This Harvest Salad with Chicken is a seriously satisfying dinner salad! Tender chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, pecans and more are coated in a thick, creamy tahini dressing.
Plus it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
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Paleo Harvest Salad with Chicken
As soon as the weather starts to get even a little chilly, I start craving a big, hearty salad full of fall produce like sweet potatoes and apples.
So this Harvest Salad with Chicken hits all the right notes – there’s so much texture and flavor. Plus it’s full of protein, healthy fats and complex carbs to keep you full and energized.
Roasting the sweet potatoes makes them creamy, the apples deliver juicy crispness and the pecans offer a toasty crunch.
To make it feel like even more of a meal, I add chicken for extra protein but you could leave it out for a vegan harvest salad.
Plus, as you’ll see from the ingredient list below, there’s lots of ways to customize it!
What you need for a Paleo Harvest Salad with Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium) – you could use winter squash instead, such as butternut, delicata, kabocha, acorn, etc.
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika – you can omit both the cumin and paprika if you like, or use other spices instead of or in addition to them, such as coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, etc.
- 5 oz. leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, arugula, kale or a mix
- 1.5 pounds cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2″ cubes – you can use leftover chicken (grilled, baked, etc.) or rotisserie chicken; you could use turkey, pork, salmon or steak instead as well
- 1 large apple – I like using Fuji or Granny Smith apples, but you can use whatever you like. Pears would also work well here. Just make sure they’re not too ripe – you don’t want a soft, mushy pear in your salad.
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped – use whatever nuts or seeds you like (if using seeds like pumpkin or sunflower, you’ll only need 1/3 cup; using seeds would also make this salad nut-free)
- 6 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced – you could also use diced red onion or pickled red onion, or omit the onions entirely
- Tahini Date Dressing – this is my favorite dressing to use with this salad, but you could also use balsamic, honey mustard or other favorite vinaigrettes
- If dairy is in your life, this salad would be great with goat cheese, feta or blue cheese.
Equipment:
- a large stainless steel baking sheet
- parchment paper
- a large mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- salad tongs
How to make Paleo Harvest Salad with Chicken
Step 1: Heat the oven to 425°.
Step 2: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3: Trim off the dried ends of the sweet potatoes, then cut them into roughly 1/2″ pieces. Add them to the baking sheet and toss with the oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, cumin and paprika until evenly coated.
Step 4: Roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
Step 5: Core and chop the apple into 1/2″ pieces. (You don’t want to do this too far in advance or the apple will brown.)
Step 6: Add the greens, chicken, apple, pecans and scallions to a large bowl. Add the sweet potatoes.
Step 7: You’ll need about 1/2 cup of dressing – drizzle it over the ingredients and give everything a good toss. Taste and add more salt or dressing if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Sweet potatoes: you could use winter squash instead, such as butternut, delicata, kabocha, acorn, etc.
spices: you can omit both the cumin and paprika if you like, or use other spices instead of or in addition to them, such as coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, etc.
Chicken: you can use leftover chicken (grilled, baked, etc.) or rotisserie chicken; you could use turkey, pork, salmon or steak instead as well.
Apple: you can use whatever you like. Pears would also work well here. Just make sure they’re not too ripe – you don’t want a soft, mushy pear in your salad.
Pecans: use whatever nuts or seeds you like (if using seeds like pumpkin or sunflower, you’ll only need 1/3 cup; using seeds would also make this salad nut-free)
Green onions: you could also use diced red onion or pickled red onion, or omit the onions entirely
dressing: you could also use balsamic, honey mustard or other favorite vinaigrettes
If dairy is in your life, this salad would be great with goat cheese, feta or blue cheese.
Cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before adding to the salad.
The roasted sweet potatoes can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The toasted, chopped pecans can be kept in an airtight container either in the fridge or at room temperature for up to a month.
The salad is best eaten immediately.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. The sweet potatoes will soften but everything else should maintain its texture.
Other recipes you might like:
- Sheet Pan Apple Cinnamon Chicken (Paleo, Whole30)
- Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad (Paleo, Whole30)
- Sweet Potato Salad – 3 ways (Paleo, Whole30)
- Sweet Potato, Apple and Sausage Stuffing (Paleo, Whole30)
- Pear and Pomegranate Salad (Paleo, Whole30)
Harvest Salad with Chicken (Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 5 oz. leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, arugula, kale or a mix
- 1½ pounds cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1 large apple, such as Fuji or Granny Smith
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
- 6 green onions (scallions), trimmed and thinly sliced
- Tahini Date Dressing (or your favorite dressing) see notes for link to recipe
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Trim off the dried ends of the sweet potatoes, then cut them into roughly 1/2" pieces. Add them to the baking sheet and toss with the oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, cumin and paprika until evenly coated.
- Roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
- Core and chop the apple into 1/2" pieces. (You don't want to do this too far in advance or the apple will brown.)
- Add the greens, chicken, apple, pecans and scallions and cooled sweet potatoes to a large bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the ingredients and give everything a good toss. You'll need about 1/2 cup of dressing to start with. Taste and add more salt or dressing, if necessary.
Notes
- sweet potatoes: you could use winter squash instead, such as butternut, delicata, kabocha, acorn, etc.
- spices: you can omit both the cumin and paprika if you like, or use other spices instead of or in addition to them, such as coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, etc.
- chicken: you can use leftover chicken (grilled, baked, etc.) or rotisserie chicken; you could use turkey, pork, salmon or steak instead as well
- apple: you can use whatever you like. Pears would also work well here. Just make sure they’re not too ripe – you don’t want a soft, mushy pear in your salad.
- pecans: use whatever nuts or seeds you like (if using seeds like pumpkin or sunflower, you’ll only need 1/3 cup; using seeds would also make this salad nut-free)
- green onions: you could also use diced red onion or pickled red onion, or omit the onions entirely
- dressing: you could also use balsamic, honey mustard or other favorite vinaigrettes
- If dairy is in your life, this salad would be great with goat cheese, feta or blue cheese.
Stacey says
I loved the chicken with the granny apples and some dinosaur kale. The tahini dressing was perfect with this salad.
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Oh, dinosaur kale would be perfect in this! Great idea.
ChihYu says
Elegant, beautiful and delicious! I love all of the flavors and textures! So comforting and filling but still light!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Thanks!
nancy says
what a satisfying harvest Salad with Chicken. i love that it packs lots of wholesome ingredients and the flavours are well balanced!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Thanks so much!