Grilled Chicken Quinoa Salad: Your Ultimate Guide to a Healthy, Flavorful, and Easy Meal
Discover the perfect blend of healthful ingredients and vibrant flavors with this Grilled Chicken Quinoa Salad. It’s a delightful one-bowl wonder that combines fluffy quinoa, smoky grilled chicken and corn, crisp red bell peppers, crunchy pine nuts, fresh basil, and savory feta cheese. This versatile salad is not just a light and satisfying meal; it’s also an ideal centerpiece for summer potlucks, backyard barbecues, or a nutritious make-ahead lunch.
What truly sets this salad apart is the harmonious interplay of textures and tastes. The grilling process infuses both the chicken and the corn with an irresistible smoky depth, making them tender and flavorful. This contrasts beautifully with the bright, crisp bite of fresh red bell pepper, and the subtle crunch of toasted pine nuts. All these elements are unified by the light, nutty foundation of quinoa, creating a truly delicious and well-rounded culinary experience that is far from ordinary.
This recipe offers incredible flexibility, making it easy to adapt to your preferences or whatever fresh produce you have on hand. Imagine adding juicy cherry tomatoes for a burst of sweetness, creamy avocado for richness, briny olives for a Mediterranean touch, or tender zucchini for more green goodness. Feel empowered to get creative and make this salad uniquely yours! For those seeking a vegetarian option, simply omit the chicken, and you’ll still have a wonderfully satisfying and protein-packed meal. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a substantial side dish, or a wholesome, hearty lunch that will keep you energized.
Why This Grilled Chicken Quinoa Salad Will Become Your New Favorite
There are countless reasons to adore this grilled chicken quinoa salad, making it a staple in your kitchen. Here are the top three:
- It’s Fresh, Light, Yet Incredibly Hearty: This salad strikes a perfect balance. It feels light and refreshing, thanks to the abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs, but it’s remarkably filling. The high protein content from the grilled chicken and nutrient-dense quinoa ensures you stay satisfied without feeling heavy. It’s an ideal meal for warm weather, offering both coolness and sustained energy.
- Easily Adaptable and Customizable: The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility. Don’t have pine nuts? Try almonds or walnuts. Want more veggies? Toss in cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, or roasted zucchini. You can swap chicken for steak, shrimp, or even chickpeas for a different flavor profile. It truly allows you to experiment with ingredients based on seasonality, availability, or dietary preferences, ensuring it never gets boring.
- An Excellent Make-Ahead Dish: This salad is a meal prepper’s dream. It holds up exceptionally well in the refrigerator, with flavors often deepening and melding overnight. Prepare a large batch at the beginning of the week, and enjoy wholesome, delicious meals for days. It’s perfect for packed lunches or quick dinners when time is short.
Essential Ingredients for Your Flavorful Quinoa Salad
Crafting this delicious salad starts with selecting fresh, high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in building the incredible flavors and textures that make this dish so special.
You’ll need:
- Quinoa: The cornerstone of our salad, providing a nutty flavor and satisfying texture. Rainbow or tri-color quinoa adds visual appeal, but white quinoa works perfectly too. It’s a fantastic source of plant-based protein and fiber.
- Boneless Chicken Breasts or Thighs: Grilled to perfection, these offer lean protein and a wonderful smoky flavor. Both breasts and thighs work beautifully, depending on your preference for leanness or richness.
- Fresh Corn on the Cob: Grilling corn brings out its natural sweetness and adds a delightful smoky char that transforms the salad.
- Red Bell Pepper: Contributes a vibrant color, a sweet crunch, and a boost of Vitamin C.
- Pine Nuts: Toasted, they add a rich, buttery flavor and a delicate crunch, elevating the salad’s texture profile.
- Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta introduces a tangy, salty creaminess that complements the other ingredients beautifully.
- Fresh Basil: Aromatic basil leaves provide a burst of fresh, peppery, slightly sweet flavor, quintessential for a summer salad.
- Olive Oil: Used for grilling and as the base of our simple, bright dressing. Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the entire dish, cutting through richness and adding a zesty finish.
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth: Used for cooking the quinoa, infusing it with extra flavor compared to just water.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance all the natural flavors.
Each of these ingredients contributes to a salad that is not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients, making it a truly wholesome meal.
How to Prepare Your Perfect Grilled Chicken Quinoa Salad: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this flavorful grilled chicken quinoa salad is straightforward and rewarding. Follow these steps for a perfectly balanced dish:
- Grill Chicken and Corn to Perfection: Begin by preparing your protein and a key vegetable. Season your boneless chicken breasts or thighs generously with a portion of the salt and pepper. Likewise, lightly brush your corn on the cob with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the seasoned chicken on the grill and cook for approximately 12-17 minutes, flipping once, until it’s cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Simultaneously, grill the corn, rotating it frequently (every few minutes) to ensure even charring without burning, for about 5-7 minutes until it’s slightly smoky and tender-crisp. Remove both from the grill and let them cool slightly. Resting the chicken helps keep it juicy.
- Cook the Quinoa to Fluffy Perfection: In a medium saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the uncooked quinoa (which you may want to rinse first under cold water to remove any bitterness) and a teaspoon of salt, stirring for about a minute to toast it slightly. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan tightly, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but keep the lid on, allowing the quinoa to steam for an additional 5 minutes. This crucial step helps it absorb all the liquid and become perfectly fluffy. Finally, fluff the quinoa with a fork and let it cool slightly before adding it to the salad.
- Prepare Your Fresh Ingredients: While the quinoa cools and the chicken rests, chop your grilled chicken into ½-inch pieces. Carefully remove the corn kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife. Chop the red bell pepper into small, bite-sized pieces. If your pine nuts aren’t already toasted, quickly toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. This enhances their flavor significantly.
- Toss and Combine All Components: Now comes the exciting part – bringing everything together! In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled, fluffy quinoa, chopped grilled chicken, corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, toasted pine nuts, and about half of the crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh basil. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the fresh lemon juice over the mixture. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Toss gently until all the ingredients are well combined and evenly coated. Taste the salad and adjust seasonings – you might want a little more lemon juice, olive oil, salt, or pepper to achieve your desired flavor profile.
- Serve Immediately or Prepare for Storage: Once assembled, the salad is ready to be enjoyed! Garnish with the remaining feta cheese and fresh basil. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled – it’s delicious any way you prefer. If you plan to serve it later, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. The flavors will continue to meld and develop, making it an excellent option for meal prep.
Expert Tips & Clever Tricks for Your Quinoa Salad
Enhance your grilled chicken quinoa salad with these handy tips and creative variations:
- Choose Your Chicken Wisely: While I often opt for lean, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, boneless skinless chicken thighs are another fantastic choice. Thighs tend to be more forgiving on the grill and offer a slightly richer flavor. Both options yield delicious results, so use what you prefer or have on hand.
- Protein Power Beyond Chicken: Don’t limit yourself to chicken! This salad is incredibly versatile. Consider grilling steak or shrimp for a gourmet touch. For plant-based protein, marinated and grilled tofu, hearty black beans, or chickpeas would make excellent additions, offering different textures and nutritional profiles.
- Grilling Methods: Achieve that smoky char no matter your setup. An outdoor gas or charcoal grill is ideal for authentic flavor. If grilling outdoors isn’t an option, an indoor cast iron skillet or a grill pan will work wonderfully, creating those coveted grill marks and a similar caramelized taste. Just ensure good ventilation!
- Effortless Corn Kernel Removal: Removing corn from the cob can be messy, but there’s an easy trick. Stand the cooked corn cob upright inside a large bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut straight down along the cob, letting the kernels fall directly into the bowl. This method contains any stray kernels and prevents them from scattering across your counter. For an even more stable method, try standing the cob in the center hole of a bundt pan – the pan catches all the kernels! Here’s a video demonstration showing an easy way to do it with a bundt pan.
- Quinoa Variety Matters (or Not!): I love the visual appeal of rainbow or tri-color quinoa, which adds a beautiful splash of color to the salad. However, traditional white quinoa will perform just as beautifully in terms of texture and flavor, so feel free to use whichever you prefer or have available in your pantry.
- Maximize Freshness & Storage: This salad is a fantastic make-ahead option. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors often deepen and become even more harmonious after a day or two, making it perfect for meal prepping healthy lunches throughout the week.
- Make it Vegetarian or Vegan: As mentioned, simply omit the chicken for a delicious vegetarian version. To make it vegan, skip the chicken and replace the feta cheese with a plant-based alternative or nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Ensure your broth is vegetable-based.
- Dress it Up Differently: While the lemon and olive oil dressing is classic and fresh, you could also try a balsamic vinaigrette, a light dill dressing, or even a creamy tahini dressing for a different twist.
Nutritional Highlights of This Quinoa Salad
Beyond its incredible taste, this Grilled Chicken Quinoa Salad is a powerhouse of nutrition. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids, and is rich in fiber, iron, and magnesium. The chicken provides lean protein vital for muscle repair and satiety. Fresh corn and red bell peppers are brimming with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, while olive oil offers healthy monounsaturated fats. Feta cheese adds calcium, and fresh basil contributes additional antioxidants and flavor. It’s a meal that truly nourishes your body from the inside out.
More Refreshing Summer Salads to Enjoy
If you’re a fan of fresh, vibrant salads, especially during the warmer months, you’ll love exploring these other delightful options perfect for any gathering or a light meal:
- The Best Homemade Potato Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Panzanella Salad
This beloved recipe was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated to provide even more tips and details for your culinary enjoyment.
Grilled Chicken Quinoa Salad
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil , divided, plus more to taste
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (I used rainbow quinoa)
- 2 ½ teaspoon salt , divided, plus more to taste
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper , plus more to taste
- 2 ears corn on the cob
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- ¼ cup pine nuts , toasted
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
- 1 small bunch basil , chopped
- Juice of half a lemon , or to taste
Instructions
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Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the quinoa and 1 teaspoon of the salt and stir until combined. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.
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Season chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Cook on a grill preheated to medium high until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), about 12-17 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Remove from grill and let cool slightly. Chop into ½ inch pieces.
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While the chicken is cooking, brush the corn cobs with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
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Place on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes, rotating every few minutes. Remove from grill and use a knife to remove corn kernels from the cob.
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To assemble the salad, combine everything in a large bowl: quinoa, chicken, corn, red pepper, pine nuts, half of the feta cheese, half of the basil, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and lemon juice. Taste and add more olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper as needed.
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Top the salad with remaining cheese and basil. Serve warm or cold.