Chicken Lentil Salad (Printable Version)

Hearty salad with tender chicken, earthy lentils, and crisp veggies, perfect for a nutritious, high-fiber meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (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 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Optional Add-Ins

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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes expensive but costs almost nothing to make, especially if you use rotisserie chicken.
  • The lentils and chicken keep you full for hours without that heavy, sluggish feeling.
  • You can make a huge batch on Sunday and eat well all week without touching a stove again.
  • Every bite has crunch, tang, and earthiness all at once.
02 -
  • Do not skip cooling the lentils completely or they will wilt the vegetables and turn the salad warm and sad.
  • If the salad tastes flat after chilling, add a squeeze of fresh lemon and a pinch of salt to wake it back up.
  • Tossing the salad too hard will turn the tomatoes into mush and make everything look like it went through a blender.
03 -
  • Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet until they smell nutty and start to pop, it only takes two minutes but changes everything.
  • If you want deeper flavor, toss the warm lentils with half the dressing right after draining so they absorb it from the inside out.
  • Always taste the salad after it has chilled because cold mutes flavor and you will almost always need to adjust the seasoning.
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