Peruvian chicken, avocado & quinoa salad

Fed up with pasta salad? This gluten-free alternative is packed with lean protein from the chicken, and healthy, heart-friendly fats from the avocado

  • Prep:10 mins
    Cook:20 mins
  • Serves 2
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 512
  • fat 29g
  • saturates 6g
  • carbs 26g
  • sugars 5g
  • fibre 5g
  • protein 34g
  • salt 0.3g

Ingredients

  • 50g uncooked quinoa
  • 100g frozen sweetcorn
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 75g cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • small pack coriander, leaves roughly chopped
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
  • zest and juice 1 lime
  • ½ long red chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
  • 1 ripe but firm avocado
  • 200g skinless, cold, cooked roast chicken, cut into chunky pieces

Tip

Pack it up

To make into a packed lunch, divide the salad between two lidded containers and chill until ready to serve. Eat within 1 day.

Method

  1. Half-fill a medium pan with water and bring to the boil. Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve, then add to the water, stir well and simmer for 12 mins or until just tender.

  2. While the quinoa is cooking, put the sweetcorn in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook for 5 mins, turning every now and then, until defrosted and lightly toasted. Set aside.

  3. Rinse the cooked quinoa in a sieve under cold water, then press hard with a serving spoon to remove excess water.

  4. Tip the quinoa into a bowl and toss with the olive oil, sweetcorn, tomatoes, coriander, spring onions, lime zest and chilli. Season well with black pepper.

  5. Halve and stone the avocado. Scoop out the flesh with a large metal spoon, cut into slices and combine with the lime juice. Add the chicken pieces and avocado to the salad and toss gently together before serving.

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