This delicious kale chicken Caesar salad features fresh, tender kale, hearty plant-based chicken, and a velvety, rich vegan caesar dressing.

When even your kale-skeptic Dad starts questioning if it might be the best salad he’s ever had, you know it’s a win. You (and your Dad) will never look at kale the same after making this creamy, decadent kale chicken Caesar salad. It will redefine your salad experience and have you actually craving leafy greens. Crazy, we know.

The kale chicken Caesar salad is the perfect symphony of flavors. Experience the robust crunch of kale, expertly balanced with the velvety richness of Caesar dressing. Topped with plant-based chicken, it transforms into a full-blown meal that will have you craving it every night of the week. Trust us on this one.

We start by massaging the kale in a touch of lemon juice and salt. This simple yet effective process enhances the kale’s flavor and creates a chewy and tender texture. Moreover, this step is a great way to discover if you have any type of small cut on your hand as it will burn like a MF! You can use a glove or ask anyone nearby (probably best if you know them) to help. The chopped red onion, sliced cucumber, vegan parmesan, and capers are all tossed in along with the creamy vegan caesar. Top it all off with the breaded vegan chicken, extra parm, and a generous drizzle of dressing, and you’re golden.

What You Need

Curly Kale: it has sturdy and textured leaves which hold the creamy dressing nicely
Red Onion: chopped red onion adds the perfect bite
Cucumber: thinly sliced cucumber for freshness and crunch
Capers: for a bold, salty burst of flavor
Vegan Parm: grated parmesan creates a rich, savory, umami-like flavor to bring everything together. We love Violife Parm but use whatever cheese floats your boat.
Plant-Based Chicken: Feel free to use your favorite protein here. Gardein’s Ultimate Plant-Based Chick’n Filets is our favorite. They have a spicy version too that slaps, for all our spicy gals out there.
Creamy Vegan Caesar: an easy caesar dressing that is rich, velvety, and deeply satisfying.

Suggestions for the best Kale Caesar Salad

We said it before but here it is again… massage the kale. This really makes all the difference. You’ll know you’ve done it right once the leaves become glossy and deeper in color.

Don’t be afraid to make it ahead of time and pop it in the fridge. The kale will hold the dressing well and everything will meld together, keeping the salad crispy and fresh.

Salad haters? Take it up a notch and stuff this salad into a wrap. Boom, you have a portable version. Want more wraps – check out our banging Buffalo Tofu Wrap with Easy Vegan Ranch.

Kale Chicken Caesar Salad

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Author: Julie & Amy | Vibing Vegans
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2-3 1x

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Description

This delicious kale chicken Caesar salad features tender kale, crispy plant-based chicken, and a velvety, rich homemade caesar dressing. Hearty enough as a main meal or skip the chicken and enjoy the salad as a side!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Caesar Dressing, makes about 1 cup:

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon caper brine
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Optional: 1 tablespoon water

Kale Salad:

1 large bunch of curly kale
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 of a small red onion
1/2 english cucumber
Optional: 1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan cheese
Optional: 1 tablespoon capers
2 to 3 plant based chick’n patties

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Instructions

Caesar Dressing:

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl: Add the vegan mayo, tahini, lemon, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, caper brine, dijon, and cracked black pepper. Whisk to combine.

Salad:

Cook the chicken: Follow the provided instructions to cook the plant-based chicken.
Prepare the kale: Separate the kale leaves from the stems, then wash and chop (or tear) the leaves before placing them in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and salt. Massage the kale by hand until the leaves wilt and achieve a deeper green color.
Assemble the salad: Chop the red onion and cucumber and add them to the kale. Next, add the optional vegan parmesan and capers. Pour in 3/4 cup of dressing and mix well. Add more dressing depending on your preference.
Add plant-based chicken and serve: Cut the chicken into strips and serve on top of the dressed kale salad.

Notes

You don’t need to add salt to the dressing – the caper brine is salty and you’ll also be salting the kale to massage it.

Prep Time: 30
Category: Salad

Keywords: salad, caesar, vegan, chicken, plant-based chicken, healthy