Today, we will enjoy the experience of taking an ordinary quinoa chicken salad and journeying over to Flavor Town using healthy ingredients.
Why You'll Love This Quinoa Salad
When you think of a salad that's both nourishing and delicious, our Chicken Quinoa Salad stands out.
What makes this salad a must-try is its perfect balance of textures and flavors - the tender juiciness of chicken, the subtle nuttiness of quinoa, and the crisp freshness of the vegetables.
⬇️ Table of Contents
Watch How To Make
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, and mix well to coat the chicken evenly.
- Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl with the chicken.
- Add the diced apple, grapes, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, and lemon juice. Mix gently to combine all the ingredients.
- Carefully fold in the small diced red onion and grape tomatoes, trying not to crush the tomatoes.
- Finally, add the chopped watercress (or parsley/cilantro). Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Basic Quinoa Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Quinoa (white, red, or tricolor)
- 2 cups Water
- Peel a third of the Lemon
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions:
- Rinse the Quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 20 seconds to remove its natural coating (saponin), which can give it a bitter taste.
- Cook the Quinoa: Transfer the rinsed 1 cup of quinoa to a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.
- Rest the Quinoa: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to steam and become fluffy.
- Fluff and Serve: Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and serve. It can be used as a base for salads, as a side dish, or in various other recipes.
Combining Ingredients
The key is adding the tomatoes last. If you add the tomatoes too early in the mixing process the tomatoes will burst and lose their beautiful shape.
Start by adding the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper and combine, coating all the chicken. Then, you can add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Lastly, add the tomatoes and combine gently.
Plating the Quinoa Chicken Salad could be done in a million ways. In the video above, at the end, I show you a colorful option for plating.
📖 Recipe
Quinoa Chicken Salad
Classic chicken salad revamped with a gourmet touch
Ingredients
- 1 large Chicken Breast You could use your favorite part of the chicken. Minimum of one cup of chicken, 2 cups works best
- ½ cup Cooked Quinoa
- 2 tbps Mayonnaise
- ⅓ whole Red Onion Small Dice (Add more if you like ) (Wait till all the ingredients are combined before adding more onion )
- 2 tbps Diced Apple
- 2 tbps Grape tomatoes
- 2 tbps Grapes
- 1 tbps Sliced Almonds
- 1 tbps Chopped Walnuts
- ½ juiced Lemon
- 1 teaspoon Chopped Watercress (Or use Parsley, Cilantro)
- ½ teaspoon Salt To taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
How To Make Quinoa
- Rinse the Quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds to remove its natural coating (saponin), which can give it a bitter taste.
- Cook the Quinoa: Transfer the rinsed quinoa to a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.
- Rest the Quinoa: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to steam and become fluffy.
- Fluff and Serve: Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and serve.
Making The Quinoa Chicken Salad
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut and cube the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the cut chicken into a mixing bowl.
- Season the Chicken: Add mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to the chicken and mix well, ensuring to coat all the chicken.
- Combine Ingredients: Next, add all ingredients (red onion, diced apple, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, chopped watercress) except the grape tomatoes. Add additional seasoning of salt and pepper if needed. Remember, food served cold needs more salt than foods served hot.
- Taste and Adjust: Check the seasoning at this point. Taste, Season & Adjust (TSA)
- Add Tomatoes: Last, add in the grape tomatoes and fold them in gently.
- Chill: Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
How To Make Quinoa
- Ingredients:1 cup Quinoa (white, red, or tricolor)2 cups WaterPinch of Salt
- Instructions:Rinse the Quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds to remove its natural coating (saponin), which can give it a bitter taste.Cook the Quinoa: Transfer the rinsed quinoa to a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt.Bring to Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.Rest the Quinoa: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to steam and become fluffy.Fluff and Serve: Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and serve. It can be used as a base for salads, as a side dish, or in various other recipes.
Notes
Rinsing is Key: Always rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the saponin coating, which can cause bitterness.
Water-to-Quinoa Ratio: The ideal ratio is 2:1 (water to quinoa) for perfectly cooked quinoa.
Cooking Time: Depending on the quinoa type, cooking times may vary slightly. Check packaging for specific instructions.
Resting Period: Allowing quinoa to rest after cooking helps it absorb any remaining moisture and become fluffier.
Versatility: Cooked quinoa can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to pilafs. It's also a great substitute for rice or pasta.
Storage: Store cooked quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Seasoning: Quinoa absorbs flavors well, so consider using broth instead of water for cooking, or add herbs and spices for extra flavor.
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