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Are you ready for a Roasted Veggie Salad with Skinny Jalapeno Ranch Dressing?!
Soooo, it’s like 10 degrees here in Iowa today and that temperature makes me want to never touch another cold salad or veggie for the rest of my days! Cold December weather makes me want to eat heavy comforting soups and stews and casseroles and dips and sip on hot chocolate all day long! I don’t know about you, but I find it a challenge to eat all my veggies this time of year. In the summer it’s no problem because there are soooo many yummy fresh veggies available that all I need is a little hummus to dip them in and I’m good. And I NEEEDZ my veggies or I kind of start to go crazy! True story!
Enter Roasted Veggie Salad with Skinny Jalapeno Ranch Dressing! Adding roasted veggies to your salad is an easy way to transform a salad into a warm, comforting meal. I decided to use hearty kale because it holds up nicely against the warm veggies, unlike spinach, which would wilt. Freshly pan-seared chicken turns this salad into a hearty meal, plus a few shelled pistachios for a good crunch. Texture is everything when it comes to making a satisfying salad.
I haven’t even gotten to the best part about this salad! The Skinny Jalapeno Ranch Dressing! Seriously so happy about this stuff! Over the summer I made my Skinny Ranch Dip, which is perfect for all your veggie dipping needs. I thought why not turn it into a pour-able dressing for salads and while I’m at it why not throw in a little pickled jalapeno for a tiny kick?! Yes and YES!!! It’s creamy, with all the tangy ranch spices that we know and love and that little spice from the jalapeno! Trust me, it goes really well with this salad! Or pretty much any salad for that matter. The base of the ranch is nice creamy Greek yogurt which adds that tang we are looking for without all the fattening heavy cream most ranch is made with.
For this salad I chose to roast broccoli and cauliflower BUT you could use any kind of roasted veggies you prefer. Sweet potatoes would be amazing, carrots, or Brussels Sprouts. Or just roast all of the veggies! What I’m saying is that you can’t go wrong here. This Roasted Veggie Salad is there for you when you need to clean out your veggie drawer – use what you have on hand. You could also swap the pan seared chicken for some leftover pre-cooked chicken, or some quinoa to keep things vegan. The most important thing here is to get something warm on top of that salad so you actually WANT to eat it your veggies when it’s only 10 degrees outside! It makes all the difference in the world! Well and that creamy, spicy Skinny Jalapeno Ranch Dressing doesn’t hurt.
Toasty, cozy roasted veggies + Skinny Jalapeno Ranch dressing forever and always! Well at least while it’s cold outside!
Roasted Veggie Salad with Skinny Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Entree, Salad
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
Description
This salad is a great way to make sure you are eat your veggies on cold days. It’s warm, comforting, and customizable. I used roasted broccoli and cauliflower but any roasted veggies you prefer would work.
Ingredients
- VEGGIES:
- 1 medium broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- PAN SEARED CHICKEN:
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts
- FOR THE KALE:
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- pinch of salt
- SKINNY JALAPENO RANCH DRESSING:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used fat free)
- 2 to 3 pickled jalapenos + 1 teaspoon brine (if you don’t like spicy you can omit the jalapenos and brine for a plain ranch dressing)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoonranch spice mix
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- Shelled pistachios
- Sliced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the broccoli and cauliflower to 1 large rimmed baking sheet or divide up among 2 smaller baking sheets. The veggies shouldn’t be on top of each other. Sprinkle with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to combine and lay the veggies in an even layer.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. The veggies should be nice and tender and slightly charred and crispy.
- PAN SEARED CHICKEN:
- While the veggies are roasting get the pan seared chicken going. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and allow it to heat. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side. Place the chicken breast, seasoned side down on the hot skillet. Sprinkle salt and pepper on other side of the chicken while it’s in the pan.
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side. The chicken should release easily from the pan and have a nice char on the outside. The internal temperature should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cooked remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thick strips.
- FOR THE KALE:
- Add the kale to a medium sized mixing bowl along with the olive oil and salt. Use your clean hands to massage the kale until it breaks down a little. This step is really important to help the kale from being too tough and bitter. Set the kale aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.
- SKINNY JALAPENO RANCH DRESSING:
- To a blender add the Greek yogurt, jalapenos plus brine, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon water, and salt. Blend until everything is smooth. Add one more teaspoon of water if too thick.
- Add the ranch spice mix and pulse until the spices are well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. More salt or more ranch spice mix. Set aside.
- ASSEMBLE:
- Prepare any of the optional toppings, if using.
- Divide the kale between two bowls. To each bowl arrange each chicken breast, add a good helping of the roasted veggies and add the pistachios and or avocado, if using. Serve the ranch dressing in a small jar or salad container, or bowl with spoon to drizzle as needed. Serve immediately.
- NOTE: This salad is for 2 servings with the kale and the chicken breasts. However, you will probably have ranch dressing and some roasted veggies leftover (which is never a bad thing). They make a good salad on their own, just the two of them.
Notes
You can roast up any kind of veggies you prefer. Sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and carrots would all be good options. Keep in mind that their cook time may vary depending on the veggie.
You could easily swap the chicken breast for cooked quinoa for a vegetarian option.
The Nutrition facts are a rough estimate because you most likely will have cauliflower, broccoli, and ranch dressing leftover. Also, I did not include the optional toppings.
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