Healthy Salad Bowl with Chicken

Healthy salad plate with quinoa, tomatoes, chicken, avocado, lime and mixed greens (lettuce, parsley) on wooden background.

5 from 2 votes

This healthy salad recipe features tricolor quinoa, avocado, tomato, lettuce and lean baked chicken breast. Keep it simple with salt, pepper, and a generous squeeze of lime juice, or add your favorite vinaigrette dressing for a simple, healthful, and hearty salad option for weekday dinners.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy salad, quinoa chicken salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 656kcal

Ingredients

For the Baked Chicken

2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano dried
1/4 tsp black pepper ground
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika

For the Salad

2 cups quinoa tricolor, rinsed and well-drained
2 avocados sliced
3 cups lettuce chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes cut into quarters or halves
lime for garnish optional

Instructions

For the Chicken Breast

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil.
Combine all the dry spices in a bowl. Coat both sides of each chicken breast with olive oil and then sprinkle with the spices.
Place the chicken breasts on the foil-lined baking dish and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes. Juices should run clear when poked with a fork and the center of each chicken breast should be white and opaque.
Remove the chicken breasts from oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to serve as a cold salad later.

For the Salad

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add quinoa and boil, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes (this can be done while the chicken is baking). When quinoa is done, drain well. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to serve as a cold salad later.
To serve, lay the lettuce on the bottom of each serving dish. Add chicken, avocado, tomatoes, quinoa, and a slice of lime (optional) to form an attractive deconstructed salad bowl. This dish can be served warm or cold with a few splashes of your favorite vinaigrette dressing (optional)

Nutrition