One thing my city’s really missing is a salad bar type place. No, not like Bonanza (however, I can’t tell you how obsessed I was with their chips and florescent-orange nacho cheese sauce as a kid!) rather, a fast-casual restaurant with loads of different lettuces and grains to choose from – kale, spinach, arugula, quinoa, etc. – and a buffet of toppings and dressings to really jazz things up. Oh, and someone to make it for you. Salads always taste better when they’re made by somebody else!
If a place like this existed near me I’d undoubtedly eat there a minimum of 3 times a week for lunch or dinner…and consequently go broke. #worthit
That being said, I was pumped when Ben’s mom pointed out a salad bar spot to hit up for lunch when we were out and about in DC a couple weeks ago called Sweetgreen. With several locations in and around the DC area, Sweetgreen sources local and organic ingredients, even posting which farms they’ve come from on chalkboards around the restaurant. How cool is that?
They’ve got tons of unique salad options on the menu, plus the opportunity to create your own blend, but my eye was caught by their Wild Rice Bowl – a special of the month.
Warm wild rice is tossed with shredded kale, apples, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, chicken, goat cheese and your choice of dressing. It was freaking AMAZING. It came in a gigantic bowl and I ate every last morsel. As with many vacation meals that I enjoy, I couldn’t wait to get home and recreate.
Although I had to make it myself, I think I enjoyed the homemade version even more than the original! Maybe it’s because I really slathered on the Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette, which is sweet, tart, and tangy. Sweetgreen gave me the option of going light, medium, or heavy on the dressing and I went with “medium”. A rookie mistake. I mean, the salad was obviously yummy enough to inspire me to make it at home but it was even better when I really slathered on the good stuff.
In addition to the dressing, this combo of ingredients makes you want to keep eating and eating wishing the bowl never ended. Crunchy, chewy, sweet, savory, warm, cold…I’m in love. This recipe makes two HUGE bowls too, so tell the salad hater in your life to stuff it – literally. They won’t be able to eat another drop after polishing off this bowl o’ deliciousness!
Start by cooking 1 cup wild rice blend (Lundberg is my favorite!) in 2 cups chicken broth until just barely tender, about 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat then let the rice steam with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes. This is my secret to perfect wild and brown rice! After steaming, remove the lid then let the rice cool down until it’s just warm.
Meanwhile, season 1 chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder then saute in a nonstick sprayed skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate then set aside.
Last thing to make is the Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette – this is a riff on the Honey-Balsamic dipping sauce I pair with my California Quesadillas and it’s, as they say, totally legit. To a jar with a tight fitting lid add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 microplaned or minced garlic clove, salt and pepper then shake to combine. Dressing = done!
Finally, get your kale ready. You’ll need 4 cups chopped kale which is about 3-4 big kale leaves. I used curly kale, because that’s what SweetGreen used, but you can use whatever you like!
Just tear the leaves off the thick, woody stem then shred with a knife.
Make sure to rinse and spin after chopping. Curly kale is notorious for having dust and dirt stuck in the leaves, in my experience.
Ok, time to assemble. To a BIG bowl add the warm rice and chicken, along with 1/4 cup each sliced almonds and dried cranberries. I did this in two batches because I didn’t have a big enough bowl.
Next add 1 chopped apple and 2oz crumbled chevre. Be sure to leave the chevre crumbles kind of big so you get yummy cheese pockets within the bowls. Mmm…cheese pockets. Finally, add the chopped kale and vinaigrette. Now, normally you’d have to massage curly kale a bit to make it easier to eat, but the warm rice takes care of it for you, softening the kale just slightly.
Toss with tongs until everything is coated in the dressing then scoop into big, big bowls and dig in!
free email bonus!
5 Day Clean Eating Guide
Fresh and craveable recipes + healthy eating tips!
Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette
Description
Gluten-free Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette are hearty but fresh and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt, pepper and garlic powder
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 1 apple, chopped
- 2oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- For the Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, microplaned or finely minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium-sized pot then add rice, place a lid on top, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until tender, 35-40 minutes. Remove from heat then let sit for 10 minutes to continue steaming, then fluff and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, combine ingredients for Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette in a jar or small bowl then shake or whisk to combine and set aside.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder then saute in a non-stick sprayed skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate then set aside.
- In a very large bowl combine warm rice, chicken, kale, apple, goat cheese, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds. Drizzle with vinaigrette then toss with tongs to evenly coat and then serve. May need to do this in two batches.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
There’s that chevre pocket I was telling you about, which gets warm and creamy on the outside from the rice, but stays cold and intact in the center. INSANE!!
Our son made this salad for us Saturday evening, and it was WONDERFUL and full of flavor! I blogged about it and shared a link to the recipe. This is a “must try” recipe!
[…] Flat bread/Tortilla Easiest Vegan Banana Bread & PB and Jam Spelt Loaf Quinoa Pizza Bites Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette Can you tell I have a sweet […]
I just made this, I left off the cheese due to a dairy allergy, it was even awesome without the chicken. Thanks for sharing, this is one of our new favorites.
[…] excited to try these kale & wild rice bowls with the leftover […]
[…] friend of mine showed me this recipe and I can’t wait to try […]
I can’t wait to try this! I don’t have all of the exact ingredients but I’ll be subbing brown rice for the wild rice and using left over chicken and beef from our kabobs from yesterday! Fingers crossed it tastes as good as it sounds and looks! :) Thanks for another good one!
