Chicken Quinoa Salad

Summer is my favorite time of year, and the foods of summer are refreshingly light, so much so they’ll keep your spirits buoyed and your appetite craving more of the good stuff. Our Chicken Quinoa Salad Recipe is representative of the vibe, spirit, and fun of summer.

The quinoa with its nutty notes pairs well with the shredded herb roasted chicken, the crisp sweet apples, and juicy red strawberries. I also sautéed and tossed in a cupful of fresh cut off the cob sweet corn with the quinoa, and it just might be the perfect match in this salad. I also added the lush and vibrancy of Swiss Chard, Arugula, Red Romaine and Kale. Add the cool creamy flavor of the homemade cucumber and apple salad dressing and it brings it all together. So if you are wondering what to do with the left over roasted chicken sitting in your ice box, well wonder no more. Thank you summer. Cheers.

Chicken Quinoa Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 whole roasted chicken (Use your favorite roasted chicken recipe. We incorporated lots of herbs. Like rosemary, lemon thyme, purple sage, and no less than 8 cloves of garlic and lemon zest.)
• 1 cup cut off the cob sweet corn
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup Swiss chard, chopped
• 1 cup kale, chopped
• 1 cup arugula, chopped
• 1 cup red romaine, chopped
• 1 cup mizuna, chopped
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup apples, sliced
• 1-3 fresh young peppers for garnish
• 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of unsalted sweet cream butter
• Kosher or sea salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

 1. Using a nonstick skillet or similar pan over medium-high heat, add the 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of sweet cream butter. When the skillet is hot add the sweet corn and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes. 

2.To make the quinoa, you can cook according to the package or follow these instructions for How to Cook Quinoa.

Cucumber and Apple Salad Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 small cucumber, chopped fine
• 1 apple, any firm baking apple will do, (Gala, Pink Lady or Sweet Tango), chopped
• 1 small sweet onion, minced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. In a bowl add mayonnaise, evoo, lemon juice, garlic, honey and Worcestershire. Whisk ingredients together until they are well incorporated.
2. Add cucumber, apples, and sweet onion and continue to mix well.
3. Kosher or add sea salt to taste.
4. Freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
5. Pour into a side serving dish and top with cucumber and apple.
6. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.