Harvest Bowl with Chicken Wild Rice (Printable)

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

# What You 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 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, cored and diced (Honeycrisp or Fuji)

→ Toppings

13 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds
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

# Steps:

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. Remove from oven and let chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing.
05 - Rinse rice under cold water. Combine rice and water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a 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 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of dressing and add a pinch of salt. Massage for 1-2 minutes until kale becomes tender and wilted.
08 - Divide massaged kale among four bowls as the base. Top each with wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced chicken, diced apple, sliced almonds, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle remaining dressing over each bowl.
09 - Serve immediately while all components are at optimal temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of meal that feels indulgent but doesn't leave you in a food coma, which is the dream.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so dinner on a busy day becomes almost effortless.
  • The textures—crispy, creamy, crunchy, tender—keep every bite interesting and satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip massaging the kale—it's not just a trendy thing, it actually breaks down the tough fibers and makes it taste completely different in the best way.
  • The dressing is what ties everything together, so don't be shy with it, and make sure your balsamic is reasonably good quality because you can taste the difference immediately.
03 -
  • Toast your almonds in a dry skillet for a couple minutes before adding them—it brings out a deeper nuttiness that makes the whole bowl taste more intentional.
  • If your kale is particularly tough or you're serving someone who finds it off-putting, massage it longer and add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice to the dressing, which brightens everything and mellows the bitterness.
Go Back