Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad

22 Ratings
  • 5 Rating Star 12
  • 4 Rating Star 7
  • 3 Rating Star 3
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A quick and easy way to make a delicious healthy meal!

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Ingredients

Directions

  • Bring water, quinoa, and 1/2 of the taco seasoning mix to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

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  • Mix chicken and remaining taco seasoning mix together in a bowl; let sit for chicken to season, about 10 minutes.

  • Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir chicken until no longer pink in the center, 5 to 10 minutes. Place chicken and quinoa in a bowl and place in freezer until cooled, about 5 minutes.

  • Combine avocado, red onion, celery, spinach, carrot, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, and jalapeno peppers in a large bowl; add chicken-quinoa mixture and salsa and mix well.

Tip

Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes clean-up easy.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
299.72 calories; 17.59 g protein; 32.53 g carbohydrates; 11.35 g fat; 34.99 mg cholesterol; 911.88 mg sodium.Full Nutrition

Reviews (14)

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Most helpful positive review

Hapygrl
02/16/2016
This was really tasty and healthy! I used leftover rotisserie chicken. I also used shredded carrot so there wasn't such a hard bite in the salad.and more salsa. I liked it as written! Thanks for the recipe!
Helpful
(6)

Most helpful critical review

Kelly
07/19/2017
Better without the cucumber and celery!
22 Ratings
  • 5 Rating Star 12
  • 4 Rating Star 7
  • 3 Rating Star 3
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
*Sherri*
04/20/2015
Followed the recipe as written with the exception of adding the whole bell peppers. I made this up the night before waiting to add the avocados then next day when I served it. I make with my own taco seasoning blend adapted from 'Famous Taco Seasoning Mix' on the AR website. The carrots and celery were very crunchy right after I made it and didn't seem to go with the Mexican flavor however the next day they had softened up and the whole salad tasted much better so letting it marinate awhile is a good idea. I ended up adding some cilantro since I had some on hand a nice addition. This sure is a chock full of healthy stuff salad.?
Helpful
(13)
Justine
02/04/2016
This is very tasty and easy! Changes I made: used 2 tsp. olive oil (not butter) to cook the chicken. It's much healthier. Also I served the whole mixture on a bed of raw baby spinach rather than mixing it in and I doubled the amount of spinach. I will definitely make it again.
Helpful
(12)
Hapygrl
02/16/2016
This was really tasty and healthy! I used leftover rotisserie chicken. I also used shredded carrot so there wasn't such a hard bite in the salad.and more salsa. I liked it as written! Thanks for the recipe!
Helpful
(6)
tksalinas
02/16/2017
Wonderful. Used chic broth to cook quinoa. Doubled the recipe using 2 1/2 lbs of chicken cut small. Be sure to cut red onion and carrots very small. I served all hot stirred together and added extra salsa. Really fresh and delish!!
Helpful
(2)
Shawnandtara
03/12/2016
Fabulous. Right amount of heat. I ran and gave some to my neighbors who were outside. Now we have a new neighborhood recipe to make.
Helpful
(1)
Kathryn
09/04/2016
A healthy and tasty meal. I made this for my office lunch and I was a satisfying meal.
Helpful
(1)
Amy P
08/26/2016
This is a great salad. My husband who is not a fan of quionoa even liked it.
Helpful
(1)
Joan
08/31/2016
Healthy easy tasty.... What more could we ask for?
Helpful
(1)
Kelly
07/19/2017
Better without the cucumber and celery!
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