Keepin' Recipes Real with Christie Vetter 

I love a good “build your own bowl” dinner on a weeknight, and this Chopped Greek Kale Salad Bowl doesn’t disappoint. These bowls give everyone in my big family a chance to customize their dinner. My little ones like having the independence to get creative with their dinner, my husband can pick and choose what he wants to include, and I only have to prepare one quick meal. I’m sure my fellow busy mamas out there will appreciate this flexible recipe. 

Swap out the quinoa for cauliflower rice, and omit the feta, and you’ve got yourself a delicious Whole30 approved meal! Leave out the chicken and feta, and you’ve got a vegan delight! The ingredients taste so fresh, and the vibrant colors and nutrition of the ingredients make me feel good about feeding this meal to my family. Kale and quinoa are nutrient dense “superfoods” and are both excellent to eat during this time of year to boost your immune system and help you to stay healthy. 

When it comes to food, “quick” often means “unhealthy,” but not with Tessemae’s. Tessemae’s dressing is my secret weapon and the perfect “skip-a-step” tool that lets me quickly add pre-made fresh flavor with the healthiest ingredients to any meal. It saves me the work of having to whip up my own homemade dressing and is a total weeknight dinner game changer! 

I’ve added this recipe into our weekly rotation because it is perfect to pack for my husband’s lunch the next day, and I even sent a deconstructed version in my kindergartner’s lunch box, with the dressing on the side for dipping. The ingredients are all pretty “hearty” and keep well in the fridge, even when dressed. This is also an excellent “Sunday meal prep” meal. I set myself up for success by cooking with intention once, and am able to eat healthy lunches all week! 

Serves 4-6 

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes 
 

What you need:

6 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons Tessemae’s Lemon Garlic Dressing
1 cup uncooked quinoa (yields 3 cups cooked)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 mini cucumbers, sliced in half and chopped thin 
1 cup pine nuts 
1 cup Kalamata olives pitted and sliced 
½ cup crumbled feta cheese 
4 cups kale, stems removed and chopped
½ cup Tessemae’s Greek Dressing 
8 Pepperoncini for garnish 
Sea salt and Black Pepper to taste 

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place 6 chicken breasts on a grill pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of Lemon Garlic dressing, and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. 
3. When the oven is warm, cook chicken until cooked through (a thermometer registers 165F when inserted in the thickest part) for around 30 minutes, flipping once. 
4. While the chicken cooks, prepare the quinoa and the toppings for the bowl. Rinse 1 cup of quinoa until water runs clear and place in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat, and cover until quinoa is soft and fluffy, for about 15 minutes.
5. While the quinoa cooks, seed the red bell pepper and chop. Slice the cucumbers in half and chop thinly. Place pine nuts, kalamata olives, feta, and pepperoncini in separate bowls to get ready to build. 
6. De-stem the kale and chop finely. Place chopped kale in a large salad bowl, pour the Tessemae’s Greek dressing in and sprinkle with sea salt. With clean hands, massage the kale until it becomes soft and somewhat wilted. 
7. When chicken is finished cooking, slice it thinly and serve warm, alongside the quinoa, in an assembly line of toppings. 
8. Layer wilted kale, quinoa, red peppers, cucumbers, pine nuts, and feta, (or any combo of your liking) and toss. Top with warmed chicken and pepperoncini and serve. 

*Note: The massaged kale should have enough dressing to coat all of the toppings once added to the bowl, but I always bring the bottle of Tessemae’s Greek dressing to the table in case someone wants a little more.