What We're Making: Warm Chicken, Bacon, Kale, and Sweet Potato Salad

During the cooler months we can have a tendency to forego salads in favor of heavier fare, but a recently discovered recipe is prompting us to reach for the winter greens. Hearty and filled with nutrient-packed ingredients, this warm chicken, bacon, kale, and sweet potato salad, which was created by Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Southern bistro Mozelle’s, is a perfect autumn or winter meal. We recommend making the delicious and filling dish for lunch, or having it for dinner with a side of bread or pasta and a glass of white wine. Here’s how to make it at home:

Chicken, Bacon, Kale, and Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients

For the salad

4 ounces pulled braised chicken (see below for ingredients for braised chicken or, if you’re pressed for time, simply buy a rotisserie chicken from your favorite local market)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped crispy applewood smoked bacon
2 ounces small diced sweet potatoes
4 ounces cannellini beans
2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon oil for sautéing
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons lemon herb vinaigrette (see below for ingredients)
Salt and pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan

For the braised chicken

1 yellow onion, medium diced
2 stalks of celery, medium diced
1 carrot, medium diced
2 cloves of garlic
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Marsala wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups white wine
2 ounces olive oil
1 sprig fresh thyme

For the lemon herb vinaigrette

1 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup olive oil

Instructions

To prepare the chicken: Place pot on medium heat and add oil. Sear chicken until golden brown on both sides, then remove chicken and set aside. Add celery, carrots, onions, and garlic to pot and sauté until tender and golden around the edges. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, and cover. Cook on stovetop over low heat for 2 hours, checking liquid level every 30 minutes. Shred chicken and place in refrigerator to cool.

To prepare the dressing: Place all ingredients except oil in blender and blend until fully incorporated. Slowly add oil and mix until smooth.

To prepare the salad: In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add oil and sweet potatoes, and cook until tender. Add bacon, chicken, and beans and sauté until hot. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add kale, cooking until it is lightly wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer salad to a bowl, drizzle with lemon herb vinaigrette, and top with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Mozelle’s is featured in The Scout Guide Triad—Greensboro, Winston-Salem, & High Point. Learn more about the southern bistro here.