Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Greek Chicken Red Quinoa Salad
Lemon dressing brings a bright note to this chicken quinoa salad, with feta and olives adding a salty bite. Cool cucumber makes the whole bowl refreshing to eat. The quinoa catches the dressing around the chicken, so there's something worth enjoying in every spoonful.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 12 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Lunch
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- Greek · Mediterranean
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Salads
A few quick notes
1. Cool the quinoa completely
Let the cooked quinoa cool fully before adding it to the chicken, vegetables and feta.
2. Whisk before tossing
Whisk the oil, lemon, oregano and pepper together in a small bowl before dressing the salad.
3. Combine in a large bowl
Toss the chicken and toppings first, then add cooled quinoa and dressing for the final mix.
Get to know the ingredients
Quinoa
Rinse the red quinoa before cooking; regular quinoa is also an explicit option for this salad.
Chicken
Use cooked cubed chicken breast so it is ready to join the other salad components directly.
Tomatoes
Halve the cherry tomatoes before tossing them with chicken, olives, cucumber and onion in the bowl.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 3 steps completeMake room for Greek Chicken Red Quinoa Salad
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Optional parsley finish
Toss the cooled quinoa and dressing through the salad, then add fresh parsley if you prefer.
A little more help as you go
Salt from the toppings
The feta and olives supply salty flavor, so taste the combined salad before considering more seasoning.
Covered quinoa cook
Cover the quinoa after boiling and turn the heat low for its cooking stage before cooling.
A few questions you might have
Is the feta crumbled here?
The feta is specified cubed, giving the salad distinct cheese pieces among the quinoa and vegetables.
Does this salad need red quinoa specifically?
No, regular quinoa can replace red quinoa according to the provided variation for the salad.
When does the oregano go in?
Whisk the dried oregano into the lemon and olive oil dressing before the final salad toss.
Do I mix hot quinoa with the vegetables?
Wait until the quinoa has cooled completely before it joins the chicken and other salad ingredients.
Does the salad have a separate mayonnaise dressing?
Its dressing combines olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano and pepper, whisked together before tossing.
Any more cooking tips?
I don’t normally add salt to Greek salads because the olives and the feta cheese are pretty salty, so it’s not really needed. You can use regular quinoa, you don’t have to use red quinoa for this salad.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
