Chicken Lentil Recession Salad (Printable version)

Nutritious cold salad combining chicken, lentils, and crisp vegetables for a hearty, high-fiber meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 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 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 running water. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes until tender but firm. 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 mixing bowl, combine cooked lentils, shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, grated carrot, and chopped parsley.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - If desired, sprinkle crumbled feta and toasted sunflower seeds over the salad.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes prior to serving to enhance flavor melding.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stretches your grocery budget without feeling like a compromise.
  • The fiber from lentils keeps you full for hours, no mid-morning crash.
  • You can prep it once and eat well all week.
  • It works warm or cold, so leftovers never feel boring.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad while the lentils are still warm, or everything turns limp and sad.
  • Taste the dressing before adding it, you might want more lemon or a pinch of salt depending on your chicken.
  • If you're meal prepping, store the dressing separately and toss right before eating.
03 -
  • Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry pan for two minutes, it transforms their flavor completely.
  • If your lentils taste bland, they probably need more salt in the dressing, not more oil.
  • Make extra dressing and keep it in a jar, it's perfect on roasted vegetables or grain bowls all week.
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