Berry Hen Quinoa Salad is full of protein, greens, and berries then drizzled with a luscious, selfmade Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing.

A few months in the past I requested my e-mail subscribers — are you on the record? It’s free! — what sort of recipes they wished for summer season and a typical theme that emerged was salad recipes (no shock), with berries (right here for it), IN THE DRESSING.

Ask and also you shall obtain!

Whether or not you’re a salad lover or not, you’ll FLIP for this berry-packed Hen Quinoa Salad with Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing. This toppings and protein-packed salad is simply as a lot enjoyable to eat as it’s to take a look at, and can preserve you full for HOURS. It appears to be like and tastes prefer it got here from a restaurant!

Hen + Quinoa + Berry Salad

In the event you’ve tried my Thai Quinoa Salad then you realize that including cooked then chilled quinoa to salads is an excellent factor. Quinoa is a seed that cooks like a grain and provides a fluffy texture, nutty taste, and plant-based protein to any savory dish. I make a batch every week then refrigerate so my husband and I can add scoopfuls to our lunchtime salads.

Grilled hen supplies one other satisfying supply of protein on this dish. I like how the scorching hen pairs with the chilled salad components. That cold and hot distinction is fabulous.

And talking of summer season, each strawberries and blueberries star on this toppings-packed salad. Their refreshing sweetness brightens every chew, plus they’re so dang fairly to take a look at. Sliced strawberries additionally naturally sweeten a selfmade Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing to drizzle on prime of the salad. It’s my favourite selfmade French dressing so far (#spoondrinkworthy) and is SO well worth the 5 minutes it takes to whip up.

Components Wanted

A number of of the salad elements are capable of be prepped forward of time and, other than the strawberries, the French dressing requires fridge and pantry staples and is make forward too!

For the Berry Hen Quinoa Salad:

• Quinoa. Search for “pre rinsed” on the quinoa bundle on the retailer. Quinoa is coated in a naturally bitter coating which you can rinse off in a positive mesh sieve previous to cooking, however shopping for pre-rinsed will prevent a step.
• Hen inventory or vegetable inventory. I wish to prepare dinner quinoa in hen or vegetable inventory to offer it extra taste. Water works positive although when you don’t have both readily available.
• Hen. Pound the hen breasts to an excellent thickness earlier than grilling to make sure they prepare dinner evenly. Grill in a grill pan indoors or in your outside fuel or charcoal grill. Sautéing the hen breasts, or utilizing rotisserie hen is ok too!
• Seasoned salt and pepper. To easily but successfully season the hen breasts.
• Lettuce. I like an arugula-baby spinach lettuce mix as a result of the spicy arugula contrasts so properly with the candy berries and dressing. You need to use no matter you want or have rising in your backyard.
• Strawberries. Sliced strawberries are added to each the salad and French dressing.
• Blueberries. In the event you’ve by no means had blueberries in your salad, put together for a brand new obsession.
• Cucumber. Sliced cucumbers add a refreshing and satisfying crunch.
• Avocado. I like how the avocado combined with the dressing lends slightly creaminess to the salad.
• Purple onion. Thinly slice a small purple onion so as to add a spicy crunch that’s not too overwhelming.
• Sliced almonds. Present a pleasant crunch and extra protein.
• Goat cheese. I’m a HUGE fan of creamy goat cheese (additionally known as chevre) and like to make use of honey-flavored goat cheese on this salad. You possibly can use plain and even herbed goat cheese.

For the Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing:

• Strawberries. To naturally sweeten the dressing, plus present a reasonably coloration.
• Balsamic vinegar. Pairs SO properly with fruit.
• Honey. To assist stability the vinegar.
• Dijon mustard. Helps preserve the dressing collectively and provides taste.
• Further virgin olive oil. Onerous to have salad dressing with out it!
• Salt and pepper. To season the French dressing.

Nice for Meal Prep + Mason Jar Salads

This quinoa salad will not be solely a wonderful summer season dinner possibility, however it’s nice for meal prep too. The recipe makes 4 monster dinner salads, or you would stretch it to make 5 and even six decent-sized lunch parts.

Add the components into individual-sized storage containers then prime with lettuce, cowl, and refrigerate. Pack the French dressing individually to decorate the salad with simply earlier than consuming.

In the event you’d wish to layer the salad into 16oz, wide-mouthed mason jars, layer within the following order, ending with lettuce. Pack a separate container of French dressing to decorate the salad with previous to consuming.

1. Quinoa
2. Hen
3. Purple Onion
4. Cucumber
5. Avocado
6. Strawberries
7. Blueberries
8. Sliced almonds
9. Goat Cheese
10. Lettuce

What to Make Forward

As I stated, this salad is full of toppings and I actually really feel every one provides one thing that I might miss if it have been ignored. Plus the French dressing is a MUST TRY. To save lots of time, listed below are a number of components you can also make / prep forward of time:

• Quinoa. Prepare dinner then chill the quinoa as much as 5 days forward of time.
• French dressing. Put together the dressing as much as 3 days forward of time.
• Hen. Grill then slice or chop the hen as much as 3 days forward of time.
• Veggies. Slice the cucumber and purple onion as much as 2 days forward of time.
• Strawberries. Slice the strawberries as much as 2 days forward of time.

Alrighty, able to dive into this bowl of deliciousness?!

How you can Make Berry Hen Quinoa Salad

Step 1: Make the Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing.

