Harvest Bowl with Wild Rice (Printer View)

Hearty bowl with roasted chicken, wild rice, sweet potatoes, kale, apples, almonds, and goat cheese in balsamic dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Grains

05 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice
06 - 2 cups water or chicken broth

→ Vegetables and Fruit

07 - 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
12 - 1 medium apple, cored and diced (Honeycrisp or Fuji recommended)

→ Toppings

13 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
14 - 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

→ Balsamic Dressing

15 - 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
16 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - 1 teaspoon honey
19 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
20 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss diced sweet potato with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread on half of the baking sheet.
03 - Rub chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place on the other half of the baking sheet.
04 - Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping sweet potatoes halfway through, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and sweet potatoes are tender. Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes, then slice.
05 - Rinse wild rice under cold water. Combine rice and water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until tender. Drain any excess liquid.
06 - Whisk together balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
07 - Toss chopped kale with a drizzle of balsamic dressing and a pinch of salt. Massage for 1-2 minutes until tender.
08 - Divide massaged kale evenly among four bowls. Layer with wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced chicken, diced apple, sliced almonds, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with additional balsamic dressing.
09 - Serve immediately while components are still warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts on one sheet while the rice simmers, so cleanup is shockingly simple.
  • The sweet apple and tangy goat cheese balance the earthy kale in a way that makes each bite interesting.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge, so you can pack it for lunch without it turning soggy.
  • You can swap ingredients based on what you have, and it still turns out delicious every time.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken, the first time I sliced it right away, all the juices ran out and the meat was dry.
  • Massage the kale longer than you think you need to, it transforms from tough and bitter to tender and mild.
  • If your sweet potatoes aren't browning, spread them out more, crowding traps steam and they'll stay pale and soft.
03 -
  • Toast the almonds in a dry skillet for three minutes over medium heat, they'll taste twice as good.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the goat cheese into ribbons instead of crumbling it, it looks more elegant and melts beautifully into the warm ingredients.
  • Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar, it's fantastic on roasted vegetables and simple green salads all week long.
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