Delicious & Healthy: Grilled Chicken & Sweet Kale Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Prepare for a culinary delight with these Grilled Chicken & Sweet Kale Salad Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. This vibrant dish comes fully loaded and generously stuffed with succulent grilled chicken, glazed in a sweet poppy seed dressing, and complemented by a fresh, crisp kale salad tossed in a savory warm bacon vinaigrette. It’s a complete meal that promises robust flavors, satisfying textures, and a wholesome experience.
This recipe is designed to be both hearty and healthy, making it an ideal choice for a delicious, gluten-free weeknight dinner. The combination of tender sweet potato, juicy chicken, and a refreshing yet rich salad creates a balanced and incredibly flavorful dish that will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen.
Embracing the Stuffed Sweet Potato Trend
I am absolutely thrilled to share this Grilled Chicken & Sweet Kale Salad Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe with you! If you, like me, have a deep affection for sweet potatoes, then you’re going to fall head over heels for this incredible stuffed variation. For too long, I resisted the allure of stuffed sweet potatoes, finding myself a step behind the latest culinary trends. However, once you venture into the world of stuffed sweet potatoes, there’s truly no turning back.
The beauty of a stuffed sweet potato lies in its versatility. It’s a blank canvas, ready to be filled with an endless array of delicious ingredients. From savory meats and vibrant vegetables to creamy sauces and crunchy toppings, the possibilities are genuinely limitless. This particular recipe highlights how a humble sweet potato can be transformed into a gourmet meal, packed with flavor and nutrition, suitable for any occasion.
Once you experience the satisfaction of a fully loaded sweet potato, you’ll find yourself reaching for them time and again. They offer a perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fresh greens, making them an excellent choice for a balanced and fulfilling meal. This dish is not just food; it’s an experience that marries comfort with sophisticated flavors.
The Convenience of a Quality Salad Kit
For this exceptional version of stuffed sweet potatoes, I relied on one of my absolute favorite culinary shortcuts: the Taylor Farms chopped salad kit. I’m willing to bet many of you are just as familiar with their fantastic Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit as I am. My initial discovery of this highly addictive kit happened during one of my routine weekly trips to Costco, and it has been a consistent staple in my diet ever since.
These salad kits are a game-changer for anyone with a busy schedule but still aiming for healthy, home-cooked meals. Each kit comes pre-washed and ready to serve, streamlining the salad preparation process significantly. When hunger strikes, the last thing you want to do is spend precious minutes washing, spinning, and chopping vegetables. This kit eliminates that hassle, allowing you to get a nutritious meal on the table in record time.
The Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit is thoughtfully packed with a delightful blend of ingredients: nutrient-dense kale, tender broccoli, crisp Brussels sprouts, vibrant radicchio, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy pumpkin seeds. But arguably the best part of the kit is the sweet and creamy poppy seed dressing. Its perfectly balanced flavor profile adds an irresistible touch that ties all the components together beautifully, making every bite a pleasure.
Deconstructing for Enhanced Flavor: Poppy Seed Glazed Chicken
For this recipe, I playfully “deconstructed” the salad kit, utilizing its components in a unique way to elevate the overall flavor of the dish. The star of this creative adaptation is the incredibly delicious poppy seed dressing. Instead of simply tossing it with the salad greens, I ingeniously used it to glaze the chicken during the final minutes on the grill. This technique infuses the chicken with a sweet, tangy, and slightly nutty flavor that is simply divine.
Grilling the chicken with this glaze creates a beautiful caramelization on the exterior, locking in moisture and intensifying the flavor. The result is unbelievably juicy and tender chicken with a sticky, flavorful crust that perfectly complements the other elements of the stuffed sweet potato. To be completely honest, it was a challenge to resist eating all the glazed chicken straight off the grill before it even made it into the baked sweet potatoes!
The Magic of Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
While the flavorful grilled chicken was resting, allowing its juices to redistribute for maximum tenderness, I turned my attention to creating the pièce de résistance for the kale salad: a rich and aromatic warm bacon vinaigrette. This homemade vinaigrette is a simple yet transformative element. It’s made by cooking crispy bacon pieces, then using the flavorful rendered fat to sauté shallots and garlic, building a deep, savory base. Red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a touch of maple syrup are then whisked in, creating a balanced dressing with a delightful tang and subtle sweetness.
