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Chopped Chicken and Peach Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 4 - 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large or 2 small cucumbers, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 2 ripe peaches, chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5 cups, 10 oz peaches)
  • 2 cups chopped herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro, scallions, basil, etc…)*

For the dressing:

  • 1 cup loosely packed cilantro (leaves and stems)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Toppings:

  • 1 avocado, chopped or sliced
  • Grated cheddar or crumbled feta cheese
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds
  • Lime wedges
  • Pickled red onions (recipe, optional)
  • *Adding scallions into the mix is my favorite in this salad or doing a combo of scallions and cilantro. If you’re not using scallions, I’d suggest topping with pickled red onion or just adding some thinly sliced red onion into the salad.

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Cook 1 cup quinoa
  • Toast pumpkin seeds
  • Cook and prep 1 lb chicken
  • Pickle a red onion (optional)
  • Chop 1 large or 2 small cucumbers (about 2 cups)
  • Chop 2 ripe peaches into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5 cups)
  • Chop 2 cups of herbs 
  • Make the dressing
  • Make the salad

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, add the quinoa and 1 ½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes or until cooked through and water has evaporated. Transfer to a large plate or bowl, spread out, and let cool.
  • Add chicken to a bowl or cutting board along with the cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and oil. Toss so the chicken is evenly coated.
  • You can either grill or pan-fry your chicken until it is all the way cooked through, about 3-6 minutes per side (depending on thickness). If cooking in a skillet, I like to cook over medium heat covered with a lid. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
  • In a high-speed blender, add the dressing ingredients. Start by blending on low and slowly increasing to high and continue to blend until smooth. If it’s struggling to blend, add a bit more olive oil.
  • In a large bowl, add the quinoa, chicken, cucumber, peaches, and herbs. Pour the dressing over top, scraping out every last bit. Toss to coat. Taste and add more salt, lime, or oil as needed.
  • Serve it up topped with avocado, cheese, pumpkin seeds, and a lime wedge. I also like to top it with a drizzle of good olive oil. If you have pickled red onions, those are great on top too!

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make vegetarian, you can skip the chicken all together and just add those spices directly into the dressing. To add more protein, top with some fried eggs or stir in a can of beans (warm the beans up and toss them with salt and vinegar before adding).
  • To make vegan, see above + skip the cheese. Top with a sprinkling of salt and some extra seeds and avocado.
  • Use any stone fruit in place of peaches - nectarines, cherries, plums, apricots, etc…This would also be good with blueberries, strawberries, or cantaloupe.

Storage:

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Microwave leftovers for 10-20 seconds just to take the chill off. Or you can just let it sit out for 10-20 minutes. Grain salads tend to lose flavor as they sit in the fridge, so I like to always add a splash of vinegar (or lime) and a generous sprinkle of salt and toss it again. Top with all the toppings!