Chicken Avocado Quinoa Salad
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An easy salad, like chicken avocado quinoa salad, that can be made ahead and enjoyed all week long is perfect for meal prep or just to get ready for a summer party!
During the summer, I totally crave cool salads but get bored with lettuce based salads pretty quickly. That is when I turn to quinoa salad recipes to offer variety. This low calorie chicken salad works as a light main course or a fun side dish at your summer BBQ or picnic.
You can serve this salad warm but I prefer cold. So, I usually make it on Sunday and then enjoy it during the week for lunch. It holds up so well so making it ahead is no problem at all. (So perfect for meal prep!)
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Quinoa Salad Recipe
- So easy! This recipe is so easy to make. You can use a rotisserie chicken to make it quicker to put together too.
- Make Ahead Friendly! This quinoa salad holds up well in the refrigerator so you can make it ahead by 1-2 days.
- Versatile! You can add or change many of the ingredients to customize this cold salad to your taste preferences.
I recently discovered a quinoa and red rice blend at the store so I swap that out for regular quinoa from time to time. This salad is so versatile that you can use regular quinoa, red quinoa or even the blend of quinoa and red rice. If you need a great recipe for perfect quinoa every time, use this one.
Chicken Avocado Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- Quinoa
- Onion – Since the onion isn’t cooked here, go with a yellow or red onion.
- Black Beans
- Corn – I love fresh corn cut from the cob in this recipe. Of course, that isn’t always practical so you can substitute canned corn or frozen corn that has thawed.
- Chicken – I usually grab a rotisserie chicken and shred the chicken from it.
- Avocado
- Limes – Since the lime juice is the main “sauce” component to the chicken avocado quinoa salad, be sure to use fresh limes versus bottled lime juice. It makes a huge different in flavor! I also toss my cut avocado in a little lime juice before adding to the salad.
- Cilantro
- Agave or Sugar
Essential Items for This Recipe
- Strainer
- Large Bowl
- Blender or Food Processor
Now, I know some people can’t do cilantro because it tastes like soap for them. Thankfully, I am not that person. However, if you aren’t a cilantro fan, you can replace it with Italian parsley. You’ll lose a little flavor but, if that flavor is soap to you, you really haven’t lost much, right?
Quinoa Salad Recipe FAQs
What is the best way to cook chicken for chicken salad? I frequently buy a rotisserie chicken to make this quinoa salad or any chicken salad recipes. However, if I cook it at home, I find poaching it produces the best results for making chicken salad or for easily shredding chicken.
How do I keep the avocado from browning? Toss the diced avocado in a little bit of lime juice before adding to the quinoa salad.
What are the storage instructions? This salad is good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after assembly. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Remove 10-15 minutes before ready to serve or briefly warm the quinoa salad in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Is this recipe freezer friendly? I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Chicken Avocado Quinoa Salad Variations
- Chick Pea and Quinoa Salad – Replace the chicken with a can of drained chickpeas.
- Tuna Quinoa Salad – Replace the chicken with tuna.
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – Add fresh tomato, olives, and feta in place of the corn and black beans. Replace the lime juice based dressing with Greek vinaigrette.
More Delicious Quinoa Salad Recipes
- Veggie Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Mexican Quinoa Power Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing
Chicken Avocado Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 ears of corn grilled and removed from cob or 1 small can niblets
- 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
- 1 large avocado
Dressing
- 4 limes juiced
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons agave or sugar
Video
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix onion, black beans, corn, chicken and quinoa together.1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled, 1/2 onion chopped, 15 ounce can black beans, 2 ears of corn grilled and removed from cob, 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
- In a blender, combine the lime juice, cilantro and agave to make the dressing.4 limes, 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, 2 Tablespoons agave or sugar
- Cut the avocado in small pieces and toss in dressing. Add avocado to quinoa mixture.1 large avocado
- Pour dressing over quinoa mixture and toss to combine. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Notes
- This recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Nutrition
mmm…Come link this up!!
Thanks for sharing…this looks delish!
I am just learning to use quinoa…this looks terrific..thanks!
Love this! Thanks for sharing! We would love to have you link up some of your recipes over at our party!
http://baked-inthesouth.blogspot.com/2012/07/made-it-by-monday-link-party.html
Came over from DIY Show off Party 🙂 This looks sooooo yummy!
This looks delicious!
Stopping by from the Just A Girl linkup.
Looks Good! I have quinoa in my pantry, now I just need to remember to make it! Visiting from Elizabeth & Co liunkup – have a wonderful week 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m excited to be a new follower and see more of your cute ideas and food! I would love if you followed me back! http://www.iheartpears.blogspot.com
this looks so yummy!! thanks for sharing and thanks for linkin up to Tell Me Tuesday!!
This looks amazing! Featuring tonight at Mom On Timeout!
I would love to try quinoa with my Little Chefs. This would be great because they love all the other ingredients. I’d love for you to share this or any recipe with my readers at Fantastic Thursday. http://www.fivelittlechefs.com/p/fantastic-friday.html
i always look at these yummy food posts late at night and get starving hungry! thanks for linking tip-toe thru tuesday!
Wow. This looks super yummy. I might have to give it a whirl! Thanks for sharing on Show and Tell at SNAP!
xoxo, Tauni
That looks so good and healthy! Thank you for sharing. Visiting from 20 Below. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-6.html Wishing you a grand rest of the week. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
The subject of this week’s Food on Friday is Salad. It would be great if you linked this in. This is the link . I found this through Live.Laugh.Rowe
Sounds and looks so very yummy!
Thanks for linking up at I Gotta Create!
<3 Christina
Totally on a quinoa kick….. this sounds awesome!
Lovely. Great that you linked in, thanks. have a good one
I recently went to a dinner presentation by the California Avacado group… delicious. But I am also sharing an obsession with avocados lately. 🙂 Looks delicious!
I recently went to a dinner presentation by the California Avacado group… delicious. But I am also sharing an obsession with avocados lately. 🙂 Looks delicious!
Avocado is one of my favorite ingredients – yum!
Avocado is one of my favorite ingredients – yum!
this is a very healthy recipe with avacado and quinoa, two of my favorites in one dish!