The warmth of this vinaigrette works wonders on the remaining contents of the kale salad kit. When poured over the fresh greens, it gently wilts the kale mixture, softening its texture just enough to make it incredibly palatable without losing its satisfying crunch. This slight wilting effect, combined with the smoky, savory notes of the bacon and the bright acidity of the dressing, is absolute perfection. It adds a gourmet touch to the salad, making it incredibly inviting and addictive.
Your New Go-To Healthy Weeknight Meal
These Grilled Chicken & Sweet Kale Salad Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are destined to become your new favorite go-to weeknight meal. Not only are they packed with wholesome ingredients and bursting with incredible flavor, but they are also incredibly easy to prepare. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, making it a fantastic option for those with dietary restrictions or anyone looking for a healthier alternative.
The convenience of using a pre-packaged salad kit combined with straightforward grilling and baking steps means you can have a truly impressive and nourishing meal on the table in about an hour. It’s a dish that feels special enough for guests but is simple enough for a busy Tuesday evening. The balance of sweet, savory, tangy, and fresh flavors ensures that every mouthful is an exciting culinary adventure.
If you share my passion for sweet potatoes and are looking for more innovative ways to incorporate them into your meals, be sure to check out this delightful Cranberry Walnut Sweet Potato Hash recipe. It’s excellent as a flavorful side dish, or even better, topped with a fried egg for a hearty and healthy breakfast or brunch. Enjoy exploring the endless possibilities of this versatile and nutritious root vegetable!
Grilled Chicken & Sweet Kale Salad Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
- 4 slices bacon, preferably thick-cut, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small shallot, about 2 tablespoons, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, freshly minced for best flavor
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, for emulsification and tang
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, or honey, for sweetness
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- 4 large sweet potatoes, approximately 10-12 ounces each
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ½-inch thick for even cooking
- 1 12-ounce Taylor Farms Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit, including the poppy seed dressing
- 2 scallions, thinly chopped, for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to a consistent 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). To prepare your sweet potatoes, wash them thoroughly under running water, scrub away any dirt, and pat them dry. Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork or a sharp knife; this helps steam escape and prevents them from bursting while baking, ensuring a perfectly tender interior. Arrange the prepared sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, ensuring they are not overcrowded, which can lead to uneven cooking. Bake for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, depending on their size, or until they are completely fork-tender. A good test is when a fork can easily slide into the thickest part of the potato without resistance. While your sweet potatoes are baking, you can move on to preparing the chicken and the warm bacon vinaigrette.
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While the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare your grill. Preheat an indoor grill pan or an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Season both sides of the pounded chicken breasts generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). During the final few minutes of grilling, liberally brush the chicken with the sweet and creamy poppy seed dressing that comes included in the Taylor Farms Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit. This creates a delicious glaze. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. Resting is crucial as it allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in incredibly tender and moist chicken. After resting, chop the chicken into bite-size chunks.
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While the chicken is resting, begin preparing the warm bacon vinaigrette. Add the diced bacon to a small skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until it becomes crispy and golden brown. Once crispy, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat; set aside. Carefully discard most of the bacon fat from the pan, reserving approximately 1 ½ tablespoons in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the minced shallot to the pan with the reserved bacon fat and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often until softened and fragrant. Next, add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes, continuing to stir to prevent it from burning. Pour the red wine vinegar into the pan; it will deglaze the pan and create a wonderful aroma. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the Dijon mustard and maple syrup until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify the dressing. Season the warm vinaigrette with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Finely chop half of the cooked bacon and stir it into the vinaigrette mixture. Set aside to cool slightly.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining salad kit contents (kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radicchio, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds). Pour the warm bacon vinaigrette over the salad mixture. Toss gently to ensure all the greens and toppings are evenly coated with the dressing. The warmth of the vinaigrette will lightly wilt the kale, enhancing its texture and flavor. Taste the salad and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
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To assemble the stuffed sweet potatoes, carefully slice each baked sweet potato lengthwise down the center, being careful not to cut all the way through, allowing it to open like a boat. Using a fork, gently fluff the warm, tender interior of each potato. Season the inside of each potato generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the chopped grilled chicken evenly among the four sweet potatoes, placing a generous portion into the center of each. Next, spoon a generous amount of the dressed sweet kale salad on top of the chicken in each sweet potato. Finish by sprinkling the remaining chopped crispy bacon and fresh scallions over the top for an extra burst of flavor and color. Serve immediately and savor every delicious bite of this hearty, healthy, and satisfying meal.
Disclosure: This recipe was created in partnership with Taylor Farms. All text and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for your continued support as I work with brands I love and that make One Sweet Mess possible!