Lemony Chicken Arugula Quinoa Salad Recipes

THE BEST QUINOA ARUGULA SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Prepare quinoa as directed and let cool.
• In a small bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Toss quinoa, arugula, and dressing together. Sprinkle with chopped almonds.

LEMON PARMESAN CHICKEN WITH ARUGULA SALAD TOPPING

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs, the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, the lemon zest and thyme, and set aside.
• Pound the chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
• Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the prepared flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts.
• Place the arugula in a large bowl. In a 1-cup glass measure, whisk together the 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour enough dressing on the arugula to moisten. Toss well.
• Pile some arugula on top of each hot chicken breast. With a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, shave the chunk of Parmesan into large shards and arrange them on top of the arugula.

LEMONY CHICKEN ARUGULA QUINOA SALAD

Steps:

• Make the Basil Dressing: Place basil, garlic and lemon zest and a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Pour in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse to combine (don't make it too smooth). Place in a bowl or jar and whisk in some sour cream if you want it creamy ( adjusting salt as needed). This will keep 4 days in the fridge.
• Assemble salad. (You can keep all components separate if packing to take to work)
• Toss arugula with quinoa and scallions and some dressing to lightly coat. Divide among two bowls. Add chicken and avocado and any nuts or seeds that you like. Spoon a little more dressing over the chicken and season the avocado with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

QUINOA AND ARUGULA SALAD WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring water, quinoa, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a small baking dish with foil.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. Brush with olive oil and sear in the hot pan until grill marks appear, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into ½-inch cubes.
• Combine lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, and honey in a cup. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk rapidly until dressing is smooth.
• Combine arugula, quinoa, and chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat.

ARUGULA, LEMON QUINOA SALAD

Steps:

• Quinoa -- Cook according to directions. For most brands it is 1 part to approximately 2 parts liquid. Rinse the quinoa very well before you cook it - Important Step! Then bring the liquid to a boil (I prefer to use a broth to add even more flavor), reduce, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Just check your package for complete directions. Once done, just set to the side to cool.
• Salad Ingredients -- In your serving bowl, add the arugula, onion, scallions, garlic, peas, parsley and lemon zest. Toss well.
• Vinaigrette -- I like to make my vinaigrettes in a small tupperware container so I can just shake it and it is ready to go. Besides, if you don't use all your dressing, just put the lid back on and it will keep in the refrigerator for future use. But you can also mix this up in any small bowl or measuring cup. Just mix up the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, mustard, sugar and pepper.
• Finish -- Simply add the cooled or room temp quinoa to the salad vegetables and toss. Add a little vinaigrette at a time and mix. Add as much vinaigrette as you want. Check for seasoning and add any additional salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve -- ENJOY this lighter salad.