Quinoa, Chicken & Broccoli Salad with Roasted Lemon Dressing
Roasting lemons mellows their tartness and creates a layer of caramelized flavor that pairs well with the raw broccoli.
1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt plus 1/4 teaspoon, divided
2 small lemons, thinly sliced and seeded
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup quinoa
8 ounces broccoli with stems (about 1 medium head)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups arugula
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place chicken on one side of a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Roast for 10 minutes. Place lemon slices on the other side of the baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reaches 160°F and the lemons are browned, 7 to 9 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring broth and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Cut broccoli florets from the stems. Trim, peel and thinly slice the stems and chop the florets into bite-size pieces.
Chop half of the lemon slices. Combine in a large bowl with vinegar, mustard and the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Shred the chicken. Add the chicken, the remaining lemon slices, the broccoli, the quinoa, arugula, walnuts, cranberries and mint to the dressing; toss to combine.
SERVES 4