[…] for a soup, or use it in salad with toasted pecans and dried apricots. Ever since coming across Kristen’s Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette; I can’t stop thinking about recreating […]
[…] WILD RICE, AND CHICKEN BOWLS WITH HONEY-BALSAMIC DRESSING (slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats) Ingredients for the salad: 1 cup wild rice blend 2 cups chicken broth 1 chicken breast, cut into […]
This is SERIOUSLY delicious! I doubled the recipe for my family of 4 (me and 3 boys) and we’ll have plenty for tomorrow night too! I also subbed bleu cheese since I’m not a chèvre fan – really yummy still! Thanks for this great, healthy and SIMPLE recipe! This will be a summer staple for us!
This looks delicious. Can I makes it he night before?
Hey Teri! I’ve tried making it the night before but I bet it’d still be delicious!
[…] Recipe: I make a lot of Iowa Girl Eats recipes, but her Kale and Wild Rice Bowls are my absolute favorite. Perfect balance of kale to chicken to wild rice paired with savory and […]
Thanks for the warning about the volume of food. I cut the recipe in half, and I’m eating it out of my mixing bowl. Every bite is crispy and chewy and sweet and YUM. Thank you!
[…] –This amazing salad […]
[…] kale and wild rice bowl with honey-balsamic vinaigrette is amazing! I made a few alterations, but nothing major. I added more spinach than kale (Randy […]
[…] love all of the crunch and flavor in these kale & wild rice bowls with honey balsamic […]
[…] purple basil for color, roasted tomatoes for warmth, and honey balsamic vinaigrette dressing (from Iowa Girl Eats) to tie it all […]
[…] Adapted from http://iowagirleats.com/2014/04/16/kale-and-wild-rice-bowls-with-honey-balsamic-vinaigrette/ […]
[…] this summery salad recipe for months after spying it on the sweetgreen menu in DC when we visited earlier this spring. While sweetgreen’s version includes spicy broccoli and corn, white cheddar cheese, and […]
[…] Wednesday – Kale Wild Rice Bowls with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette […]
[…] from Iowa Girl Eats Tweet Pin […]
[…] I made a giant batch of my latest favorite salad for quick grab-and-go lunches throughout the […]
[…] Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette […]
[…] Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette […]
This dish is fabulous!! I made it tonight for my family and it was a hit!! We will be making this again and again and again!!!
[…] – I stumbled across what is shaping up to be my new favorite food blog – Iowa Girl Eats. I did a few modifications to this Kale and Wild Rice bowl recipe, but it turned out amazing. […]
This sounds just about perfect. I’ll be adding it to my Real Food Meal Plan next week!
[…] and Quinoa Bowls with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette (inspired by Iowa Girls Eats)IngredientsFor the salad:- 1 cup quinoa- 2 cups water- 6 turkey bacon strips, torn into bite-sized […]
[…] My mason jar lunch pick of the week is Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette […]
Such a great recipe! Made this last night and loved it. I substituted toasted, chopped walnuts for the almonds and Gorgonzola for the goat cheese. So good!
So when I originally read this recipe I pinned it for future use thinking when I start eating healthier I will make this. I decided tonight was the night to try it and OMG! It’s delicious! I love all the flavor combinations. You knocked it out of the park with this one! Oh, and my 1 yr old liked it too (although not the kale).
[…] Kale and Wild Rice Bowl – This looks so good, that I’m contemplating making it instead of pizzas now. […]
[…] 3. Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette […]
[…] Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette by Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Kale and wild rice bowl with honey-balsamic vinaigrette from Iowa Girl Eats […]
We use smoked chicken with this salad and it is AMAZING. I know you mentioned using your smoker so I thought I would pass along a quick suggestion. We usually smoke 2-3 chickens, cut them up, freeze and then use in various ways. This salad is my favorite use!
[…] Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe from Iowa Girl Eats) […]
I have been bringing this for lunch the past two weeks! It’s so good. I used pecans instead of almonds because I already had them. This is perfect for lunch because putting the dressing on in the morning helps “soften” the kale by the time I eat it for lunch. So good!!
This looks and sounds amazing. My friends (and fiancé) joke how I make them eat greens when they eat at the house but hey greens are delicious (and good for you) and this looks absolutely delicious.
I would like to make this for a work event. I would need to make it the night before. Would you advise me to assemble the whole thing the night before and then serve? Or should I keep the pieces separate, heat up the rice, then assemble right before eating?
I would keep everything separate then heat/assemble right before serving. I hope you and your coworkers enjoy!
Can you think of anyway to make this in advance for a dinner party?
Hi Meredith! I think you could cook/chop everything ahead of time but the rice/apple, then finish up and assemble right before your guests come.
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
Oh, my gosh, I finally made this, and it was delicious! I used a maple, whole grain mustard dressing instead, and it was perfect.
I love this salad! So far I love all your salads! Delicious!
The first time I made this I knew nothing about kale. It immediately became a favorite that I passed on to everyone and make it myself twice a month. I change it up sometimes but the basic remains the same. Great using good maple syrup, or adding red onion or grapes. Love it. Thank you!
I have to comment because I make this salad just about every other week. Its my favorite salad in the entire world, and I think I will make this the rest of my life.
Everyone who tries it raves about it. I’ve had to share you recipe several times because its such a hit.
[…] standard balsamic vinaigrette along with a recipe I’ve made a number of […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]