Thai Chicken Quinoa Salad with Soy Lime Dressing is full of flavor and packed with fresh veggies. It’s the perfect healthy lunch recipe!
This dish is a riff on two not-quite-as-healthy recipes I shared last summer: Quinoa Pepper Pilaf and Pasta Salad with Sweet Tea Vinaigrette. Both of those recipes have healthy components, but neither is as packed with super foods as this one. From quinoa to edamame to sweet bell peppers, Thai Chicken Quinoa Salad is basically one big bowl of stuff you should be eating all the time.
Don’t let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. The chicken and the quinoa can both be cooking within minutes, and all the vegetables can be prepared while the chicken bakes and the quinoa simmers. After, just shake up the dressing, toss everything together, and enjoy!
Thai Chicken Quinoa Salad with Soy Lime Dressing
heavily adapted from Sweet Peas and Saffron
Ingredients
For the Chicken
2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of pepper
For the Salad
1 cup quinoa
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 cucumber
2 sweet bell peppers
2 carrots
1/2 cup edamame
3 green onions
For the Dressing
2 tbs sugar
4 tbs lime juice
4 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs minced ginger
dash red pepper flakes
dash of pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, make the chicken marinade by whisking together lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper. Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour the marinade over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes.
Next, prepare the quinoa according to package instructions. Alternatively, you can make it in a rice cooker using the white rice setting. While the chicken and the quinoa cook, seed and dice the cucumber, seed and thinly slice the peppers, shred the carrots, and dice the green onions.
Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl or jar and mixing well. You’ll want to give the dressing another shake or stir right before adding it to the salad.
Combine quinoa and vegetables in a large bowl. Slice the cooked chicken and place on top. Drizzle the salad with dressing. Serve warm or refrigerate for up to three days.
Notes
For the sake of time, you can substitute a store-bought dressing for the homemade version included here.
Use any combination of vegetables you have and love.
You’ve got to save this Thai Chicken Quinoa Salad for later!
