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Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Salad made with cucumbers, feta, tomatoes and olives is perfect for the summer!
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Salad
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa SaladGreat for lunch or dinner, and also packed with protein (20 grams!), not to mention tons of wonderful flavors. A few other favorite quinoa obsessions are Avocado Quinoa and Chickpea Salad, Black Bean Quinoa and Mango Salad and Quinoa Huevos Rancheros Bowl.
To make the grilled chicken extra flavorful, I like to marinate it overnight with lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs like rosemary or oregano. This is great to bring to a potluck, to enjoy as a light meal. You can make the chicken and quinoa ahead if you wish, and mix everything together when you’re ready to eat.
More Quinoa Recipes You May Like
- Protein Egg and Quinoa Salad Jars
- Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado
- Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Cilantro Lime Quinoa
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Salad
Chicken and quinoa salad made with cucumbers, feta, tomatoes and olives is perfect for summer!
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 heaping cup
Ingredients
- 16 oz skinless thin sliced chicken cutlets
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or oregano
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cucumber, peeled and diced (from 1 English)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta
- kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa for about 2 minutes, using your hands to make sure all the saponins are removed.
- Fill a medium pot with water, add quinoa and salt to taste and bring to a boil.
- When the water boils, reduce heat to low and cover; simmer covered 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and keep covered an additional 5 minutes without lifting the lid; then fluff with a fork and set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool.
- Meanwhile, season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, garlic and rosemary.
- Drizzle both sides with the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil and pat into the meat with your fingertips.
- Refrigerate 20 minutes while you prepare the grill.
- Preheat the grill on high heat, clean the grates and oil them to prevent sticking (or use a grill pan indoors sprayed with oil).
- Arrange the chicken on the grill and cook until cooked and firm, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, then slice into 1-inch pieces.
- While the quinoa cools, dice all the vegetables.
- To the large work bowl with the cooled quinoa, add the red onion, olives, cucumber and tomatoes to the cooled quinoa, and squeeze the lemon over it.
- Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the quinoa, then add grilled chicken, feta, salt and pepper to taste and toss well.
- Taste for salt and adjust as needed, add more lemon juice if needed.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Nutrition
Serving: 1 heaping cup, Calories: 180 kcal, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 20 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 1.7 g, Cholesterol: 7 mg, Sodium: 255 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g
love this recipe. i have made the original Med Quinoa Salad for years- it’s always been a great summer staple for parties, if i need something vegan (leave out the feta) or just pacing the kitchen looking for something to eat straight from the fridge. Sometimes i would add chicken for a meal.
i followed this revised recipe which decreased the quinoa and increased the lemon, it was perfect for the week. i cant wait to make it again. i add a few extra olives and a little more feta.
Do you eat this hot or cold?
Also, I don’t like olives, do you have a good replacement?
My absolute favorite SkinnyTaste salad! Paired with a chicken breast or a couple of drumsticks, this is one of my favorite work lunches to prepare. I always add a little extra feta cheese to each serving of salad!
What is the freestyle points?
The smart points have all been updated to reflect the freestyle program.
This was delicious!!! Quick and super tasty! Thought there would be enough for lunch the next day but my hubby ate so much, we had just enough for a snack for the next day. Making double the recipe next time. Yum!!!!
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Please correct the 3/4 cup of water. Â My poor husband has been trying to cook the quinoa in that tiny amount of water for an hour now. Â
That amount is correct, and how I always make it. Not sure why he’s having issues.
Gina, when you have feta in your recipes is is traditional or low fat?
Traditional, I like to buy the block.
Looks perfect, love this type of recipe, this time of year.
Thanks
I marinated the chicken in italian dressing before cooking on my George Foreman grill. I also used tri colored quinoa. It looked so good as it was going together, I could hardly wait to taste it, and this recipe did not disappoint!
Just to save time may use rotisserie chicken or Tyson frozen grilled chicken.
How long do you think this will last in the fridge? Hoping to make this for my lunch this week!
I wouldn't add the cucumbers if you want it for a few days, add them last.
