Quinoa Chicken Salad | Gourmet Recipe
Quinoa Chicken Salad
The Gourmet Ingredients
Today we are going to enjoy the experience of taking an ordinary chicken salad and journeying over to flavortown using special ingredients.
Even a simple chicken salad is usually perfect at hitting the spot. With the addition of Quinoa into the recipe, we get to enjoy the fact we are adding a superfood to help nourish our bodies.
#Live to Be 100 Years Old
There are 101 ways to make chicken salad, so I will not say this is the best recipe ever; you be the judge 🙂
Do you know what Watercress is?
Allow me to introduce you 🙂
Watercress is a green herb that has a strong fresh herbal presents. Using Watercress is sure to wake up any dish. We hear about brightening and adding a fresh element to recipes and all the time. Try giving Watercress a try soon. Even better, try using it in this recipe :). If you cannot find Watercress or just do not like it, you can replace it with parsley or cilantro.
One of the keynotes of Watercress is the noticeablly peppery taste. Yet, not a hot peppery burn your tough experience. It’s an accent of pepper with a fresh undertone.
Here’s a photo of what Watercress looks like…
Health Benefits of Watercress
Thyroid Health, Fight Colorectal Cancer, Cardiovascular Health, Bone Health, Calcium, Folate, Antidepressant, Stroke Prevention, Cognition/Brain, Vitamin C, Eyesight, Common Cold, Pediatric Asthma.
Step One – Making The Quinoa Chicken Salad
Cooking The Chicken
You have a few options here. Easy peasy would be buying a rotisserie chicken from your grocery store. Or you could roast your own whole chicken. I like roasting my own, so you can control the seasoning in the chicken salad.
Here is Butter-n-Thyme’s recipe for the Perfect Roast Chicken every time.
Click photo below for recipe
Step Two
Cut Up the Vegetables & Chicken
WaterCress
Apple 2 Tbsp
Quartered Grapes 2 Tbsp
Small Dice Red Onion 2-3 Tbsp ( Personal Choice )
Quartered Grape Tomatoes 2 Tbsp
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 a million ways. In the video below at the end, I show you a colorful option for plating.
Quinoa Chicken Salad
- 1 Chicken Breast You could use your favorite part of the chicken Minimum of one cup, 2 cups works best
- 5 + Tbsp Cooked Quinoa
- 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1/3 Red Onion Small Dice ( Add more if you like ) (Wait till all the ingredients are combined before adding more onion )
- 2 Tbsp Diced Apple
- 2 Tbsp Grape tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp Grapes
- 1 Tbsp Sliced Almonds
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts
- Juice from half a Lemon
- 1 Tsp Chopped Watercress ( Or use Parsley, Cilantro )
- Salt & Pepper To taste
- First cut and cube the chicken into bit size pieces, add cut chicken into mixing bowl and add mayonnaise, salt, and pepper and mix well, ensuring to coat all the chicken.
- Next, add all ingredients the except the Grape Tomatoes.
- Check seasoning at this point. TSA ( Taste, Season & Adjust )
- Add more of any ingredient you think works well. Remember food served cold needs more salt then hot served foods.
- Last, add in the Grape Tomatoes and fold them in gently.
- Refrigaate for 30 mintues before serving.
- Enjoy
Quinoa Chicken Salad | Gourmet Recipe
Chef Steven Pennington
Content Creator
Le Cordon Bleu Chef sharing food adventures from around the world with a style of cooking rooted in southwestern flavors using French culinary technique.
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