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Italian Kale, Chickpea, Chicken & Couscous Salad

Italian Kale, Chickpea, Chicken & Couscous Salad

with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Herby Panko & Parmesan

Recipe Development Team
Recipe Development TeamUpdated on November 21, 2025

Think kale salad is so 2010s? Not if you make it like we do! First you’ll massage the leaves with salt until tender, add juicy tomato and springy couscous, and top it all off with crunchy Italian-seasoned roasted chickpeas for savory crunch. The salad is tossed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette, and sprinkled with buttery, herby toasted panko breadcrumbs and lots of Parmesan cheese. We’d go so far as to say that this plant-based dinner is so now!

Tags:
Easy Prep
Allergens:
Milk
Wheat

The quantities provided above are averages only.

Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

Total Time25 minutes
Prep Time5 minutes
DifficultyMedium
serving amount

10 ounce

Chopped Chicken Breast

1 unit

Chickpeas

4 ounce

Kale

1 tablespoon

Italian Seasoning

3 tablespoon

Parmesan Cheese

(Contains: Milk)

1 unit

Tomato

¼ cup

Panko Breadcrumbs

(Contains: Wheat)

5 teaspoon

Balsamic Glaze

2 teaspoon

Dijon Mustard

¾ cup

Israeli Couscous

(Contains: Wheat)

Not included in your delivery

2 tablespoon (tbsp)

Olive Oil

1 teaspoon (tsp)

Cooking Oil

1 tablespoon (tbsp)

Butter

(Contains: Milk)

teaspoon (tsp)

Salt

teaspoon (tsp)

Black Pepper

/ per serving
Calories970 kcal
Fat38 g
Saturated Fat9 g
Carbohydrate97 g
Sugar18 g
Dietary Fiber10 g
Protein56 g
Cholesterol125 mg
Sodium940 mg
Due to the different suppliers we purchase our products from, nutritional facts per meal can vary from the website to what is received in the delivered box, depending on your region.
Strainer
Paper Towel
Baking Sheet
Small pot
Medium Pan
Large Bowl
Small Bowl
Whisk

Cooking Steps

Roast Chickpeas
1
  • Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce.

  • Drain and rinse chickpeas; pat very dry with paper towels.

  • Toss chickpeas on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, half the Italian Seasoning (you’ll use more in the next step), salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until chickpeas are golden and tender, 18-20 minutes. (It’s natural for chickpeas to pop a bit while roasting.)

Make Couscous
2
  • Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine couscous, 1 cup water, 1 tsp Italian Seasoning (you’ll use the rest in the next step), and a pinch of salt (use 2 cups water and 2 tsp Italian Seasoning for 4 servings); bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low; cook until tender, 6-8 minutes.

  • Drain couscous if necessary; transfer to a plate to cool.

Toast Panko
3
  • While couscous cooks, melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add panko, remaining Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toast, stirring, until light golden, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate (panko mixture will darken as it cools).

Prep & Massage Kale
4
  • Remove and discard any large stems from kale; chop into bite-size pieces. Dice tomato.

  • Transfer kale to a large bowl; season with a pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage kale (similar to how you would knead dough) until leaves are tender, 1 minute. TIP: Don’t skip this step—massaging helps the kale leaves wilt slightly, lending a tender (never fibrous!) texture.

Make Dressing
5
  • In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic glaze, mustard, and 2 TBSP olive oil (4 TBSP for 4 servings) until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & Serve
6
  • To bowl with kale, add tomato, cooled couscous, roasted chickpeas, and dressing. Toss until evenly coated; taste and season with salt and pepper.

  • Divide salad between bowls; top with herby panko and Parmesan. Serve.

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