Quinoa Chicken Vegetable Salad Recipe

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Earlier this year, you may have seen the Cans Get You Cooking “Cans Make the Meal” 30-minute special on the Cooking Channel. The episode features Cooking Channel star Kelsey Nixon, and shows you how to create delicious meals from canned foods. She gives us a lot of great tips, too. No worries if you missed the episode on TV – you can view it in four segments online at CansGetYouCooking.com.

Kelsey is a genius in the kitchen. She hosts her own show on the Cooking Channel and Food Network, plus she has written her own cookbook. And I think it is really amazing how she can make the most delicious meals out of the canned items all of us keep in the pantry (or as I like to call it now, the Cantry.)

I recreated Kelsey’s Quinoa Chicken Vegetable Salad recipe. I did not mean to pick one of the easiest dishes on the planet to make. I thought the photo looked colorful and I wanted to try a new quinoa salad recipe. This salad is perfect for anytime you want a light lunch or side dish.

Quinoa salad recipe made with canned chicken and vegetables

I was able to make it from start to finish with almost zero effort. I’m serious. If you can boil water for quinoa, you can make this meal! All I really had to do was open cans and stir everything together in a bowl. No oven required. It’s EASY too cook with cans. Your family can enjoy this meal that’s ready to eat in 15 minutes or less!

Quinoa Chicken Vegetable Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (10-ounce) can chicken breast, drained and flaked
• 1 (8-ounce) can cut green beans, drained
• 1 (8.75-ounce) can corn, drained
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In medium saucepan over high heat, heat chicken broth and quinoa to boiling. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. In large bowl combine cooled quinoa, diced tomatoes, chicken breast, green beans, corn, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and pepper; toss to mix well.

My tips: If you don’t happen to have the fresh parsley – simply leave it out or sprinkle a few dried parsley flakes on top. I substitute bottled lemon juice when I don’t have real lemons.

Visit CansGetYouCooking.com for detailed nutritional information.

Besides this recipe being so easy to make, I think it is awesome that I already had the ingredients I needed at home in my Cantry. A well-stocked pantry aka “Cantry” can be a real lifesaver. Recipes like this one help me avoid extra trips to the grocery store AND help my family avoid spending money going out to eat at a restaurant. I like for us to eat at homemade meals as often as possible.

Canned chicken is an excellent source of nutritious protein. There are many different canned proteins you can use in all sorts of favorite family recipes. Get inspired with this guide to canned protein options and meal suggestions! Find the Recipes To Try at CansGetYouCooking.com

Creative meals made with canned food help families enjoy nutritious, homemade meals year-round. And have I already mentioned just how EASY it is to cook with cans? Connect with Cans Get You Cooking on their social media channels:

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Visit my other blog post about Quick and Easy Recipes You Can Make With Canned Foods.