Citrus Quinoa Salad (Edit recipe)

This citrus quinoa salad is light and hearty– filled with quinoa, spinach, chicken, pepper, onion, fresh cilantro, oranges, and creamy avocado. Bursting with flavor from the refreshing citrus vinaigrette, this quinoa salad is a warmer weather staple!

15 minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	1020
Fat:	31 g
Carbohydrates:	144 g
Protein:	47 g
Cholesterol:	55 g
Sodium:	628 mg
Fiber:	22 g
Sugars:	18 g
Calculated per serving.

by Christina

View original recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Quinoa Salad

2.25 cups Quinoa, cooked
1 cup Baby Spinach, chopped
1.5 cups Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded/chopped
0.333 cup Red Onion, finely diced
1 cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
15 oz Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1.5 cups Navel Orange, segmented and chopped, about 2 oranges
2 whole Avocado, chopped

Citrus Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp Lime Juice, about 1 lime
1 tsp Lime Zest, about 1 lime
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice, about 1 lemon
0.333 cup Orange Juice, about 2-3 oranges
1 Tbsp Orange Zest, about 1 orange
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Honey
0.333 cup Cilantro, chopped
0.75 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
0.5 tsp Black Pepper

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Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Add the warm quinoa and spinach in a large bowl. Give it a few big stirs– this helps wilt down the spinach slightly. Add in the remaining ingredients except the avocado and stir together until combined.
For the vinaigrette: Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat everything evenly.
If serving immediately, add in the avocado and lightly toss together to prevent the avocado from breaking apart too much.
Serve at room temperature or cold. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the vinaigrette up to 1 week in advance and store in the refrigerator. You have 2 options to make this ahead of time: 1) up to 3-4 days in advance without adding the vinaigrette or 2) up to 1-2 days in advance with the vinaigrette. Though, if for a crowd, I recommend making ahead without the vinaigrette or just 1 day in advance as the salad begins to break down each day it sits in the refrigerator.
Chicken: Nothing fancy here– use what you have on hand from the week or grab a rotisserie chicken.
Quinoa: If you've never made quinoa, you can follow this recipe. If you have quinoa sitting in the refrigerator, pop it in the microwave prior to starting to warm it up– not only will it help slightly wilt down the spinach but warm quinoa does a better job at soaking up the vinaigrette giving you more flavor in every bite!
Beans: Any type of beans work in this recipe– just make sure they are drained and rinsed prior. For a creamier texture you can use northern beans.
Spinach: Using spinach is my go-to but you can also use kale or arugula or combine them!