I made this last night and my husband and I really enjoyed it. I was a bit skeptical because the last recipe I made off the website was bland, but this one was nice and light but still had flavor. I marinated the chicken for a few hours with rosemary, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. I also added green peppers to the salad (and no olives because we both hate olives!). Really enjoyed it.
You said fill a medium pot with water. Is it supposed to be the 3/4 cup of water or fill the pot as with pasta or potatoes?
I think I'm going to try it with farro 🙂
I can't wait to try it!!!!
Is the fiber content correct? It seems like it would have more than 1g of fiber. Looks delicious, though! I can't wait to try it!
I think I'm in love with this dish. I just recently started eating quinoa – which I find to be delicious – and this looks amazing!
Looks perfect, love this type of recipe, this time of year.
Thanks
Simon
I'm not convinced to quinoa, it's tha bitter after taste that puts me off. Might try this salad, sounds like a lot of flavour.
My family would love this meal!
will you make more salads with bulgar or faro?
This looks almost too good to be healthy!! Thanks for the great recipe!
This is perfect! PERFECT. Angel – healthyroadadventures.blogspot.com
Great recipe. I like fresh salads in all seasons, especially in summer.
I'll make it for sure. I think this salad will help even lose weight, as it's low-calorie and rich in fiber, isn't it?
I made this for lunch today and brought it in to share with my coworkers – huge hit! Will definitely be making this more often. Thank you!
This looks so good. Lots of recipes use feta and I do not like it AT ALL :). Is there a good sub for it?
You can leave it out or sub it with queso blanco if you want to keep a cheese in there.
I'm not a huge feta fan, I'm going to use goat cheese instead.
Can you make this without the lemon? Cannot have citrus,and this looks so fabulous!
Sure, use a little red wine vinegar instead
Thanks!
I buy Quinoa at Costco – Organic Earthly Delights – it is WASHED – it is a 4lb bag that costs approx between $8-$12 – less expensive than buying small packages in the supermarket. It will stay – the bag has a seal at the top – I also put it into another plastic bag.
I really want to make this tonight… Lovely quinoa is one of the things I can eat and I have been looking for new ways to make it so its perfect going to share this one on my blog today.. with credit to you.. It looks so refreshing can't wait.. thanks .. Happy Friday with love Janice
Grilled anything – yes please! And what a lovely and colourful salad this is as well, I love quinoa, and the tips on marinating it with some lemon and garlic sounds great 😀 Thanks for sharing, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend 🙂 x
This recipes needs some editing, but I am looking forward to trying it.
I love quinoa salads but haven't yet made a Greek version. This looks so flavorful and delicious!
Is the amount of chicken correct? That can't be 16 chicken breasts? If I want to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, approx. how many should I use?
Thanks!! 🙂
LOL, ounces! I'll fix now
Wow looks really good, it looks almost like a recipe I posted for a twist Greek Salad.
Is it supposed to be 6 chicken cutlets, not 16?
I believe that's right(16). The recipe calls for thin cut cutlets. Those can be pretty small.
Considering it serves 6, and how low the calories, I'd go with 6 cutlets.
16 oz, (1 pound) not cutlets! Sorry, just fixed.
I have never cooked with quinoa. I keep seeing so many yummy looking recipes that include it though. I need to remedy this situation!
That looks wonderful! Love the Mediterranean flavors. 🙂
Approximately how many ounces of chicken is this?
16 oz
If I used Fat Free Feta (which I love and it tastes great) how much will that change the points ?
Great looking recipe. I always use your blog to help me with my weekly meal planning. Quick question: I have a sensitivity (or something…) to quinoa, as much as I love it, and have had to cut it out of my diet. Any suggestions on what I could replace it with in recipes like this?
Most times a sensitivity to quinoa comes from a not washing it thoroughly before cooking – have you been doing this? Amaranth could be a viable substitute.
You can use barley, farro, or even couscous in it's place, all would taste great!
Would probably be good with rice too!
Awesome! Thanks everyone 🙂
Whole wheat orzo maybe? Yum!