Success® Rice»Recipes»Cherry, Walnut and Quinoa Chicken Salad

Cherry, Walnut and Quinoa Chicken Salad

This simple chicken salad recipe is made with Success® Tri-Color Quinoa for extra protein and tasty flavor. Toss with cherries, walnuts and more for a refreshing side or main dish.

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Cherry, Walnut and Quinoa Chicken Salad

Cooking time
PREP TIME 10 mins
Cooking time
COOK TIME 10 mins
Servings
SERVES 4
Ready in
TOTAL TIME 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 bag Success® Tri-Color Quinoa
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup prepared vinaigrette
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Loaded with fruity, nutty, and citric notes, this elevated chicken salad can be served as a part of a dinner spread or on its own! Thanks to Success® Tri-Color Quinoa, it’s protein-packed and plenty hearty!  

    Step 1

  • Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

    Step 2

  • Combine quinoa, chicken, celery, cherries, walnuts and green onions in a large bowl.  Add vinaigrette, and toss to coat.

    Step 3

  • Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

What is a Vinaigrette?

Vinaigrettes are lighter than other dressings, so they are ideal for summer dishes and other light meals. All contain oil and an acid, but they vary in seasoning, sweetness, and zest. What’s more, vinaigrettes are quite versatile: they can be drizzled as a dressing, used as a marinade, or stirred into a rich sauce.

Homemade Vinaigrettes

There are plenty of bottles in the dressing aisle, but once you see how easy it is to prepare vinaigrettes, you may always opt to handcraft. Using a ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part emulsifier (such as vinegar or citrus), a vinaigrettes can be made in a matter of minutes! Try out some of these delicious variations:

Zesty: Italian is a citrus vinaigrette with bits of bell peppers mixed in. The sweetness balances out the nutty notes in dishes like our Southern Brown Rice Salad.

Sweet: To satisfy your sweet tooth and balance out sour flavors, like the cherries in this Rice, Lentil and Sour Cherry Salad!  Simply combine garlic, shallot, vinegar and honey with olive oil – a taste sensation that you won’t forget! 

Bold: With the bite of Dijon mustard and the sweetness of honey, the dressing in this Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chicken boasts plenty of flavor complexity! Plus, the acid from the lemon will break down the tough kale leaves. Need new dinner ideas? Try our:  Spanish Rice Dish.

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