Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Salad

A quinoa grain bowl made with sauteed spinach, chicken, vegetables, and feta cheese, topped with a fresh lemon balsamic dressing.

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 449kcal

Author Amee

16 oz cooked chicken breast
1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
¾ cup water
2 cups fresh baby spinach chopped into pieces (you can also use tender kale leaves-remove stems)
½ cup red onion finely chopped
½ green pepper finely chopped
1 whole red pepper finely chopped
½ cup whole pitted Kalamata olives
½ cup feta cheese crumbled (regular or reduced-fat feta)
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
1 cup peeled English cucumber chopped
3 roma tomatoes seeded and chopped

Cook quinoa in the chicken broth and water, according to package directions, about 15-20 minutes (you are substituting chicken broth for a majority of the water-reference package instructions and adjust liquid, if needed).
Cool quinoa, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet on medium heat.
Spray skillet with olive oil cooking spray and add chopped spinach.
Stir and cook until just soft and wilted and set aside to cool.
Pour quinoa into a large bowl and stir in cooked spinach.
Add all of the chopped vegetables, parsley, cooked chicken, olives and feta cheese and toss to mix.
Whisk together fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and pour over salad (or serve on the side to drizzle on top).
Stir to mix and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Always rinse your quinoa. Quinoa is naturally coated in bitter-tasting saponins. If you don’t rinse it off, that bitterness can come through in the finished salad. A quick rinse under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer makes all the difference.
Let the quinoa cool before mixing everything. If you rush this step, you’ll end up with wilted veggies and melted feta instead of a salad with fresh, vibrant flavor and distinct textures.
Calorie-saving tip. If I’m watching my fat macros and want to keep it on the lighter side, instead of tossing the entire salad with dressing, I portion the dressing out and drizzle it over individual servings. Bonus: an undressed salad keeps better in the fridge.
Use good-quality vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is like a good wine; they are not created equal. Go to a shop that sells high-quality balsamic vinegar and olive oils and splurge on a good one. It's totally worth it, y'all. You won't be sorry. I pour that s*@t on everything!
Protein Tip. See the FAQ section for how I like to cook chicken for this recipe.