This chicken quinoa salad is a fantastic healthy meal idea which, with a little preparation, can be put together in minutes. Enjoy it warm, cold, for lunch at home or at work. You can quickly make grilled chicken to add to this salad or use chicken leftovers if you prefer.
This quick and easy, healthy chicken quinoa salad comes with a fiery, creamy sriracha dressing that’s low in fat and bursting with flavour. Add freshly chopped spinach for even more goodness and almond flakes for a bit of sweet nutty crunch.
Why you will love this chicken quinoa salad
- I kept this quinoa chicken bowl recipe uncomplicated so you can add your own twist to this dish, such as serving it with more vegetables, for example. Add cubed avocado, red pepper or cucumber or even roasted vegetables if you like. You could also swap the almond flakes for sunflower seeds.
- If you cook the quinoa and make the dressing ahead this salad takes minutes to prepare.
- The salad itself can be made ahead and refrigerated for several hours so it’s a great lunchbox idea.
Quinoa is a super versatile salad ingredient, suitable to combine with lots of flavour combinations. A while ago I posted an easy recipe for quinoa black bean salad, which also comes with and healthy, creamy dressing. You might also like this citrusy orange quinoa beets salad or quinoa fruit salad.
What meat to use in chicken quinoa salad
I used strips of grilled chicken breast but you can use steamed chicken or fried chicken fingers as well as chicken dinner leftovers. These can include both white as well as dark meats. I often use the meat from chicken noodle soup in this kind of salad. In fact this chicken quinoa recipe comes together even quicker if you use ready to eat chicken. Simply combine with the other ingredients and serve!
This chicken and quinoa salad can be made ahead and refrigerated for several hours so it’s a great lunchbox idea.
Another recipe using leftover chicken you might also like is creamy lemon chicken potato bake.
Equipment you’ll need
- Measuring cup, kitchen scale and spoon
- Medium bowl, spoon and hand blender for making the dressing
- Cutting board and knife
- Small pan for dry toasting the almond flakes
- Griddle pan for grilling the chicken (unless you use ready-to-eat-chicken)
- Large bowl, spoon and a jar for storing the dressing
How to make quinoa chicken salad
1.Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Blitz briefly with a hand blender for a smooth, creamy finish.
3. Combine the cooked quinoa with the spinach and cherry tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, season to taste and stir. Set aside. If you are using ready-to-eat chicken add it into the bowl.
4. Cut each chicken breast into 3-4 long strips, season and drizzle with a little oil. Heat up a griddle pan and grill the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side on a fairly high heat. Add to the salad or wait for the meat to cool first. Scatter the toasted almond flakes, drizzle a desired amount of the dressing over the salad and serve!
Top tips
- Use chicken leftovers, both white and dark meats, or grill the chicken as per Instructions
- Make the dressing ahead, store in a jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- The dressing will be creamier if you use a and blender rather than just a spoon or fork to combine the ingredients.
- I recommend using baby spinach as it’s crispier and tastier than regular, mature spinach.
- You can cook the quinoa ahead, according to package instructions, and, once cooled, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Herbs: I kept this recipe simple but you could serve it with chives or cilantro.
- Serve warm or cold.
- Not suitable for freezing.
More easy quinoa salad recipes
- Quinoa Pomelo Salad with Cilantro Sauce
- Broccolini Salad with Quinoa & Papaya
- Romanesco Salad with Quinoa & Herbs
You might also enjoy this collection of 13 one-pot chicken recipes as well as 15 easy vegan salads.
Keep in touch!
Have you made quinoa and chicken salad with spinach? I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Quick Chicken Quinoa Salad with Sriracha Dressing
Ingredients
- 400 g skinless chicken breast or chicken leftovers, see Notes below
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 50 g fresh spinach finely chopped
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved
- 5 tbsp almond flakes dry toasted
For the sriracha dressing
- 2 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 4 tbsp good vegetable oil plus 1 tbsp to combine with the quinoa
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp thick yogurt/Skyr
- 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 small garlic finely chopped
- 1/3 tsp onion granules
- Fine sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and briefly blitzing the mixture using a hand blender until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Combine the cooked quinoa, spinach and cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of oil, season to taste and stir thoroughly. Add the ready-to-eat chicken (if using) and stir.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 3-4 long strips each. Season and brush with a little oil. Heat up a griddle pan and grill the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side over a fairly high heat. Chop and add into the salad or wait for it to cool first, then combine with the salad.
- Dry toast the almond flakes. Drizzle a desired amount of the dressing over the salad, scatter the almond flakes and enjoy!
Notes
- Use chicken leftovers, both white and dark meats, or grill the chicken as per Instructions.
- Make the dressing ahead, store in a jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- The dressing will be creamier if you use a and blender rather than just a spoon or fork to combine the ingredients.
- I recommend using baby spinach as it’s crispier and tastier than regular, mature spinach.
- You can cook the quinoa ahead, according to package instructions, and, once cooled, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Herbs: I kept this recipe simple but you could serve it with chives or cilantro.
- Serve warm or cold.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about creatively simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make, healthy and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking. 
YUM! I love a chicken salad and this one does look like an especially good one – especially that dressing! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare 😀
Thank you Eb!
This looks so much better than what I make. What are onion granules?
Thanks Balvinder! Onion granules are probably sold in Canada as onion powder.
I’ve been trying to convince my family (especially a ‘certain’ teenager) that we should have more quinoa in our lives. This recipe has been given the thumbs up… thanks!
Thanks! I’ve got 2 teenagers that need constant convincing that quinoa is actually edible so I know where you are coming from:)