Crispy Kale Chip Salad with Grilled Corn Salsa

This recipe was inspired by my partnership with Hen House Markets. All ideas and opinions are my own!

Crispy Kale Chip Salad with Grilled Corn Salsa:

It’s corn season people! When life gives you 12 ears of corn in your Hen House Market CSA, you get a lil crafty. By a lil crafty, I mean… you eat corn, everyday, with every meal. My Midwestern heart didn’t complain even though my low carb lifestyle did. YOLO. As much as I love (and I really mean LOVE) some corn on the cob, I wanted to try and incorporate this with some of my other goodies I got a few weeks back in my CSA. Besides an insane amount of fresh corn, I received kale. Kale to me is a little dense, a little rubbery, and typically not my first choice as a base for a salad. Thus the crispy part. If you haven’t checked out my Grilled Kale Chips recipe yet, do so now. I’ll wait.

Cool. Making Grilled Kale Chips as the lettuce base for this salad was out of this world. You get that crispy, smoky, salty crunch (any other chip addicts here) that goes so well with the Grilled Corn Salsa. Top it all off with some blackened chicken and chipotle mayo dressing and this salad basically kicks all the other salads butt’s. Check out the complete recipe for Crispy Kale Chip Salad with Grilled Corn Salsa below and read on for the tips and tricks!

“School” Supplies:

Grill
Knife/ Cutting Board
Mixing Bowls
Measuring Spoons
Baking Sheet or Tray

“Class” Notes:

The Grilling-

Fire up the grill! This salad is easy to prep and all the cooking can be done outside on the grill. I start with the corn first. I grill the corn by gently pulling back the husk and leaving it intact. Remove the “hair” and pull the husk back up. I run it under water and throw em on the grill like this on indirect heat. While these cool, I make the Grilled Kale Chips over the side of my grill I use for direct heat. Remove and set aside on a tray of baking sheet (probably snack on a few too because they’re addictive). When the corn is almost tender, I like to gt a nice bit of smoky char to it. Carefully, peel the husk back and place the ears over direct heat and turn periodically till it gets some char. Remove and allow it to cool. Next, grill the seasoned chicken breast. Cook till the internal temperature reaches 165F and remove and allow it to rest before slicing (this prevents the juices from being lost and keeps it tender).

Salad Assembly:

When all the grilled components have been completed, prep the corn salsa. Cut the corn from the cob and add to a bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro, onion, and garlic. Mix in some Chipotle Mayo and season as needed. In a bowl, place a base of Grilled Kale Chips, some corn salsa, sliced blackened chicken (I bet shrimp or even salmon would be amazing too), and top with a bit more corn salsa and lime juice. Sprinkle everything with some cotija cheese or queso fresco and a little more cilantro. This salad does best when eaten right away. I also love to add extra cooked chicken to the corn salsa and make a fiesta chicken salad out of it too!

Switch things up, get creative, and try this Crispy Kale Chip Salad with Grilled Corn Salsa out this summer! Love summer salads? Check out my Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata or this incredible Southwestern Fiesta Salad with Avocado Dressing.