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.
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.
