Chicken Lentil Recession Salad (Printable Version)

Nutritious cold salad with tender chicken, earthy lentils, and fresh vegetables in a light dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (approx. 10.6 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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It costs almost nothing to make but tastes like you put real effort in.
  • The lentils and chicken keep you full for hours without feeling heavy.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better sitting in the fridge.
  • Everything can be swapped based on what you have lying around.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the lentils thoroughly or the salad will turn watery and dilute the dressing.
  • Let the lentils cool completely before mixing them with the vegetables or the heat will wilt everything.
  • If you're making this ahead, hold the tomatoes and cucumber until the day you serve it so they stay crisp.
03 -
  • Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry pan until they smell nutty and start to pop, it takes less than two minutes and transforms them.
  • If you want more protein, toss in a soft-boiled egg cut in half right before serving.
  • Rinse the red onion under cold water for 30 seconds to mellow the bite without losing the flavor.
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