Begin by including sliced strawberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a meals processor then processing till easy. Slowly stream in further virgin olive oil till the French dressing comes collectively then pour right into a jar with a good becoming lid and refrigerate.

Once more, you are able to do this as much as 3 days forward of time – it simply will get higher because it sits!

Step 2: Prepare dinner the quinoa. 

Add dry quinoa with hen or vegetable inventory to a small saucepan then carry to a boil over excessive warmth. That is what quinoa appears to be like like previous to cooking. Tiny little discs that pop into what appears to be like like springs as soon as cooked.

Flip the warmth right down to low then cowl with a lid and prepare dinner till the quinoa is tender, 12-Quarter-hour. Fluff with a fork then switch to a bowl or container to chill.

As soon as cool, cowl and chill. You can also make and chill the quinoa as much as 5 days forward of time. Not like gluten free pasta and grains like rice, cooked quinoa doesn’t dry out and harden within the fridge, which is superb!

Step 3: Grill the hen. 

Pound 2 small hen breasts (about 1lb whole) to an excellent thickness on a slicing board in order that they prepare dinner evenly then brush or mist with vegetable oil and season with selfmade seasoned salt and pepper. Prepare dinner in a grill pan indoors or in your fuel or charcoal grill open air. Right here’s how:

• Utilizing a grill pan: Warmth the grill pan over excessive warmth for five minutes. Add hen breasts then decrease the warmth barely to medium-high and prepare dinner for 5-6 minutes per aspect, or till the hen reaches an inside temperature of 165 levels.
• Utilizing a fuel or charcoal grill. Warmth the grill over excessive warmth till it reaches at the least 400 levels. Add hen breasts then decrease the warmth barely to medium-high and grill for 3-4 minutes per aspect, or till the hen reaches an inside temperature of 165 levels. KEEP THE LID CLOSED between flipping!

Regardless of the tactic, take away the hen to a plate to relaxation for at the least 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing, or dicing.

Step 4: Assemble. 

Divide the chilled quinoa and grilled hen between 4 bowls then add the goodies! We’ve received lettuce, avocado, thinly sliced purple onion, sliced strawberries, blueberries, sliced cucumbers, sliced almonds, and a partridge in a pear tree. Simply kidding.

Drizzle with the dressing then DIG IN!

I hope you like this recent and refreshing summertime salad that’s equal elements filling, beautiful, and completely scrumptious! Get pleasure from!

Extra Contemporary and Hearty Salads

Berry Hen Quinoa Salad with Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing

Description

Berry Hen Quinoa Salad is full of protein, greens, and berries then drizzled with a luscious, selfmade Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing.

Components

• 2 cups hen or vegetable inventory
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 2 boneless, skinless hen breasts (~1lb), pounded to an excellent thickness
• selfmade seasoned salt and pepper (see notes)
• 4 cups arugula-baby spinach mix
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1lb strawberries, sliced and divided
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 small avocados, sliced or diced
• 1/2 small purple onion, thinly sliced
• 4oz goat cheese, crumbled (I like honey goat cheese)
• For the Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing:
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries (from sliced pound above)
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup further virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. For the Strawberry French dressing: Add the sliced strawberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a meals processor then course of till the combination is easy. Scrape down the perimeters. With the meals processor operating, slowly stream in further virgin olive till integrated. Pour French dressing right into a mason jar or container with a good becoming lid then refrigerate till prepared to make use of. Will be made 3-4 days forward of time.
2. For the quinoa: Add quinoa and hen or vegetable inventory to a small saucepan over excessive warmth then carry to a boil. Flip warmth right down to low, place a lid on prime, then simmer till quinoa is tender and the broth has been absorbed, 12-Quarter-hour. Fluff quinoa with a fork then scoop right into a storage container to chill. As soon as cool, cowl then refrigerate quinoa till chilled. Will be carried out 2-3 days forward of time.
3. For the grilled hen: Brush or mist each side of the hen breasts with vegetable oil then season each side with selfmade seasoned salt and pepper.
4. Warmth a grill pan over excessive warmth, or preheat a fuel/charcoal grill over excessive warmth till it reaches at the least 400 levels. Add hen breasts then flip warmth down barely to medium-high and grill till the hen not sticks to the pan/grill, and there are lovely char marks on the underside, 5-6 minutes. Preserve the lid down whereas grilling if utilizing a fuel or charcoal grill. Flip hen breasts then grill till the hen is cooked to an inside temperature of 165 levels, one other 5-6 minutes. Take away hen to a plate then let relaxation for at the least 10 minutes earlier than slicing or chopping.
5. Divide chilled quinoa between 4 bowls then prime every with 1 / 4 of the grilled hen. Divide remaining components — lettuce, almonds, strawberries, blueberries, cucumber, avocado, purple onion, and goat cheese — between the bowls then drizzle with Strawberry French dressing and serve.

Notes

• Click on right here for my selfmade seasoned salt recipe >
• Make sure you buy quinoa that’s labeled “pre-rinsed”. I like Bob’s Purple Mill Natural Quinoa.
• The quinoa is finest cooked a day forward of time so it’s chilled and able to be combined with the remainder of the salad components on the day you wish to eat.
• This can be a fantastic meal prep recipe! Chill the hen and quinoa earlier than dividing components between 4 storage containers with lids — make sure the arugula is positioned on prime vs the underside to maintain it crisp. Pack dressing individually so as to add simply earlier than consuming.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin