Tower12 Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette

Thank you to the creator of this dupe, my great friend, Kelly McCarthy! There will be no more gatekeeping of excellent kale salads.

Tower12 is a beachy, open air sports bar right off the Strand in Hermosa Beach, CA that we have been known to frequent on more than one occasion. Among other less favorable items on the menu, they have this one salad: a kale salad to end all kale salads—if you can really call it a salad. It’s essentially just peanuts, parmesan, and chicken with a side of kale, but that’s fine. Kelly made it at home once, and after begging her for the recipe, I perfected it myself.

Serves 3.

CHICKEN:

You have a few options.

1. Buy a pre-cooked organic rotisserie chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Then, I like to toss it in some of the Peanut Vinaigrette (so double it) and let it sit in the fridge.

2. Make your own shredded chicken (here is a simple recipe), and add some Bragg Ginger Sesame marinade into the pan while cooking. Once cooked and shredded, toss in some of the Peanut Vinaigrette and let sit in the fridge.

3. Marinate chicken breasts in Bragg Ginger Sesame marinade overnight, then grill per my Perfect Grilled Chicken cooking instructions. Rest, slice, and add to salad before tossing.

PEANUT VINAIGRETTE:

Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge. I like to double the dressing and have extra, especially if I want to toss the chicken in dressing before serving.

• 2 T organic creamy peanut butter (can sub almond or cashew butter)

• 2 T coconut aminos

• 2 T rice vinegar

• 1 T fresh lime juice

• 1 clove garlic, pressed

• 1 tsp grated/minced fresh ginger

• 1 tsp organic toasted sesame oil

• 1/4 tsp chili flakes

• 1/4 tsp pink salt

• pepper to taste

1. Add pressed garlic clove to blender/Nutri-Bullet and quickly blitz to mince.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Blitz until smooth.

SALAD:

• 2-3 bunches of curly green kale

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 1/2 - 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup organic grated parmesan (or use a microplane to grate if using a block)

• 1/2 cup organic peanuts, finely chopped

• 1/4 tsp pink salt

STEPS:

1. Prep/cook the chicken.

2. Make the peanut vinaigrette.

3. Make the salad base. Pull the kale leaves away from the tough stems. Before chopping, add to a salad spinner and wash, if desired. Dry the leaves. Then, bunch handfuls of kale leaves into a tight ball and use a knife to chop into very thin strips. Add to mixing bowl. Complete for the remainder of the kale.

4. Finely chop cilantro and scallions, and add to bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp pink salt.

5. Add pulled/grilled and chopped chicken to the bowl.

6. Add dressing. Start with 1/4 cup and toss well. Add more dressing in 1 Tablespoon increments to avoid overdoing it.

7. Once the greens are dressed, finely chop the peanuts. Top the salad with chopped peanuts and pre-grated or zested parmesan cheese.

8. Enjoy!