Harvest Bowl with Chicken (Print Version)

Vibrant bowl featuring roasted chicken, wild rice, sweet potatoes, kale, apples, almonds, goat cheese, and 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 & 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

# How to Prepare:

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 rice under cold water. Combine rice and water or broth in saucepan. Bring to 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 - Massage chopped kale with a drizzle of dressing and a pinch of salt for 1-2 minutes until softened.
08 - For each serving, create a bed of massaged kale. Layer with wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced chicken, diced apple, toasted almonds, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic dressing.
09 - Serve immediately while components retain optimal temperature and texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, with roasting and rice cooking at the same time so you're not stuck in the kitchen for hours.
  • The flavors somehow balance perfectly—earthy, sweet, tangy, and creamy all happening in one bowl without fighting each other.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making it the kind of meal that rewards meal prep without tasting like leftover salad.
02 -
  • If you skip massaging the kale, it will taste tough and unpleasant no matter what else you do—those two minutes of hand work completely transforms it from a health chore into something you actually want to eat.
  • Don't add the apple to the bowl until you're about to eat it, or it will brown and lose its crisp appeal, which is half the reason it's in there in the first place.
03 -
  • Toast your almonds in a dry pan for three minutes before adding them to the bowl—this elevates their flavor from pleasant to genuinely memorable.
  • Make double the dressing and store it in a jar because you'll find yourself drizzling it on toast, grain bowls, and roasted vegetables all week long.
Return