Smoky Brown Sugar Salmon Salad
with Kale, Apple, Roasted Carrots, Sunflower Seeds & Honey Dijon Dressing
- Fish
- Eggs
Bourbon in a salad? Sounds crazy, we know. But, don’t worry—you won’t be raiding your liquor cabinet for this meal! Our Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning brings sweetness and depth of flavor to pan-seared chicken. It's served over tender kale packed with roasted carrots, dried cranberries, and crisp apple slices, then topped with sunflower seeds for crunch and a honey Dijon drizzle to complement the spiced bourbon chicken. Trust us—it’s worth a shot!
Ingredients
6 ounce
Carrots
4 ounce
Kale
1 unit
Apple
10 ounce
Salmon
(Contains: Fish)
10.8 g
Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning
1 ounce
Dried Cranberries
3 ounce
Honey Dijon Dressing
(Contains: Eggs)
½ ounce
Sunflower Seeds
Not included in your delivery
2 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. • Roast on top rack until lightly browned and tender, 20-25 minutes. • Let cool for at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard any large stems from kale; chop into bite- size pieces. Halve, core, and thinly slice half the apple (whole apple for 4 servings).
• Place kale in a large bowl and lightly season with salt. Using your hands, massage kale (similar to how you would knead dough), until leaves are tender, 30-60 seconds. TIP: To make kale even more tender, add a drizzle of olive oil along with salt before massaging.
• Pat chicken* dry with paper towels and season all over with Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning, salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side. • Transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 5 minutes.
Swap in salmon* for chicken. Cook salmon (skin sides down) until skin is crisp, 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate to rest.https://img.hellofresh.com/recipes/62f29aed0e43ddd4f206c3d2/step-9dd4706b.jpg
• Add cranberries, roasted carrots, and sliced apple to bowl with kale. Season with salt and pepper. • Reserve a half packet of dressing (whole packet for 4 servings) in a small bowl for serving. Drizzle salad with remaining dressing to taste; toss to combine.
• Thinly slice chicken crosswise. • Divide salad between bowls and top with chicken. Drizzle with reserved dressing. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve.
Serve salmon atop salad.
Salmon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the delightful combination of sweet and savory flavors, especially with salmon 🐟. Some found the bourbon seasoning too salty.
- Ease of prep: Quick and simple to prepare, though a few suggested baking the salmon instead of pan-frying to reduce smokiness.
- Suggestions: Consider using less seasoning on the protein, and try raw carrots for added crunch instead of roasting.
- Portions: Some found the servings a bit small for a main dish, but others felt the portion size was perfect.
- Versatility: Works well with both salmon and chicken; many enjoyed the option to swap proteins.
Reviews from our home cooks
I appreciate the kale was already chopped. The recipe should have been more specific about how much seasoning to use on the protein. Would have been better to bake the salmon with the carrots at least that way they would have been done at the same time.
Such a great combo of flavours with the salmon. Easy to make and the portion size was perfect.
First time I'm able to eat kale not in a smoothie. This recipe is golden!! Is definitely on the try again list
Man this had way more flavor than thought it would. Love the salad paired with fish
Saved this recipe. I had no idea that roasted carrots were so good in a salad.. Yum!
Delicious!! And so easy! I baked my salmon as I was already using the oven and it was fantastic!
Love this one! I feel like I am eating in a restaurant! Wonderful balance of flavors! However my carrot was kind of mushy and had to throw half away before roasting it. I have ordered it twice because it is so good!
Absolutely delicious. Just the salmon itself was wonderful. My husband baked instead of pan frying. My 10 year daughter said it was the best hello fresh ever.
This was very light and nutritious - my favorite healthy, salad-based meal so far!
Love the honey mustard dressing! Wish you sold it separately. Perfect amount with the kit. Tastes great with fish. Will order this over and over :)
