sourdough or some roasted baby potatoes on the side. It’s also great cold the next day – perfect for lunch boxes!

You Might Also Like These Salmon Bowls

If you’ve tried this grilled salmon salad with kale, corn & Parmesan or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

More Salmon Recipes

More Kale Recipes

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Our kale chips recipe is so easy to make! They bake up perfectly crisp in just 20 minutes, and you can season them any way you like.

When I first tried making kale chips in the oven, I couldn’t believe how simple they were. All you need is fresh kale, a baking sheet, and a hot oven. This recipe turned me from someone who wasn’t the biggest fan of kale into someone who makes kale chips all the time.

What I love most is how fun they are to season. Use your favorite spice blends, or keep things simple with a sprinkle of salt. I’ve shared a few of my go-to flavor ideas below!

Key Ingredients

• Kale: You can make kale chips with any variety, but my favorite is curly kale, which is also the most common. I love the curly, ruffled leaves—they crisp up beautifully in the oven. Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale) works well, too. It’s a bit thicker, so the chips turn out heartier and slightly less delicate.
• Olive Oil: I like using extra-virgin olive oil for its flavor, especially since we’re not cooking at super high heat. If you prefer to avoid heating olive oil, avocado oil is a great alternative.
• Salt and Pepper: Be generous when seasoning with salt (I like fine sea salt) and fresh ground black pepper. Below, I’ve also shared some spices/spice blends that work well for kale chips.
• Optional Seasonings: Consider spicing up the chips with Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, seasoned salt, curry powder, Togarashi, chili powder, ranch seasoning, mushroom powder, nutritional yeast, sesame seeds, or lime zest. I like to sprinkle extra spices after baking while the chips are still warm. In the photo below, I’ve added lime zest and chili powder for chili-lime kale chips!

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Kale Chips

Tip 1: Prep the kale. Start by removing the leaves from the thick, woody stalks. (You can save the stalks for vegetable broth.) Tear the leaves into large pieces, and remember, they’ll shrink a bit as they bake, so make them slightly larger than tortilla chips.

Tip 2: Rinse and dry well. Rinse the kale thoroughly, then make sure that it is 100% dry. Any leftover moisture will cause the kale to steam rather than crisp. A salad spinner works best, but you can also pat the leaves dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Tip 3: Add oil and salt. Toss the dry kale with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt (or seasoned salt), then bake. If you plan to add other seasonings, it’s best to sprinkle them on after baking while the chips are still warm.

Tip 4: Don’t crowd the pan. Spread the kale out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Overcrowding traps steam and prevents crisping.

Tip 5: Bake until crisp. Bake the kale chips at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned. Keep an eye on them near the end, as they can go from perfect to overdone quickly. Once baked, enjoy them as-is or toss with your favorite seasonings.

More Kale Recipes

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This super nourishing soup of turkey meatballs and kale braised in lemony garlic broth is full of flavour and makes for a great comfort dish that is still very healthy. You get the benefits of antioxidant-packed kale, chicken broth and protein-rich turkey or chicken meat, plus all those beautiful notes of citrus and garlic. I made this dish for my Paleo reset program and it’s become a crowd-favourite, so I am sharing it on the blog as well.  It’s paleo, gluten-free, Whole30 and keto-friendly. 

I love making this soup when I feel like something nourishing and warm. It’s great for when you’re feeling under the weather or coming down with a cold as it’s full of nutrients, Vitamin C and healing broth. In my true style, I made sure it’s also packed with flavour and in this case you get lots of umami, citrus and garlic.

How To Make Braised Turkey Meatballs & Kale Soup

There are two parts to making this lovely turkey meatball soup dish.

First, you make the meatballs and you can use ground turkey, chicken or pork. Fish can also be ground up into mince and will work well in this recipe. The meatballs are partially pan-fried before you add them to the soup. 

The soup base is very easy to make and I used a few spices, citrus and garlic to give it a lot of flavour. The addition of fish sauce gives the broth saltiness and that lovely umami flavour but you can always use a little extra salt instead. 

I used kale but any leafy greens with work. You might like to add some collard greens or Chinese greens like bok choy or broccoli, Swiss chard etc. To be honest, you can add as many different veggies as you like. Add starchy roots earlier so they can cook and leafy, fibrous ones towards the end. I often use kale in soups, like this chicken tortilla one.

