Success® Rice»Recipes»Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chicken

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chicken

Made with shredded rotisserie chicken and a simple lemon garlic vinaigrette, this power salad can be made ahead for a great grab-and-go work lunch.

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Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chicken

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
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups kale, stems removed, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1/3 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  • Skip the drive-thru, this tasty and filling Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chicken is ready in just 20 minutes and 3 simple steps!

    Step 1

  • Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.

    Step 2

  • Whisk together oil, lemon juice, Dijon, lemon zest, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

    Step 3

  • In a large bowl, combine quinoa, kale, chicken and dressing. Toss to coat well. Gently stir in almonds, cranberries and goat cheese.

    Recipe Tip

    Substitute almonds with pecans, if desired.

Convenient Quinoa

Making salads with quinoa is a great way to add budget-friendly and plant-based protein to your meals. Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids and each cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein. Want to know more? Check out our Quinoa 101 guide to learn more about quinoa’s benefits and to find more quick salad recipes.

If you want to add a bit more flavor to your quinoa, simply add seasonings, such as a bay leaf, salt or oils, to the cooking water. You could also use half broth and half water or, for sweet recipes, fruit juice.

Salad Tips

Use leftover or shredded rotisserie chicken for your salads to cut down on cook time and repurpose leftovers from another meal. If you want to make your meal vegetarian, simply use chickpeas, other beans of choice or another favorite, meat-free alternative.

One key to keeping salads interesting is to switch up the fun toppings and dressings you add. We’ve included a homemade salad dressing here that you can easily double and save in the fridge for other recipes!

Instead of making the same dishes on repeat, switch up the dressing to keep things exciting. For your next salad, try an avocado-based dressing like the one used in this Easy Green Goddess Summer Quinoa Salad. For more ideas, check out our tips for how to elevate your meals in a bowl.

For something a bit different try this Spanish rice recipe.

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