Maple Balsamic Chicken and Quinoa Salad Jars
These cozy and delicious maple balsamic chicken and quinoa salad jars feature roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peppery arugula, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy pepitas. The maple balsamic dressing is sweet and tangy - they're hearty, protein-packed and perfect for fall and winter meal prep. {Gluten-Free}
Servings 4 servings
Calories 482kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cooked and diced chicken
- 2 small sweet potatoes, cubed
- 1 cup cooked quinoa or farro
- 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups arugula or chopped kale
- ¼ cup goat cheese or feta
- ¼ cup pepitas
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or spray, for roasting potatoes
Maple Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into small, bite-sized cubes. Toss with a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until edges are deeply browned and crisp. Let cool completely.
- Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. You will need 1 cup cooked quinoa. Allow it to cool before assembling the jars.
- Add the ingredients for the dressing to a small jar, bowl or spouted measuring cup. Whisk until combined.
- Chop or shred the cooked chicken. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Assemble four jars in this order: maple balsamic dressing, ¼ cup chickpeas, 3 ounces cooked chicken, ¼ cup cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potato (about 1/3 cup), 1 tablespoon goat cheese and 1 tablespoon pepitas, and 1 cup arugula.
- Seal the jars and refrigerate for up to 4 days since the chicken was cooked. Keep the jars upright so the greens remain separate from the dressing.
- Pour the contents into a large bowl and toss well to coat everything with the dressing. Or, give the jars a shake and eat out of them with a fork!
Notes
Over 20% daily value of iron and vitamin A! Nutrition info is just an estimation and individual ingredients and preparation may lead to slight discrepancies.
Carrots, butternut squash, or even cauliflower are good substitutes for sweet potatoes.
Take shortcuts, if needed: I often use already cooked quinoa (pulled from freezer) & chicken I roasted the day prior.
Nutrition
Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.9g | Protein: 38.5g | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 450mg | Fiber: 5.6g | Sugar: 11g