Quinoa Basil Salad with Chicken
Quinoa Basil Salad with Chicken
Quinoa Basil Salad with Chicken is the perfect summer salad, packed full of flavor and protein. Sun-dried tomatoes, plenty of fresh basil, and homemade balsamic dressing each contribute to making this one of the most flavorful salads! If you’re looking for a salad that you will actually enjoy that you make for yourself, give it a try!
Why is this recipe special?
This salad recipe is different and a little more involved than salads you may normally throw together with just whatever vegetables you have in the fridge at the moment. However, this salad is easy enough to make for a meal prep lunch, but fancy-tasting enough if you’re hosting people for dinner.
I love that it’s full of protein with the quinoa, nuts, and chicken, so it can be a full-meal salad!
What is in Quinoa Basil Salad?
This recipe is inspired by Cooking Classy’s Sun-dried Tomato Quinoa Salad. Click here to see her original recipe, and check out more of her recipes!
Quinoa Basil Salad contains mixed greens, fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pecans, parmesan cheese, shredded chicken, all topped with the best homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients & Supplies
To make the salad and homemade dressing you’ll need the following ingredients:
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- Mixed greens
- Fresh basil
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Pecans
- Butter
- Parmesan/Asiago/Romano blend cheese
- Chicken
- Quinoa
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Garlic
- Salt & pepper (click here for my favorite salt and pepper bowls from Magnolia’s Hearth and Hand)
To make the salad and homemade dressing you’ll need the following supplies:
- Large bowl
- Kitchen scissors
- Chopping knife
- Cutting board
- Cookie sheet
- Small skillet
- Medium sauce pan with lid
- Mason jar with lid
Quinoa Basil Salad with Chicken: Let’s Get To It!
Start by cooking the chicken and quinoa.
Once cooked, store both in the fridge until ready to assemble and serve the salad.
If you need instructions or recommendations for how to cook the chicken, read here in Joy’s Honey Pecan Chicken Salad post.
For cooking the quinoa, follow package instructions.
To roast the pecans, in a small skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Once melted, add the pecans. Stir occasionally and cook for roughly 5 minutes until aromatic. Pour pecan and butter mixture onto paper towels to drain excess butter and cool.
Roughly chop the basil and the sun-dried tomatoes.
Add all ingredients for the Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette into a mason jar with a lid. Shake it up until everything is combined.
(Do yourself a favor and DO NOT SUB DRESSING FOR A BOTTLED DRESSING. This dressing is EASY and totally worth the extra 5 minutes it takes to throw together. Bottle will not compare!)
To assemble salad, layer on top of the greens the quinoa, chicken, basil, pecans, tomatoes, and cheese mixture. Toss with vinaigrette and enjoy!
Quinoa Basil Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
Quinoa Basil Salad with Chicken
- 5 oz baby spring lettuce mix
- 1/2 cup *fresh basil
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/3 cup shaved or shredded parmesan/asiago/romano blend (or just parmesan)
- 1/2 cup **pecans
- 3 tbsp butter (for roasted pecans)
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup ***olive oil
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Start by cooking the chicken and quinoa. Once cooked, store both in the fridge until ready to assemble and serve the salad. If you need instructions or recommendations for how to cook the chicken, read here in Joy's Honey Pecan Chicken Salad post.For cooking the quinoa, follow package instructions.
- To roast the pecans, in a small skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Once melted, add the pecans. Stir occasionally and cook for roughly 5 minutes until aromatic. Pour pecan and butter mixture onto paper towels to drain excess butter and cool.
- Roughly chop the basil and the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Shake up the dressing in a mason jar (again, for the Homemade Balsamic Dressing recipe click here).
- To assemble salad, layer on top of the greens the quinoa, chicken, basil, pecans, tomatoes, and cheese mixture. Toss with dressing and enjoy!