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 checklist? It’s free! — what sort of recipes they needed for summer time and a standard 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 will 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 maintain you full for HOURS. It seems to be and tastes prefer it got here from a restaurant!

Hen + Quinoa + Berry Salad

Should you’ve tried my Thai Quinoa Salad then you recognize 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 rooster supplies one other satisfying supply of protein on this dish. I like how the scorching rooster pairs with the chilled salad components. That cold and hot distinction is fabulous.

And talking of summer time, each strawberries and blueberries star on this toppings-packed salad. Their refreshing sweetness brightens every chunk, 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 thus 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 in a position to be prepped forward of time and, except for 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 you could rinse off in a high-quality mesh sieve previous to cooking, however shopping for pre-rinsed will prevent a step.
• Hen inventory or vegetable inventory. I wish to cook dinner quinoa in rooster or vegetable inventory to present it extra taste. Water works high-quality although if you happen to don’t have both readily available.
• Hen. Pound the rooster breasts to a fair thickness earlier than grilling to make sure they cook dinner evenly. Grill in a grill pan indoors or in your out of doors gasoline or charcoal grill. Sautéing the rooster breasts, or utilizing rotisserie rooster is ok too!
• Seasoned salt and pepper. To easily but successfully season the rooster 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 should utilize no matter you want or have rising in your backyard.
• Strawberries. Sliced strawberries are added to each the salad and French dressing.
• Blueberries. Should 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 blended with the dressing lends just a little creaminess to the salad.
• Crimson onion. Thinly slice a small pink 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 referred to as chevre) and like to make use of honey-flavored goat cheese on this salad. You could possibly use plain and even herbed goat cheese.

For the Strawberry-Balsamic French dressing:

• Strawberries. To naturally sweeten the dressing, plus present a reasonably colour.
• Balsamic vinegar. Pairs SO effectively with fruit.
• Honey. To assist stability the vinegar.
• Dijon mustard. Helps maintain the dressing collectively and provides taste.
• Further virgin olive oil. Laborious 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 isn’t solely a superb summer time dinner choice, but it surely’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.

Should 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. Crimson Onion
4. Cucumber
5. Avocado
6. Strawberries
7. Blueberries
8. Sliced almonds
9. Goat Cheese
10. Lettuce

What to Make Forward

As I mentioned, this salad is full of toppings and I actually really feel each provides one thing that I’d miss if it have been ignored. Plus the French dressing is a MUST TRY. To avoid wasting time, listed below are a couple of components you may make / prep forward of time:

• Quinoa. Cook 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 rooster as much as 3 days forward of time.
• Veggies. Slice the cucumber and pink 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?!

Tips on how to 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 clean. 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: Cook dinner the quinoa. 

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

Flip the warmth right down to low then cowl with a lid and cook 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. In contrast to gluten free pasta and grains like rice, cooked quinoa doesn’t dry out and harden within the fridge, which is wonderful!

Step 3: Grill the rooster. 

Pound 2 small rooster breasts (about 1lb whole) to a fair thickness on a reducing board in order that they cook dinner evenly then brush or mist with vegetable oil and season with selfmade seasoned salt and pepper. Cook dinner in a grill pan indoors or in your gasoline or charcoal grill outdoor. Right here’s how:

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

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

Step 4: Assemble. 

Divide the chilled quinoa and grilled rooster between 4 bowls then add the goodies! We’ve acquired lettuce, avocado, thinly sliced pink 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’re keen on this contemporary and refreshing summertime salad that’s equal elements filling, beautiful, and completely scrumptious! Take pleasure in!

Extra Recent 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 rooster or vegetable inventory
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 2 boneless, skinless rooster breasts (~1lb), pounded to a fair 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 pink 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 clean. Scrape down the edges. 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. Might be made 3-4 days forward of time.
2. For the quinoa: Add quinoa and rooster or vegetable inventory to a small saucepan over excessive warmth then convey 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. Might be completed 2-3 days forward of time.
3. For the grilled rooster: Brush or mist each side of the rooster 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 gasoline/charcoal grill over excessive warmth till it reaches at the very least 400 levels. Add rooster breasts then flip warmth down barely to medium-high and grill till the rooster not sticks to the pan/grill, and there are stunning char marks on the underside, 5-6 minutes. Preserve the lid down whereas grilling if utilizing a gasoline or charcoal grill. Flip rooster breasts then grill till the rooster is cooked to an inner temperature of 165 levels, one other 5-6 minutes. Take away rooster to a plate then let relaxation for at the very least 10 minutes earlier than slicing or chopping.
5. Divide chilled quinoa between 4 bowls then prime every with 1 / 4 of the grilled rooster. Divide remaining components — lettuce, almonds, strawberries, blueberries, cucumber, avocado, pink 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 >
• You’ll want to buy quinoa that’s labeled “pre-rinsed”. I like Bob’s Crimson Mill Natural Quinoa.
• The quinoa is finest cooked a day forward of time so it’s chilled and able to be blended with the remainder of the salad components on the day you wish to eat.
• It is a great meal prep recipe! Chill the rooster 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.

Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin