Spice rubbed chicken and large slabs of veg get thrown on the grill to get that delicious smoky, charred flavor. It all gets tossed together with quinoa in a simple cumin lime dressing and topped with salty cheese, toasted nuts and some fresh herbs.
Ingredient Highlight
Quinoa! Though we think of this as a grain, it’s actually a seed to a plant! That’s why it’s such a great source of plant-based protein since it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It’s also rich in magnesium, calcium, vitamin E, and fiber.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup quinoa about 3 cups cooked
- 2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into ½-inch slabs
- 2 portobello mushrooms, inner gills scraped out
- 2 bell peppers, seeds and stem removed, cut into slabs or leave it whole
- 1 bunch scallions optional
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese optional
- Fresh chopped cilantro, scallions, or parsley optional
For the chicken:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp maple syrup optional
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper
- You can use any veggies here for grilling! You should end up with about 4-5 cups of chopped grilled veg.
- No grill? Bake the veggies and chicken on separate sheet pans in a 450F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender. You can hit the chicken and veggies under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end to get that same charred flavor.
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the quinoa and 1 ½ cups water. Cover and turn the heat to high to bring to a boil/rapid simmer, then reduce to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Fluff with a fork and let cool for a bit.
- Heat up your grill over medium-high heat for at least 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the oil, spices, salt, and pepper to coat. Add the chicken to one side of the grill and grill on each side for about 5 minutes or until cooked through.
- In a large bowl, add the veggies and scallions (if using) and toss with the 2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Arrange the veggies on the other side of the grill and grill, covered, for 5 minutes or until you have nice grill marks. You may want to reduce the heat a bit so they don’t get super burnt, depending on your grill. Check on the scallions after 2-3 minutes. Careful not to burn the scallions (if using), they will likely be ready before the veggies. Flip the veggies and repeat.
- Transfer the chicken and veggies to a cutting board and chop the veggies up and thinly slice the chicken.
- In the same large bowl that you used for the veggies, add the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Add the cooked quinoa and grilled veggies and toss to coat.
- Serve topped with sliced chicken, cheese (if using), and herbs (if using). This is also yummy with pickled red onion on top!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Toss the chicken in the spices, oil, and salt.
- Cook 1 cup quinoa
- Cut 2 zucchini lengthwise into ½-inch slabs
- Cut 2 bell peppers into slabs
- Make the dressing
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, skip the chicken and substitute with a few more portobello mushrooms (toss them in the spices and oil, etc…). You could also bake spiced tofu until crisp in the oven. Alternatively, skip the protein on top and just add a can of drained and rinse black beans (quinoa already is high in protein).
- Substitute the quinoa with any grain or use pasta for a pasta salad.
- You could also do this with bone in skin on chicken parts or any other cut of meat you like to grill. I don’t like to grill chicken breasts, as they dry out easily.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Chicken: up to 4 days
- Quinoa veggie salad: up to 6 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Enjoy this salad right out of the fridge or warm it up slightly in the microwave. Mix in a generous squeeze of lime and sprinkle of salt to wake it up. Top with warm sliced chicken and all the toppings.
- Put a fried egg on it!
- Add a can of beans!
- Mix in some greens to add some bulk and turn it into a leafy salad.
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