This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

 Quinoa Chicken Salad with tomatoes, arugula, chickpeas, mint, parsley and a zesty lemony dressing. Gluten-free and Vegan Adaptable! A simple, packable lunch, perfect for Sunday meal prep! 
A delicious recipe for Quinoa Salad with summer tomatoes, Chicken (or Chickpea), mint parsley and a zesty lemony dressing. | www.feastingathome.com
I think of this as this Quinoa Salad with Chicken, Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Mint as an “end-of-summer salad” when tomatoes are sweet and ripe and bursting with flavor.  Or for my teacher friends, a “back-to-school” salad, because it’s easy to whip up in big batches and have on hand when days are too short to cook. It’s also very packable, holding up well even on the 2nd and 3rd day, making it perfect for a bring-to-work lunch.  It’s very versatile, in that it can be modified to your own personal preferences…. and can easily be made vegan by substituting crispy tofu for the chicken or just leaving it out.
A delicious recipe for Quinoa Salad with summer tomatoes, Chicken (or Chickpea), mint parsley and a zesty lemony dressing.
Cooked quinoa, chicken, chickpeas, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes, fresh parsley and mint, are tossed with a lemony vinaigrette and served with your favorite greens. Sometimes I’ll add fresh little mozzarella balls for extra heartiness as well. Packed with three different proteins, this energizes the body and mind without leaving you feeling heavy or sleepy.  During our hectic wedding season, still underway, I like to make a big bowl of this, knowing that when I come home from work, there is something in the fridge, ready to eat.
I try to make the quinoa ahead, or the night before so it can cool overnight in the fridge before tossing with the rest of the ingredients. Normally I’ll use leftover chicken or tofu as well.
But the star of this salad are the in-season, heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Last year I planted an herb patch. It has become one of the best investments ever. Our backyard gets a little sun and the only thing that seems to thrive are herbs, so most of our garden boxes have been slowly replaced with herbs, which we use in prolifically at home and in our catering business.

One part of my garden has a patch of mint. This is no ordinary mint. When I was a little girl, my parents bought a home in Southern California, and my mom planted a big mint patch on the side of the house for when she would make tabouli.

Well, eventually, after years and years, the mint spread and overtook the entire side of the house. When the windows were open we could smell the fragrant mint wafting through the air.

Thirty-five years later, the time came when we had to sell my parent’s house and as a keepsake, I dug up a little bit of my mom’s mint and brought it back home and planted in my own garden. Today, I have the same mint growing here, that my mom planted all those years ago.

I wish she could feel how happy it makes me to cook with something that originated from her. Perhaps she can.

Another fresh herb that I like to have on hand is fresh flat-leaf parsley. I planted a small patch of it a few years ago, and every year since, it has reseeded itself. The cost of one seed packet costs about the same as one bunch of parsley at the grocery store. A very good investment indeed.

The lemon zest in the salad brightens this up so pleasantly.

A delicious recipe for Quinoa Salad with summer tomatoes, Chicken (or Chickpea), mint parsley and a zesty lemony dressing. | www.feastingathome.com

Serve the quinoa salad just like it is- or over a bed of greens.
A simple easy packable Quinoa Chicken Salad with Summer tomatoes!
Cheers!
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Quinoa Salad with Chicken, Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Mint

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

A delicious recipe for zesty Quinoa Salad with summer tomatoes, Chicken (or Chickpeas), mint, parsley and a zesty lemony dressing. | www.feastingathome.com

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 C Quinoa- rinsed
  • 8 ounces cooked seasoned chicken ( baked chicken, crispy tofu, or extra garbanzo beans)
  • 1 lb heirloom tomatoes- halved or diced
  • 1 can rinsed, drained chickpeas
  • 1 C chopped packed Italian parsley
  • 1/4 C chopped packed mint
  • 1/4 C finely diced onion
  • zest from one lemon
  • 1–2 C Arugula or Spinach (optional)
  • 8 oz small mozzarella balls (halved)- optional or sub feta or goat cheese!

Lemony Dressing:

Instructions

  1. Rinse Quinoa and place in medium pot with 1 3/4 Cup water and 1/2 tsp salt on high heat. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat to low, and cook covered 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Fluff with fork and cool in fridge, overnight or for 1 hour.
  2. To make dressing, mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
  3. When quinoa has chilled, place in large bowl, fluff with fork. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, chicken or tofu, herbs, zest, onion and mozzarella balls (optional).
  4. Toss with dressing. If you like, place it on top of a bed of greens like arugula or mixed lettuces.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 450

Keywords: quinoa chicken salad, quinoa salad with chickpeas, quinoa salad with chicken, quinoa chickpea salad

⭐️ RATE THE RECIPE!

Your feedback is valuable- it helps us fine-tune the recipes and ultimately make them more successful.  Please leave your comments and ratings below, sharing any suggestions or adaptions for other readers. Have questions? We personally respond within 24 hours.  Thanks, this is the BEST way to show your support. 💛

Share this with the world

Pin

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Comments

  1. Love your recipes but have to have nutritional breakdown of all ingredients in the recipes for husband health
    Please unsubscribe me
    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi Carole, the nutritional info is listed below the recipe card. Do you see it? If you would still like to unsubscribe, please do so at the bottom of the next email you receive. 😉

      Reply

  3. I’ll be watching for the recipe. I can’t wait to try it for my friend. Thanks for all you do.

    Reply

  4. I came across this recipe on Pinterest and sent it to my mom to try out. Thank you for posting this delicious-looking recipe!

    Reply

  5. I made this last week, but with brown gluten free couscous. It was good. Then this week I combined it with this kale salad http://jellytoastblog.com/2013/08/kale-salad-with-roasted-salmon.html/#comment-2718 . It was really good too. Thanks for the recipe

    Reply

Originally Posted

Last Updated

Categories

Hi, I'm Sylvia!

Chef and author of the whole-foods recipe blog, Feasting at Home, Sylvia Fountaine is a former restaurant owner and caterer turned full-time food blogger. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest and shares seasonal, healthy recipes along with tips and tricks from her home kitchen.

Learn more
Subscribe
to get recipes via email