Rotisserie Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

This Rotisserie Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad is a perfect cold-weather meal and comes together in a snap. Peppery arugula provides a bed for the rotisserie chicken and antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes that become caramelized from roasting. Crisp apples add a toothsome bite, while funky blue cheese balances the sweetness from the maple-cider vinaigrette. A sprinkling of crunchy heart-healthy sunflower seeds is the ideal finish for this sweet and savory salad that will keep you full and satisfied. Keep reading for our expert tips, including ingredient substitutions.

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Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Mustard not only adds flavor to the vinaigrette but also helps emulsify the oil and vinegar, which keeps it from separating.
• If you don’t like blue cheese, you can substitute gorgonzola or goat cheese. And you can use honey as a substitute for the maple syrup.
• Cutting the sweet potatoes into uniform pieces ensures they cook evenly.

Nutrition Notes

• Sweet potatoes provide heart-loving fiber and antioxidants—and leaving the skin on provides even more of these nutrients. Your eyes will thank you, too, because sweet potatoes are loaded with vision-supporting vitamin A. 
• Rotisserie chicken is a great timesaver and is the primary source of protein in this salad. The combination of protein and fiber helps keep you full longer. Rotisserie chicken can be high in sodium, so if your body is sensitive to sodium, consider using less rotisserie chicken, or use our Best Poached Chicken recipe instead.
• Arugula has a distinctive sharp, peppery flavor. It’s a leafy green that is sometimes used as part of spring mix greens. Leafy greens provide antioxidants and fiber, supporting gut and overall health. 
• Apples contain powerful plant compounds that have been linked with reduced heart disease, diabetes and cancer risk. Eating them may also help protect your brain and support better cognition.