Super Protein New Year’s Salad

I know we all want to eat better in the new year but my body insisted on it! This is healthy and good. If you are a vegetarian substitute raw chick peas for the cooked chicken. Recipe is for two but you can double it. If you haven’t tried quinoa it is SO healthy and its yummy.

1/2 c quinoa grain, cooked (see below)

2 handfuls of any salad green –
I used romaine, but mixed, spinach, etc. would work

2 chicken breasts or a can of chick peas
2 vine ripe tomatoes, cut in eighths
salt and pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Good olive oil

Cook the quinoa – bring one cup of water to boiling and when just boiling, add quinoa, turn heat to lowest setting and simmer 15 minutes with a lid on the pot. Don’t peak – it has to steam. Cool.

Heat olive oil (enough to coat a pan) over medium high. Add chicken breasts that have been well salted and peppered. About 3 minutes into cooking, splash some balsamic on top – just enough to lightly coat bottom of pan. Cook 2 minute more then flip chicken. If necessary add enough more balsamic to coat the pan, and a little more olive oil if that has dried out. Let cook till done t hrough, about 5 minutes more. Take off heat and cut into bite sized strips or pieces.

For each salad, assemble half the greens on a plate, half the quinoa, and pile chicken on top of each. Arrange tomatoes nicely around the edges. Salt and pepper if you like. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and splash with a bit more balsamic vinegar. Healthy, protein packed and good.

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