The ultimate power bowl - this grain salad is packed with proteins to keep you energized throughout the day. And plus, it's delicious! While it may look like it has a long ingredient list, most of these are spices that are completely optional. Unlike some of the other recipes I post, this one is not based on specific measurements, but rather the classic taste-test. As you create it, mix in more of what you like and less of what you don't. It's so versatile, it could easily be prepared as a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free dish as well!
Ingredients
Chicken breast - I cook 2, and usually only use about 1.5 in the recipe. All depends on how much chicken you like!
1 cup quinoa seeds (uncooked)
1/4 cup chia seeds (uncooked)
1 cup bulgar wheat (optional, uncooked)
1 cup green lentils (uncooked)
1 can chickpeas
2 stalks celery
White wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Honey
Lemon juice
Parsley
Ground cumin (optional)
Garlic powder (optional)
Cayenne (optional)
Hummus or plain greek yogurt (optional)
Salt & pepper
Prep time: 1 hour, not including the chicken's slow cooker time.
Servings: 5-6
Chicken breast - I cook 2, and usually only use about 1.5 in the recipe. All depends on how much chicken you like!
1 cup quinoa seeds (uncooked)
1/4 cup chia seeds (uncooked)
1 cup bulgar wheat (optional, uncooked)
1 cup green lentils (uncooked)
1 can chickpeas
2 stalks celery
White wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Honey
Lemon juice
Parsley
Ground cumin (optional)
Garlic powder (optional)
Cayenne (optional)
Hummus or plain greek yogurt (optional)
Salt & pepper
Prep time: 1 hour, not including the chicken's slow cooker time.
Servings: 5-6
Set your chicken (either raw or thawed) in a slow cooker, with water added to cover the bottom of the bowl (don't add so much that covers the chicken). Add whatever spices you like to top the chicken - I used lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, ground cumin, cayenne and parsley. Let cook on high heat for 3-4 hours, checking that it's cooked all the way through. Once it's done, cut the chicken into small squares. It should be really tender, so it will split apart easily.
While the chicken cooks, prepare your grains and seeds
While the chicken cooks, prepare your grains and seeds
Quinoa: Add quinoa and chia seeds to a pot and add 3-4 cups of water. Top with 1 Tbsp parsley and bring to a boil. Once the water is halfway gone, reduce heat to medium and cover. Once the water is nearly all absorbed, remove from heat and let sit (with the cover still on).
Bulgar wheat: If you prefer a healthier option, replace the bulgar in your recipe with extra quinoa. To cook the bulgar, simply add to a pot with 3-4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the water is halfway gone, reduce heat to medium and cover. Once the water is nearly all absorbed, remove from heat and let sit (with the cover still on).
Green Lentils: Simply add to a pot with water and let boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain the water and set aside.
Chickpeas: Simply add to a pot with water and let boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain the water and set aside.
We'll also need to add some fresh celery. Wash the two stalks thoroughly (I recommend rinsing with vinegar to ensure it's completely clean), and chop up into small bits.
Bulgar wheat: If you prefer a healthier option, replace the bulgar in your recipe with extra quinoa. To cook the bulgar, simply add to a pot with 3-4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the water is halfway gone, reduce heat to medium and cover. Once the water is nearly all absorbed, remove from heat and let sit (with the cover still on).
Green Lentils: Simply add to a pot with water and let boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain the water and set aside.
Chickpeas: Simply add to a pot with water and let boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain the water and set aside.
We'll also need to add some fresh celery. Wash the two stalks thoroughly (I recommend rinsing with vinegar to ensure it's completely clean), and chop up into small bits.
Once everything is cooked, add the diced chicken, grains, seeds and celery bits all into one large bowl and stir. Drizzle about 2 tsp of lemon juice, 1 Tbsp of honey, and 1 Tbsp worth of olive oil on top. Mix thoroughly. Then pour in about 1/4 cup worth of the white wine vinegar, and stir again. Sprinkle in whichever seasonings you prefer. I used about 2-3 Tbsp parsley, and just a sprinkle of cayenne, cumin and garlic. Make sure to stir thoroughly between each spice, and add more sprinkles if necessary to flavor the full mixture. At this point, give it a taste and add in more ingredients if you like. If it tastes bland, add more spices and lemon juice. If it's too sweet, add more vinegar. I prefer a vinegar flavor, so I usually add much more of this to my mix. You may also want to add salt and pepper to taste.
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After you've played with your ingredients and you're happy with the taste, serve cold with a dollop of either hummus or plain greek yogurt. Since I really like the vinegar flavor, I also like to serve mine with olives and pickles on the side.
Since this is a cold chicken salad recipe that's already all pre-mixed, it's a super convenient dish to put in a container and take for lunch at work or school. This recipe makes about 5 servings, so it can be either a dinner for the family or a few day's worth of lunches and dinners for 1. Enjoy!
Since this is a cold chicken salad recipe that's already all pre-mixed, it's a super convenient dish to put in a container and take for lunch at work or school. This recipe makes about 5 servings, so it can be either a dinner for the family or a few day's worth of lunches and dinners for 1. Enjoy!
