This Chicken and Quinoa Salad is a meal that the whole family will enjoy. Chicken, quinoa, crunchy celery, spring onions and avocado are tossed in a bowl with a creamy, healthy salad dressing made with plain yoghurt. It is a meal that is ideal for lunch or dinner.
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Why we love this recipe:
My Chicken and Quinoa Salad is rich in dietary fibre and protein, making it a nutritious, satisfying meal that also tastes great. One of the great advantages of salads is their versatility as you can customise the ingredients to suit your taste or what you have on hand. Just some of the reasons that we love this salad bowl are:
- It is naturally gluten-free, making it ideal for people with specific dietary requirements.
- You can cook your own chicken or make it even easier by using some leftover roast chicken.
- Light and fluffy quinoa cooks quickly and easily, complements the other ingredients and absorbs the bright, tangy flavours of the dressing.
- It is a meal which the whole family will enjoy.
- For convenience, you can make it a day ahead of time, just add the avocado shortly before serving.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
For the salad:
Chicken – cooked chicken breast or roast chicken.
Quinoa – we have used white quinoa.
Celery – adds crunch.
Spring onions/scallions – add great flavour.
Flaked almonds – for texture.
Avocado – contains heart-healthy fats.
For the dressing:
Greek yoghurt – the healthy, creamy element of the dressing.
Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil if possible, or the best that you have.
Lemon juice – freshly squeezed for brightness.
Honey – adds a touch of sweetness for balance.
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – season the dish to your liking.
Step by Step Instructions:
- Put the quinoa into a fine-meshed sieve and rinse well under cold running water, swishing the quinoa with your hand. Drain the quinoa well. Add water to a medium saucepan, add the quinoa, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the seeds are tender.
- After removing the saucepan from the heat, place a folded clean tea towel or 3 layers of paper towel over the saucepan, place the lid back on and stand 5 minutes. The tea towel/paper towel will absorb excess moisture. Turn the quinoa into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.
- Slice the celery thinly on the diagonal.
- Slice the spring onions thinly on the diagonal – using the white and some of the green part.
- Prepare the chicken – slice two cooked chicken breasts or shred some leftover roast chicken, sufficient for 2 people.
- Peel your avocado, and cut into small cubes.
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and toss with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips for Success and FAQs:
When making salads, use the best quality produce available – fresh produce will give you the optimum texture and flavour.
Ensure the dish is seasoned to your liking – adjust the salt and pepper to suit your taste.
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Ideally, eat it the day it is made or the day after. Longer than this and the ingredients lose their crunch. If making it a day ahead, add the cubed avocado shortly before serving.
You certainly can, just substitute chickpeas or cannellini beans for the chicken. You could also try our Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad.
I have used chicken breasts as they are very lean and easy to prepare. Just be careful to not overcook the chicken breast as it will become tough and dry. Alternatively, to make this a quicker meal, you could use leftover rotisserie chicken. Chicken thighs also work well.
It is important to rinse the quinoa as this helps remove the outside coating of the grain, called saponin, which can cause a slightly bitter taste. Saponin is a naturally occurring chemical that deters insects. Be sure to drain it well after rinsing.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Here are some more of our favourite easy and tasty salad recipes that are perfect for lunch or a light dinner:
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad
- Smoked Salmon and Tomato Salad
- Thai Noodle Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad
If you love quinoa salads, I strongly encourage you to try this delicious Chicken and Quinoa Salad. It is a nutritional powerhouse, containing energy-boosting protein and essential dietary fibre. As well, it is a family favourite; eat it warm or cold, for lunch or dinner, to take on a picnic or as a packed lunch. Enjoy!
Alex xx
Chicken and Quinoa Salad
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 cooked chicken breasts – sliced or shredded See Note 1
- ½ cup (90 g) uncooked white quinoa See Note 2
- 1 cup (250 ml) water – for cooking the quinoa
- ¼ cup (25 g) flaked almonds
- 2 ribs celery – sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 3 spring onions – sliced thinly on the diagonal – white and some green part
- 1 medium avocado – cut into small cubes
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Greek yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 3
- 6 teaspoon (30 ml) lemon juice – freshly sqeuezed
- 1 teaspoon honey
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste See Note 4
Instructions
- Put the quinoa into a fine-meshed sieve and rinse well under cold running water, swishing the quinoa with your hand. Drain the quinoa well. See Note 2.
- Add water to a medium saucepan, add the quinoa, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the seeds are tender. When they’re cooked you will notice they have little curly “tails”.(Or follow the directions on the packet)
- After removing the saucepan from the heat, place a clean tea towel or 3 layers of paper towel over the saucepan, place the lid back on and stand for 5 minutes. The tea towel/paper towel will absorb excess moisture. Turn the quinoa into a large bowl.
- To toast the flaked almonds, add them to a dry, non-stick frying pan. Over medium heat, toss or stir them frequently until they are golden, about 2 minutes. Be careful, they will burn easily. Add to a small bowl so they don’t continue cooking in the pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.
- Slice the celery, spring onions, chicken and avocado and add to the quinoa, along with the flaked almonds.
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and toss with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- If you prefer, you could also use leftover Roast Chicken or follow my recipe for Grilled Chicken Breast.
- It is important to rinse the quinoa as this helps remove the outside coating of the grain which can cause a slightly bitter taste. Drain it well after rinsing so that all the water is absorbed during cooking.
- In Australia, the tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. Please adjust the measurement if necessary.
- Ensure that the dish is adequately seasoned to your liking, to bring out the best flavour.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on the salad serving two. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Zoe
I have made this salad so many times. My hubby and I absolutely love it. I amp up the seasoning and spice on the chicken breast for a hit of extra flavour. I also add a tiny bit of mustard to the dressing. Amazing recipe – thank you.
Alexandra Cook
Thank you so much, Zoe!
Alex xo
Megan
Love this recipe! A quick swap of hemp seeds for a low carb salad for me and it was perfect. Thanks Alexandra you also give up the tastiest recipes.
Alexandra
Thank you so much, Megan x