Southwest Chicken Quinoa Bean Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 cup of olive oil, divided
  • 2 limes
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 teaspoons honey, divided
  • 2 teaspoons chipolte powder, divided
  • 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, divided
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (Fage 0%)
  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups of cooked quinoa (1 cup dry yields 3 cups cooked)
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado
  • 2 chicken breasts (~1.25 lbs)

Instructions

  1. Cook quinoa according to instructions or use rice cooker method (1 cup of quinoa to 1 3/4 cups of water & 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in the rice cooker yields 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Be sure to rinse the quinoa).
  2. Make the cilantro lime marinade. Mix the following in a blender & blend until smooth:
    • 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons lime juice (1.5 limes)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
    • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  3. Cover chicken breasts with marinade & marinade for a minimum of 10 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350.
  5. Make creamy southwest salad dressing. Mix the following in a blender & blend until smooth:
    • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (normally Fage 0%)
    • 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice (1/2 lime)
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
    • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  6. Bake chicken for 20-30 minutes until done.
  7. Assemble salad using 2 tbsp of dressing per salad.

Adapted from My Food Story.

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