Poached Chicken Quinoa Salad with Hazelnuts, Cranberries & Feta

Simple to prep, big on flavour your new go-to for lunches or light dinners.

My perfect day? A trip to the Adelaide Central Markets for my weekly (or let’s be honest, thrice-weekly 🙈) grocery shop, a Lucia’s panini in hand, and an afternoon in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. And that’s exactly what I did today with my Poached Chicken & Quinoa Salad with Hazelnuts, Cranberries & Feta – a dish that's firmly in my weekly meal rotation, and I have a feeling it will be in yours soon too.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, trimmed

Salt and pepper, to taste

90g quinoa, uncooked

180ml water (for cooking quinoa)

45g hazelnuts, roughly chopped

½ bunch parsley leaves, finely chopped

3 spring onions, finely sliced

2 celery stalks, finely sliced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Juice and zest of ½ lemon

45g dried cranberries, roughly chopped

100g feta, crumbled

Method

1. Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them by at least 2-3cm. Add a generous pinch of salt, then place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer - avoid boiling, as this can make the chicken tough. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts. Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the hot water for another 5 minutes - this helps keep it juicy and tender. Remove the chicken, let it rest for 5 minutes, then shred.

2. In a saucepan (you can use the same one from the chicken), bring 180ml of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 12-15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

3. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and finely chop the parsley, spring onions and celery.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, a pinch of salt and pepper.

5. In a large serving bowl, combine the quinoa, chicken, parsley, spring onions, celery, cranberries, hazelnuts and crumbled feta. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Tips & Tricks

1. Cost-Saving Hacks:

   1. Buy in Bulk: Purchase quinoa, nuts, and dried cranberries from bulk food stores like House of Health in the Adelaide Central Market to save money in the long run.

   2. Use What You Have: Swap hazelnuts for almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds - whatever is already in your pantry!

2. Making It Family-Friendly:

   1. Kid-Friendly Adjustments: If nuts aren’t suitable, swap them for crunchy seeds or leave them out entirely.

3. Meal Prep Made Easy:

   1. Double the Recipe: Cook extra quinoa and chicken to use for lunches or other meals throughout the week.

   2. Store Smart: Keep the dressing separate and only mix before serving to keep everything fresh.

This was recipe was brought to you by the Adelaide Central Markets.