Apple Harvest Salad

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Apples are available all year long, but there is something extra special about apples during fall. This Apple Harvest Salad is the perfect way to use those crisp, delicious apples and fresh apple cider. Toss it all together with some crunchy pecans, crispy chicken, and sweet dried cranberries for a healthy meal even the kids will love…..

Don’t worry, this Apple Harvest Salad is not overly sweet. The sweet to tart ratio is pretty much perfect, with an added touch of cinnamon and spices to take you to fall-flavored heaven! 😉

Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to pound into even thickness…..

Mix the spices…..

together with the cassava flour and arrowroot starch on a large plate or dish. Dredge each chicken breast through the mixture to thoroughly coat both sides. Set aside……

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees…..

Remove to a plate and allow to rest.

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl…..

Core and chop the apple and toss with the dressing…..

Place the lettuce mixture in a large serving bowl. Add the pecans, pepitas, and dried cranberries…..

Slice the chicken and add it to the salad. Drizzle the dressing and the apple chunks over the salad and toss to combine…..

This Apple Harvest Salad is a nice, light and refreshing meal for any night of the week!

Notes: {may contain affiliate links}

• I tossed the apples with the dressing to keep them from turning brown.
• Substitute 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice for the spice mixture if you happen to have some on hand.
• If you are not concerned about paleo or whole 30, cheddar cheese chunks or crumbled feta cheese would be a nice addition.
• Substitute all-purpose flour for the cassava flour and arrowroot starch if you are not following a whole 30, paleo, or gluten-free diet.
• You can skip the flour combination all together if you prefer, or just use the seasoning straight on the chicken.
• If you do not have spring mix, any combination of lettuces will work.

More delicious and healthy salad recipes:

Superfood Salad with Sweet Onion Dressing

Kale Broccoli Detox Salad

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Asian Beef Salad

Grilled Caesar Salad

Chef’s Salad

This weekend I will be baking Cranberry-Orange Scones. What will you be making?

Enjoy!!

Apple Harvest Salad

This Apple Harvest Salad is crispy, crunchy, sweet, tart, healthy, and incredibly delicious! 

5 from 2 votes

Print

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: salad, apples, lettuce, spices, pecans, cranberries, dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 504kcal

Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Apple Cider Dressing

• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the Salad

• 8 cups spring mix lettuce
• 1 large Sweet Tango, Gala, or Honey Crisp apple, cored
• 2 Tablespoons pepitas/pumpkin seeds
• 3 Tablespoons pecan pieces
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened, dried cranberries

Instructions

• Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to pound until it is an even thickness.
• Mix the spices together with the cassava flour and arrowroot starch on a large plate or dish. Dredge each chicken breast through the mixture to thoroughly coat both sides. Set aside
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove to a plate and allow to rest.
• Mix the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Core and chop the apple, and toss with the dressing
• Place the lettuce mixture in a large serving bowl. Add the pecans, pepitas, and dried cranberries.
• Slice the chicken and add it to the salad. Drizzle the dressing and the apple chunks over the salad and toss to combine.

Notes

• I tossed the apples with the dressing to keep them from turning brown.
• Substitute 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice for the spice mixture if you happen to have some on hand.
• If you are not concerned about paleo or whole 30, cheddar cheese chunks or crumbled feta cheese would be a nice addition.
• Substitute all-purpose flour for the cassava flour and arrowroot starch if you are not following a whole 30, paleo, or gluten-free diet.
• You can skip the flour combination all together if you prefer, or just use the seasoning straight on the chicken.
• If you do not have spring mix, any combination of lettuces will work.

Nutrition

Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 973IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg