Kale Caesar Chicken Salad with Tater Tot Croutons

Howdy.

So this isn't a recipe, but more of an idea that really works for my family. Maybe it will work for you too, as the summer comes to a close and you still don't want to eat something heavy. I eat salad all the time - honestly like 6 times a week I have a salad for either lunch or dinner. Salad is my friend. It keeps the scale happy and its cold perfect summer food. Getting more veggies into my family hasn't been so easy until I came across this idea. These large juicy chunks of chicken, and crunchy tater tots that my family loves turn this idea into a fun and filling meal. Dipping tater tots into ketchup and ranch is only a stepping stone from having them dipped into a bit of caesar dressing. Its ranch with an attitude :) 

My last sandwich recipe was how to turn a chicken caesar salad into a sub and it was awesome. This time I am playing with the original caesar salad idea, by switching up the greens and croutons. Instead of romaine lettuce and I am using baby organic kale. Instead of crunchy croutons I am using tater tots. Yes tater tots in the salad. It will taste similar to dipping french fries into ranch dressing. Its good I promise. Plus it will get your kids excited about eating more veggies. 

So this isn't a super healthy meal if are looking for non processed stuff. It uses store bought tater tots and salad dressing, but its refreshing, tasty, and great lighter summer meal. Processed foods are a give and take thing my house. Especially when my husband is working nights, I am trying to feed the kids and myself alone, and the little crawling one is crawling and getting into everything, and I am still exhausted from the night before's little one waking up because he wants more milk.... yada yada yada.  #betterthanfastfood #morecoffeeplease

Ingredient list (extremely flexible)

Cooked Chicken, leftovers, store bought, or just crockpot some chicken breasts ( half per person) with some water covering the chicken, salt, pepper, squirt of lemon juice, one smashed garlic clove or a tsp of garlic powder on high for 3-4 hrs or low for 6-8 hours. 

Kale Casear Salad kit from the store  OR  1- 1& 1/2 cups of baby kale per person and some bottled caesar salad dressing- any kind. I just bought a bottle that was on sale. 

3-4 cherry tomatoes per person or omit if you don't care of them. They are good for color and nutrition.

A small or large handful shredded or grated parm cheese or romano if want to go fancy or just a diff taste per person. I used about 1/2 cup I think total. Just buy real cheese not the stuff on the shelf that is loaded with preservatives that doesn't need to be refrigerated. 

Tater tots or potato rounds (whatever you call them where you are)

Directions:

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half

Cook the tater tots until they extra extra crispy ( I do an extra 5 minutes)

Dress the kale with the caesar dressing. Kale is a tougher veg than typical romaine and can hold up to the dressing and won't wilt right away so feel free to do this first and your salad will still be crunchy at the end.

Dice or shred up the chicken

Assemble the plates putting the tater tots on top of the salad

Eat!


Enjoy this simple dinner idea from my Az kitchen. I hope it works for your family and gives your kiddos a new appreciation for salad as a main course or at least gets some kale into those cute little stomaches.

Stephanie