Meat lovers should also be able to enjoy the many benefits of quinoa, and now they can with this delicious and light salad. For those who are not in the know, quinoa is a gluten-free grain packed with proteins, minerals, and fiber. This hearty and healthy dish makes a great lunch or dinner!
Ingredients for Grape and Chicken Quinoa Salad:
Chicken breasts - 4 ( vegetarians can sub- chicken with Tofu/ mushrooms / jackfruit)
Cajun spice mix - 2 tbsp.
Quinoa - 2/3 cup
Water - 1/3 cup
Large potato - 1 (peeled and boiled)
Seedless red grapes - a handful (cut in half)
Mangold leaves - 5 oz (washed, dried, and finely diced) see Notes
Lemon - 1/2 (juiced)
Salt - to taste
Ground black pepper - to taste
Method of preparing the Grape and Chicken
Quinoa Salad:
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Cut horizontal slices in the chicken breast, rub them with the Cajun
spice mix, and lay them nicely in a baking dish.
Pour the olive oil over the seasoned chicken breast to avoid having
them dry out, and place them in the oven for 25 minutes. Make sure to
turn them over midway.
Cook quinoa in water, bring the pot to a boil, cover the pot, lower
the flame and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes and place them in a large
bowl along with the mangold leaves and the halved grapes.
Cut the spiced and cooked chicken breasts into strips and add them
to the bowl along with all the pan drippings.
Add the quinoa, mix all the ingredients together and dress in lemon,
salt, and pepper.
Serve warm.
Notes-Mangold leaves, also known as Swiss chard, are leafy green leaves that are part of the beet family. They have a spinach-like flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Some of the best-looking green leaves, with the stalk in yellow, orange, pink, purple – or green.
The leaves look like spinach and can often be cooked in the same way,
but mangolds are actually related to beetroot. The crispy shoots work
well raw in salads.