Roasted Chicken & Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Mushrooms, carrots and onions are roasted with garlic and fennel seeds in this roast chicken and quinoa salad. Preparing the quinoa with a little less water than is typical makes it cook more quickly and keeps it fluffier‚ perfect for soaking up the sherry-vinegar dressing in this salad. Serve with garlic-rubbed toast.

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Cook Time:
40 mins
Additional Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided

  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed, divided

  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided

  • 10 ounces mushrooms, quartered

  • 4 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

  • 1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch wedges

  • 1 ½ cups water

  • 1 cup quinoa

  • 1 pound chicken tenders, halved crosswise

  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

  • 8 cups torn escarole or curly endive

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

  2. Mash garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt into a paste with the side of a chef's knife or a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in oil, 2 teaspoons fennel seeds and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

  3. Combine mushrooms, carrots and onion in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture and toss well to coat. Spread the vegetables on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

  5. Combine chicken, 2 teaspoons of the oil mixture, the remaining 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in the medium bowl. Toss to coat.

  6. Stir the vegetables and nestle the chicken among them. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken tender registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes more.

  7. Whisk vinegar into the remaining oil mixture. Add escarole (or endive) and the quinoa and toss with the dressing. Serve the salad topped with the roasted vegetables and chicken.

Tips

Cut Down on Dishes: A rimmed baking sheet is great for everything from roasting to catching accidental drips and spills. For effortless cleanup and to keep your baking sheets in tip-top shape, line them with a layer of foil before each use.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

516 Calories
24g Fat
43g Carbs
34g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 516
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 10g 35%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 34g 67%
Total Fat 24g 30%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Vitamin A 12383IU 248%
Vitamin C 15mg 16%
Folate 252mcg 63%
Sodium 711mg 31%
Calcium 138mg 11%
Iron 5mg 25%
Magnesium 144mg 34%
Potassium 1242mg 26%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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