Baby Kale Salad with Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

Simple, flavorful and impossibly easy, this Baby Kale Salad with Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas recipe is my go-to for both weeknight meals and dinner parties.

We’ve taken to calling this super simple baby kale salad, our House Salad. It makes an appearance at least twice a week in one form or another. We use kale and baby kale for salads during the week since it is hearty and works great for hauling into work for lunch. Or, this bowl of greens is often paired with steak and grilled veggies when we have friends over for dinner. Either way, the simplicity of this salad is where it really shines!

Croutons are my kryptonite. They’re crispy, crunchy, buttery and garlicky. But, instead of croutons in this kale salad, I’ve been replacing them with crispy chickpeas seasoned with Parmesan and you’d never know the difference! I usually have to make a double batch of these crispy chickpeas just so I can snack on them throughout the week!

Baby kale is my first choice for this salad, but a lighter baby spinach or arugula would be great too, just skip the step of massaging the dressing into the greens, they’re tender enough already.

Baby Kale Salad with Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

Print Recipe

Simple, flavorful and impossibly easy, this Baby Kale Salad with Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas recipe is my go-to for both weeknight meals and dinner parties.

• Author: Kristen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

• 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Baby Kale Salad

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• Pinch of salt, pepper and sugar
• 5 ounces baby kale
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease or line a sheet pan with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix all crispy chickpea ingredients until well coated in oil and seasoning. Spread chickpeas in a single layer on prepared sheet pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, use a fork to blend together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar until well blended. Add the greens and toss until evenly coated. Gently massage the dressing into the kale to tenderize.
4. Serve with crispy chickpeas and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Serving
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 302mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 8mg

Do you have a go-to or ‘house’ salad that you make all the time? Tell me about it in the comments below!

Looking for another tasty salad? Try one of these:
Spinach Orzo Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette from Budget Bytes
Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing from Cookie + Kate
Sriracha Rainbow Salad from 101 Cookbooks

Or, try my Grapefruit Avocado Salad with Cilantro Dressing

Or, how about an Avocado and Chicken Tortilla Salad

###

Like what you see – or have a question, feedback, or recipe idea to share? Join the convo by commenting below and be sure to subscribe to B&H emails so you don’t miss a thing! If you make this, share it! Tag your photo with #BourbonandHoney on Instagram.

Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links. I only link to products I trust and recommend. Thank you for supporting B&H.