Need a stunner holiday salad? This honey rosemary roast chicken spinach salad features juicy roast chicken, toasty nuts, dried cranberries, and a huge pile of beautiful roasted autumn vegetables!
I’m just sayin’, if you need a killer Thanksgiving salad to balance out all the gravy and mashed potatoes, I know a guy.
Yes, I’m aware November isn’t officially until tomorrow, buuuuuut…Thanksgiving food prep starts early around here. And we’ve got freaking good salads to chow down on.
Salads are probably the last thing you’re thinking about today with the mass quantities of candy everywhere you look, but let me argue my case >>>
We’ve got chicken + fall veg goodness all roasted up in a honey rosemary sauce. There’s cheese, there’s nuts, there’s dried cranberries. I promise there’s actually spinach somewhere in this salad too.
We love a good low-maintenance salad around here and this honey rosemary roast chicken spinach salad FITS THE BILL. The main prep of this salad involves cutting up all the fall veggies, tossin’ them and the chicken in a wicked good honey rosemary sauce, and sliding the whole deal into the oven for a bit.
Just enough time for you to toss some spinach, toast up some nuts, and accidentally eat all the dried cranberries and Parmesan while you wait!
Regardless…..this is one BEAUTY of a fall salad, guys. Whoever said salad on the Thanksgiving table is a bummer was lying through their teeth.
Your face. This spinach salad. Right now. Do it.
Honey Rosemary Roast Chicken Spinach Salad with Autumn Vegetables
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Ingredients
Roast Chicken and Vegetables
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 medium leek, small-diced
- 1/2 lb brussels sprouts, halved
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2-in cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Spinach Salad
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Roast Chicken and Vegetables
- In a small bowl, whisk rosemary, honey, Dijon, and vinegar together until smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until dressing is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Arrange chicken thighs, leeks, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle garlic on top.
- Divide rosemary sauce in half and set one half aside for tossing in the salad later. Drizzle the first half of sauce on top of chicken and vegetables.
- Roast chicken and vegetables at 375F 25-30 minutes until chicken registers 165F and vegetables are tender. Let cool slightly then cut chicken into bite-sized pieces
Spinach Salad
- Place spinach in a large bowl and toss with remaining rosemary sauce. Arrange chicken, vegetables, walnuts, cranberries, and Parmesan on top. Serve salad warm and enjoy!
Varieties Kitchen says
Oh my, I am making this over the weekend. Yummy! Cheers! and Bottoms up!
Aislinn says
What is the reddish purplish item in the salad bowl next to the walnuts?
Sarah says
Hi Aislinn – those are dried cranberries. I realize now that there’s a typo in the recipe and I neglected to include them! It’s been fixed now, thanks for bringing it to my attention!