This salad comes together quickly and works beautifully as a light dinner or a satisfying lunch. Leftover chicken combines with crunchy kale, nutty freekeh and bright pomegranate seeds for a fresh, flavourful dish.
It’s also an ideal make-ahead salad: the flavours meld and the kale softens as it sits, so it often tastes better the next day. Prepare it the evening before for an easy lunch or a fast weeknight dinner.
How to Make a Chicken Pomegranate Salad
If you’re using raw kale, massage it and let it rest before serving. Massaging breaks down the tough fibres and helps tenderize the leaves so they’re pleasant to eat.
To do this, drizzle the chopped kale with olive oil and season with salt. Use your hands to rub the oil and salt into the leaves; they’ll darken and shrink slightly. Leave the kale at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
While the kale rests, cook the freekeh. Place the freekeh in a small pot, cover with water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20–30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
I also like to toast the pine nuts for extra depth of flavour. Spread them on a rimmed baking tray and toast in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for about 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Remove when golden and fragrant.
When everything is ready, combine the kale, cooked freekeh and toasted pine nuts in a large bowl. Add shredded cooked chicken, pomegranate seeds, sultanas (golden raisins), thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta and chopped flat-leaf parsley and coriander (cilantro).
Dress the salad with a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette or your favourite dressing; the fruity, tangy notes pair especially well with these ingredients. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
Serve immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The salad will keep for up to 3 days and usually tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge.
Chicken, Kale & Pomegranate Salad with Feta & Freekeh
Ingredients
- 75 g (3 ½ cups) kale removed from stems & finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 80 g (½ cup) freekeh
- 30 g (¼ cup) pine nuts
- 250 g (2 cups) cooked chicken breast shredded
- 75 g (½ cup) pomegranate seeds from 1 pomegranate
- 30 g (¼ cup) pitted Kalamata olives roughly chopped
- 20 g (2 tbsp) sultanas/golden raisins
- 15 g (2 tbsp) feta crumbled
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 10 g (¼ cup) flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 5 g (¼ cup) fresh cilantro/coriander chopped
- Pomegranate molasses dressing
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Add the chopped kale to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Massage the kale vigorously with your hands and set it aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, place the freekeh in a small pot, cover with water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed tray and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
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Combine the kale, freekeh and pine nuts with the shredded chicken, pomegranate seeds, olives, feta, red onion, parsley and cilantro. Season with pepper, add the dressing and toss to combine. Serve right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This salad is a favourite for a quick, crunchy meal. The bright pomegranate and hearty freekeh give it a delicious balance of textures and flavours.
Looking for a great meal salad or have questions about the recipe? Leave a comment below.
