Chicken and Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing

Packed with protein, good fats and fibre, this Quinoa Salad with chicken and broccoli is a real powerhouse salad. Serve it with my creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing for a healthy, energy-boosting lunch or dinner!

 And...I'm back! Did you miss me? Haha just kidding, you don't really have to answer that. I did miss you though! It felt really good to unplug and take a couple weeks off but I'm happy to be back with you.

I've been thinking a lot about NEC, new things I want to implement and how I could make it more useful to you. I have lots of new projects lined up including new resources (articles, guides and more) to help you live a healthy and delicious lifestyle (among other topics!), new mobile apps and new cookbooks.

I can't wait to tell you more about it when it's time! I've also got lots of yummy recipes coming your way. I'm super excited for this month of December: I'll be sharing lots of festive recipes for the holidays I'm sure you'll love.

 Speaking of the holidays, are you still in a Thanksgiving food coma my American friends? Although we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia (and France) I couldn't help but drool over all the delicious food pictures people posted on social media. What a feast! Definitely jealous.

Anyway, today's recipe, a healthy quinoa salad with chicken and broccoli, would be the perfect meal to detox your stomach full of turkey, gravy and pie. It is dressed with a lemon tahini "sauce" that is just to die for.

If you haven't tried tahini dressing before, I urge you to give it a go. I tasted it for the first time a few weeks ago over simple pan roasted broccoli and I'm still wondering why it took me so long to try it in the first place #storyofmylife.

Anyway, this easy Quinoa Salad with Chicken, Broccoli and toasted almonds is a real allrounder. It is a great main course for lunch and dinner, but also the perfect side dish for potlucks and parties.

Enjoy! xx

If you tried this Quinoa Salad with Chicken and Broccoli, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

5 from 1 vote

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Chicken and Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing

Packed with proteins, good fats and fibre, this Quinoa Salad with chicken and broccoli is a real powerhouse salad. Serve it with my creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing for a healthy, energy-boosting lunch or dinner!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bowl, broccoli, chicken, clean eating, dressing, easy, healthy, quinoa, salad, simple, superfood, tahini

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 559 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups quinoa 200 g, any variety
• 3 cups stock chicken or vegetable
• 1.5 lb chicken breast 700 g, cubed
• 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp coconut oil divided (use refined coconut oil for no coconut taste) - or your favorite oil
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 head broccoli cut into florets (you can use 2 heads if you're a big broccoli fan)

Tahini dressing

• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 lemon juiced, about ¼ cup
• 1 clove garlic minced very thinly
• ¼ cup warm water
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cool water for at least 2 minutes. Drain. Rinsing quinoa before cooking will remove its natural bitter or soapy taste. 

2. Transfer to a medium saucepan, cover with stock, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes on the lowest setting. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and set aside in a large salad bowl.

3. While quinoa is cooking prepare the other ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine chicken cubes, cornstarch (or arrowroot if using), paprika, garlic powder and ½ tbsp coconut oil. Toss to coat the chicken. Set aside.

4. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat with no oil added, spread almonds in a single layer and toast over medium-high heat until golden. Watch them carefully as they can burn quickly. Take them out of the pan and set aside.

5. In the same skillet, add ½ tbsp coconut oil and increase the heat to high. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for about 10 minutes or until cooked through but still slightly crispy. Transfer to the salad bowl.

6. To the same skillet, add chicken, season with salt to taste and cook on medium-high for about 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Transfer to the salad bowl.

7. Prepare the tahini dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice and garlic. Gradually whisk in warm water. Season with salt to taste.
8. Drizzle dressing over salad, scatter with toasted almonds and toss.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken and Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing

Amount Per Serving (1 /5th)

Calories 559 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 87mg29%

Sodium 769mg33%

Potassium 1331mg38%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 44g88%

Vitamin A 1495IU30%

Vitamin C 110.8mg134%

Calcium 133mg13%

Iron 4.8mg27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.