Dietary Modifications

This soup has a few starchy vegetables, so if you’re following a low-carb or keto diet, replace the carrots and potatoes with zucchini and/or broccoli. You might want to keep some carrots. You can also use a little less leek. White potatoes can be swapped for sweet potatoes or parsnips. 

Make-Ahead Tips

You can make the meatballs ahead of time. You can pan-fry them or keep them raw in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before using as per recipe instructions. I also love keeping some homemade chicken broth in the freezer or fridge but you can also use store-bought broth. 

Pre-chopping the kale and leeks and peeling garlic will also save you some time. You can store those in an airtight container in or Ziploc bags in the fridge for 2-3 days before using. Use the potatoes when needed, though. 

More make-ahead friendly recipes here. 

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Butternut Squash Kale Soup uses some of my favorite soup ingredients, and this tasty vegetarian soup has gluten-free and lower-carb options. And this is a perfect recipe to use those packages of peeled-and-cut butternut squash that shows up in the fall!

Pin Butternut Squash Kale Soup to try it later!

This Butternut Squash Kale Soup is a recipe I first made just because I had butternut squash and kale in the fridge. And then I loved this soup with fall flavors, and it ended up being one of my favorite soups to make this time of year.

The bonus ingredient in the soup is Farro that I’d been craving ever since I first tried Farro with Mushrooms. The butternut, kale, and Farro combination here was wonderful, but I know some people aren’t going to have Farro. And also Farro isn’t gluten-free or low in carbs, so in the updated recipe I’m giving the option to switch Farro for brown rice (for gluten-free) or frozen cauliflower rice (for lower-carb and gluten-free.)

And no matter which way you make it, if you’re a fan of butternut squash and kale I hope you try this tasty meatless soup!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

• Farro
• onion
• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• Dried Thyme (affiliate link)
• Dried Sage (affiliate link)
• vegetable broth
• butternut squash
• kale
• salt and black pepper
• Balsamic Vinegar (affiliate link)
• Parmesan for serving (optional, dairy-free without the Parmesan)

Can you use pre-cut butternut squash for Butternut Squash Kale Soup?

I wrote a post about How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash and for Roasted Butternut Squash it’s definitely better when you cut it up yourself. But to use in soup, those packages of pre-cut butternut squash that show up at Costco this time of year are great!

Want Butternut Squash Kale Soup that’s gluten-free or lower-carb?

You can easily make a gluten-free version of this soup by switching out the Farro for brown rice; I would use Ben’s Brown Rice (affiliate link). And you can make a tasty lower-carb version by switching out the Farro for cauliflower rice.

How high in carbs is the Butternut Squash Kale Soup?

This soup recipe with farro or brown rice will have about 24 net carbs per serving. If you switch out the Farro for frozen cauliflower rice, the soup will have about 12.8 net carbs per serving.

Who else LOVES Butternut Squash?

I’m a huge butternut squash fan from childhood, which is why my carb-conscious recipe blog has so many butternut squash recipes! And when it’s fall I just have to have it a few times every year. You can use Favorite Roasted Butternut Squash Recipes to see all my recipes using it. Or use Favorite Winter Squash Recipes to see my favorites with all types of winter squash!

How to Make Butternut Squash Kale Soup:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. If you’re using farro, start by soaking it for at least 15 minutes. 
2. If you don’t want to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash, I think pre-cut squash cubes are great for soup.
3. Cut the squash into pieces not more than 3/4 inch across.
4. Heat the oil in soup pot, then saute diced onion with the thyme and sage.
5. Add vegetable stock to the onions and herbs and bring to a low simmer; then add the farro and simmer 10 minutes. (You can skip this extra ten minutes if you’re using brown rice; cauliflower rice will be added towards the end of the cooking time.)
6. Add the squash cubes and simmer about 30 minutes.
7. Mash the squash a bit so some pieces will thicken the soup, then add the kale (and add cauliflower rice now if you’re using that) and simmer 20-30 minutes more.
8. Stir in a little balsamic vinegar if desired, and serve hot.
9. Butternut Squash Kale Soup will good with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on at the table, if you’re a fan of that.

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe for Butternut Squash Kale Soup has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week! And this recipe would be perfect to make on the weekend and enjoy for a meatless lunch or dinner.

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