Chicken Lentil Recession Salad (Printable)

A nutritious cold salad combining tender chicken, lentils, fresh vegetables, and a tangy dressing.

# Ingredient list:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (approximately 10.5 oz)
02 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils (yields about 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

# Cooking steps:

01 - Rinse lentils under cold water. Place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. 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 mixing bowl, combine the cooked lentils, shredded chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely diced red onion, grated carrot, and chopped parsley.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
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 for optimal taste.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling without leaving you feeling heavy, which makes it perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
  • Everything comes together in less than an hour, and most of that is just letting things cook while you handle other tasks.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen, making it brilliant for meal prep.
02 -
  • Cooking lentils is about feel, not timing—start checking at minute twenty because overcooking them turns the whole salad mushy and sad, which defeats the purpose.
  • Don't dress the salad too far ahead if you're using cucumber and tomatoes raw because they'll release water and dilute everything; prepare the components separately and combine no more than an hour before serving.
  • The optional additions of feta or sunflower seeds aren't really optional if you want this salad to feel luxurious enough to serve to guests without apology.
03 -
  • Cook your lentils the day before if you're planning ahead—they're less likely to overcook if they've had time to cool completely before tossing with the dressing.
  • If you use canned chickpeas instead of chicken for a vegetarian version, drain and rinse them thoroughly, then pat them dry so they don't make the salad watery and dilute the dressing.
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