Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad
Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad brings tender taco-seasoned chicken together with fluffy quinoa, avocado, and a rainbow of crisp vegetables. A spoonful of salsa ties everything together with bright, tangy heat. It’s satisfying yet fresh—great for lunch meal-prep or a light dinner that still feels hearty.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook20 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 58 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 32 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 92 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 46
- Heart Health
- 56
- Metabolic
- 56
- Digestive
- 43
- Inflammatory
- 65
- Performance
- 58
- General Wellness
- 1
In a saucepan, bring water, quinoa, and 1/2 of the taco seasoning mix to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the chicken with the remaining taco seasoning mix; let it sit so the chicken can season.
- 3
Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the chicken until it is no longer pink in the center, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken and quinoa to a bowl and place it in the freezer until cooled.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine avocado, red onion, celery, spinach, carrot, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, and jalapeno peppers; add the chicken–quinoa mixture and salsa and mix well.
- Calories 399.92 kcal High 20%
- Protein 32.94 g Good Source 66%
- Carbohydrate 37.61 g 14%
- Total Fat 13.39 g Moderate 17%
- Saturated Fat 2.04 g Moderate 10%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 75.52 mg High 25%
- Sodium 704.93 mg High 31%
- Dietary Fiber 10.5 g Good Source 38%
- Total Sugars 7.1 g --
- Added Sugars 4.16 g Moderate 8%
- Calcium 85.3 mg Low Source 7%
- Iron 4.04 mg Good Source 22%
- Potassium 725.37 mg Moderate 15%
- Vitamin A 83.09 mcg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin C 40.46 mg Good Source 45%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Celery
About This Recipe
Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad is a Tex Mex dinner recipe made with 15 ingredients. It takes about 40 mins, serves 4, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Avocado, Butter, Carrot, and Celery. Each serving provides about 399.92 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad?
- It is a Tex-Mex salad recipe made with 15 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or salad.
- What is Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad made of?
- The main ingredients are Avocado, Butter, Carrot, Celery, Chicken Breast. The full list of 15 is above.
- What goes well with Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad?
- Explore these Tex-Mex side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad?
- About 40 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 399.92 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 15 ingredients and 4 steps.
- Is Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad healthy?
- Mexican Chicken Quinoa Salad has an easyChef Pro health score of 57/100. Per serving, it provides 399.92 calories and 32.94 g of protein, or 66% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 704.93 mg (31% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 2.04 g (10% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 4.16 g (8% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk and Celery, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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