Chicken and Lentil Salad (Print Version)

A wholesome mix of chicken, lentils, and fresh vegetables with a tangy dressing, perfect for any meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 10.5 oz)
02 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils (or 2½ cups cooked lentils)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red onion, finely diced
06 - ½ cup carrot, grated
07 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Add-Ins

14 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
15 - ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds

# How To:

01 - Rinse lentils under cold water. Place in saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and cool.
02 - In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
03 - In large bowl, mix cooked lentils, chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, carrot, and parsley.
04 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently until well combined.
05 - If desired, top salad with crumbled feta cheese and toasted sunflower seeds.
06 - Refrigerate salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, so you can make it once and eat well all week without thinking.
  • Every bite has texture and flavor without feeling heavy or one-note.
  • You can swap almost anything based on whats in your kitchen and it still works.
02 -
  • Do not skip draining the lentils well, excess water will dilute the dressing and make everything taste watery.
  • If you add the dressing while the lentils are still warm, they will soak it up like a sponge and you will need to add more later.
03 -
  • Taste a lentil before you drain them, they should be tender but not falling apart.
  • Let the salad come to cool room temperature before serving, straight from the fridge it tastes muted and the flavors hide.
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