Insalata italiana di radicchio e kale

Let’s start the new year off with a big, hearty salad, shall we?

If you’ve been around PBF for a while, you know I love a good salad in my meal prep every week. This Italian Kale and Radicchio Lentil Salad was inspired by a salad I stumbled upon at a restaurant that I absolutely fell in love with.

Welcome to your new favorite salad! From the sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes to the brine of olives and artichokes, the bitter greens, and the sweet-spicy dressing, this salad is full of flavor and texture in every bite.

Perché radicchio e kale funzionano così bene

One thing to note about this salad is the use of the radicchio. It adds a beautiful pop of color, but if you haven’t worked with it before, you might be surprised by its bitterness. Part of the reason why it’s so key to toss the salad with the dressing before serving it is because the honey in the dressing helps to counteract that bitterness.

Radicchio is a type of leafy chicory with vibrant purple-red leaves and white veins, known for its slightly bitter, peppery flavor. It adds great texture and flavor to salads.

I love a good salad recipe. Simple + seasonal. Balanced flavors. High in protein + fiber. Meal prep friendly.

Ingredienti e combinazioni di gusto

Add the chopped kale to a mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Use clean hands to massage the kale until its glossy and vibrantly green.

Add the radicchio, fennel, sun dried tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, and almonds to the bowl and toss to combine.

Add the remaining olive oil to a small bowl along with the lemon juice, Calabrian chili paste, honey, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk to incorporate.

Transfer the dressing to the bowl with the salad and toss well to combine.

Italian Kale Salad 8 ounces kale, thick stems removed 1 cup chopped radicchio ¾ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered (about 2 artichoke hearts) ⅓ cup chopped roasted red pepper ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion Fresh grated or shaved Parmesan, for topping 3 tablespoons olive oil 1½ tablespoons honey 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning Salt to taste

The first time I ever had a chopped salad was when I was working at an Italian hotel restaurant in San Diego.

It was so good. I became kind of obsessed with chopped salads after that.

And I’m still mad at Trader Joe’s for discontinuing this awesome version they sold.

So, let’s call this Italian Chopped Kale Salad an ode to my San Diego salad-slinging days.

I feel like chopped salads are simply the best in Italian form. Probably because I’m pretty much obsessed with the goodies that come in an Italian chop. Olives, salami, provolone, fresh tomato, marinated artichokes, pepperoncini, chickpeas.

Ricetta con pollo e lenticchie

Whisk together all marinade/dressing ingredients except Parmesan cheese (if using). Pour half of the dressing over the chicken breast in a resealable bag or container. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

If desired, whisk Parmesan cheese into remaining salad dressing (not included in nutrition info).

Assemble salad by tossing kale, radicchio, and cooked lentils with most of the remaining dressing, conserving some for on top of the chicken once cooked. (Keep dressing separate if meal prepping the salad.)

Grill chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and placing on top of salads.

Top chicken with remaining dressing and pomegranate arils.

Versione autunnale con zucca e pollo

This Harvest Radicchio & Kale Salad with Chicken is a cozy yet refreshing fall salad featuring roasted butternut squash, juicy chicken, crisp kale, and bitter radicchio tossed in a sage-maple vinaigrette.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together dressing ingredients in a bowl or jar and set aside.

Add chicken to sheet pan and coat each side with oil, salt, pepper and seasonings. Add butternut squash to the same sheet pan and coat with oil, salt, pepper and seasonings.

Cook chicken for 15-20 minutes, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees. Remove from sheet pan and shred with a fork. You can also chop it but I prefer it shredded.

Bake butternut squash for another 15-20 minutes, until it is cooked through and fork tender.

Add all salad ingredients to a bowl and toss together with dressing.

Consigli utili per meal prep

If you plan on meal prepping this salad like I did, be sure to add a piece of paper towel in the bottom of your salad container to absorb excess moisture.

Yes, this salad only tastes better as the days go on. Kale and radicchio are both hearty greens that hold up well with lettuce.

I love kale salads because you can dress them ahead of time and the greens never taste wilted; in fact they often taste even better after sitting for a bit.

The key with kale salads, which I talked about previously in my Strawberry Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans post, is that you need to tear and scrunch the leaves for about five minutes to break the greens down and get rid of their natural bitterness.

Varianti, sostituzioni e domande frequenti

Goat cheese: Feta, shaved parmesan, or even a dairy-free alternative can be used in its place.

Use a good quality olive oil for the best tasting dressing.

What is radicchio?Radicchio is a type of leafy chicory with vibrant purple-red leaves and white veins, known for its slightly bitter, peppery flavor. It adds great texture and flavor to salads.

Can I make this recipe vegan?To make this recipe vegan, sub in chickpeas or tofu for the chicken.

Is this recipe good for meal prep?Yes, this salad only tastes better as the days go on. Kale and radicchio are both hearty greens that hold up well with lettuce.

Easily make this salad vegetarian by leaving out the salami.

Una versione più intensa e aromatica

It may seem a little counterintuitive to grill leaves, but it really elevates certain salads, particularly those with hardy wintry leaves.

Grilling means flavours are concentrating, creating complexity, bitterness, sweetness and deliciousness. (Via Ottolenghi)

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients together with 1/8th teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continuously to emulsify.

Place the radicchio and kale in a large bowl and add half of the dressing, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper and toss gently to combine.

Place a well-oiled griddle pan on a high heat and, once smoking, add the radicchio and kale in batches, cooking until charred in places but not completely wilted, about 1- 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a tray while you continue with the rest.

Toss the orange in the remaining dressing until well coated.

To serve, arrange the radicchio, kale and oranges onto a serving platter and spoon over some of the dressing.

Perfetta per tavole festive e pranzi veloci

A super festive salad for any holiday table!

This Kale and Radicchio Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette is just as tasty as it is pretty.

I love including dried cranberries for their sweetness, chewy texture and gorgeous pop of color.

Sliced apples make for a lovely sweet crunch against the tough greens.

If you're feeling a bit of smokiness, then the addition of some crumbled bacon is really, truly lovely.

This Kale and Radicchio Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette is such a perfect counter balance to all the rich, savory, sometimes mushy, meaty dishes on the holiday table.

In a small blender, combine fresh cranberries, red wine vinegar, orange juice, thyme, salt and pepper. Buzz until cranberries are finely minced, then slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil to emulsify. Set aside.In a large bowl, combine chopped kale and radicchio, almond slices, cranberries, apple slices, red onion and bacon, if using. Drizzle on the dressing and toss well to coat and combine.

Have a theme night and make Italian Chopped Kale Salad for lunch, Vegan Italian Stuffed Peppers for dinner, and Italian Cannoli Cake for dessert!

If you make this Harvest Radicchio & Kale Salad with Chicken, please leave me a rating and review on this blog post.

tags: #radicchio #kale #salad