Harvest Bowl with Chicken (Print Version)

Nourishing bowl with roasted chicken, wild rice, sweet potatoes, crisp apples, kale, almonds, goat cheese, and balsamic dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 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 and 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 (Honeycrisp or Fuji variety), cored and diced

→ 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 Make It:

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 one half of the prepared 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 to 30 minutes, flipping sweet potatoes halfway through, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and sweet potatoes are tender. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips.
05 - Rinse wild rice under cold water. Combine rice with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 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 and combined.
07 - Combine chopped kale in a bowl with a drizzle of balsamic dressing and a pinch of salt. Massage with hands for 1 to 2 minutes until kale becomes tender.
08 - For each serving, begin with a bed of massaged kale. Top with cooked wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced chicken, diced apple, toasted almonds, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle additional dressing over the top.
09 - Distribute bowls immediately to individual plates and serve while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day cooking.
  • Every bite has a different texture and temperature, which makes eating it feel like an actual experience instead of just fuel.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble in minutes, perfect for those days when you want something impressive but easy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the kale massage—raw kale is tough and unpleasant, but even a quick massage with dressing and salt transforms it into something tender that actually wants to be eaten.
  • Cook your wild rice separately, never on the same pan as the chicken and sweet potatoes, because rice needs gentle simmering and your sheet pan is blasting heat that would ruin it.
03 -
  • Toast your almonds in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding them to the bowl; the extra step takes thirty seconds and doubles their flavor impact.
  • Don't dress the entire bowl before serving—let each person drizzle their own dressing so the kale doesn't continue wilting and everything stays at the texture they prefer.
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