This Chicken Quinoa Salad is the kind of meal that saves busy weeknights — packed with juicy chicken, fresh Mediterranean flavors, and plenty of protein to keep you full, all tossed together in one big bowl and perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
For more Mediterranean Meal Salads, check out our Mediterranean chicken lentil salad, mediterranean chopped chicken salad, Italian tuna salad, and Tuna pasta salad.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Quinoa Salad
This Chicken Quinoa Salad is one of those back-pocket meals Louise and I make on repeat — especially when we have leftover roast or rotisserie chicken in the fridge. It’s fresh, colorful, and tossed with a bright lemon oregano dressing that makes everything pop. 🍋
What you get is a high protein chicken quinoa salad that’s filling without feeling heavy. You’ve got juicy chicken, fiber-rich quinoa, crisp veggies, briny olives, and creamy feta — all in one big bowl. It’s the kind of meal that keeps you satisfied and supports a balanced, Mediterranean-style eating pattern. 🥗
Best part? It’s perfect for meal prep, easy lunches, or a no-fuss dinner. Simple ingredients, bold flavor, and barely any dishes. 💛
Nico Pallotta
Ingredients
For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cooked chicken: shredded rotisserie, poached, or roasted all work beautifully. Try grilled thighs for extra flavor or use leftover turkey. Great for a rotisserie chicken quinoa salad shortcut.
- Cooked quinoa: light, fluffy, and protein-rich. Substitute farro, couscous, bulgur, or brown rice for a different texture while keeping that Mediterranean feel.
- Cucumber: adds fresh crunch. Swap with diced zucchini or celery for a similar crisp bite.
- Cherry tomatoes: juicy and sweet. Use chopped Roma tomatoes or even sun-dried tomatoes for a deeper flavor.
- Green bell pepper: mild and crunchy. Substitute red or yellow peppers for sweetness, or use shaved fennel for a Mediterranean twist.
- Red onion: sharp and colorful. Try shallots for a softer flavor or soak the onion in water to mellow it.
- Olives: briny and savory. Kalamata are classic, but green olives or capers work too in this Mediterranean quinoa salad with chicken and feta.
- Feta cheese: creamy and salty. Swap with goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, or low-fat feta.
- Olive oil: use good extra virgin for flavor. Avocado oil works if needed.
- Lemon juice or red wine vinegar: both add brightness. Apple cider vinegar is another option.
- Mustard: Dijon or yellow both work.
- Honey: balances acidity. Maple syrup is a great alternative. Perfect in a make ahead chicken quinoa salad that tastes even better the next day.
How to Make Chicken Quinoa Salad
Whisk the dressing
Grab a big bowl and whisk together olive oil, lemon juice (or red wine vinegar), mustard, honey, oregano, salt, pepper, and lemon zest if you’re using it. Taste it. You want it punchy and bright because it’s going to soak into everything.
Add the salad ingredients
Tip the cooked quinoa into the bowl, then add the shredded chicken. Give it a quick toss so the quinoa and chicken get a head start soaking up that dressing. This is what makes it taste extra good even after chilling.
Add cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta. This is the point where it starts looking like a proper lunch you’d happily eat straight from the bowl.
Serve now or chill
Toss again until everything is glossy and coated. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate. It’s a fantastic meal prep option, and it also makes a great cold chicken quinoa salad for warm days.
Tips
- Let the quinoa cool before mixing: Warm quinoa will wilt the veggies and melt the feta. Room temperature or slightly chilled is best.
- Season in layers: Lightly salt the quinoa before mixing if it was cooked plain. It makes a big difference.
- Use good olive oil: Since the dressing is simple, a flavorful extra virgin olive oil really shines.
- Chop everything small and even: Smaller pieces mean better bites. You get chicken, quinoa, and veggies in every forkful.
- Taste after tossing: Quinoa absorbs dressing quickly. Add an extra squeeze of lemon or pinch of salt if needed.
- Let it rest 15 to 30 minutes: The flavors settle and deepen. It’s even better slightly chilled but not too cold.
- Make it ahead smartly: If prepping for a few days, keep a little extra dressing aside to freshen it up before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and it’s actually better after a short chill. The flavors deepen as the quinoa absorbs the dressing, making it ideal for busy weeks.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If it looks a little dry, add a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Absolutely. It’s perfect for an easy rotisserie chicken quinoa salad and saves serious time on weeknights.
You can. Just slightly warm the quinoa and chicken before tossing. That said, it really shines as served chilled or at room temperature.
Yes. Simply skip the feta or replace it with a dairy-free alternative. The salad will still be bright, fresh, and satisfying.
Try farro, couscous, bulgur (our favorite), or brown rice. The Mediterranean flavors work beautifully with other grains too.
More Mediterranean-Inspired Salads
- Healthy chicken salad with Greek yogurt
- Three bean tuna salad
- Salmon salad with Greek yogurt
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Creamy tuna salad with Greek yogurt
- Mediterranean pasta salad
- Tuna Egg Salad with Greek yogurt
- Italian chicken salad
Tried this Chicken Quinoa Salad recipe? We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a 🌟 star rating and drop a comment below—we read every single one. 💬💛
Recipe
Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken rotisserie, poached, or roasted
- 1½ cups cooked quinoa store-bought or home-cooked
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper diced
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- ½ cup olives pitted and halved if large
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optiona
- 1 tablespoon mustard yellow or Dijon
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt start light since feta is salty + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, add 4 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add the salad ingredients: To the same bowl, add 1½ cups cooked quinoa, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, 1 cup cucumber, ½ cup green bell pepper, ½ small red onion, ½ cup olives, and ½ cup feta cheese.
- Toss and serve: Toss everything together until well coated with the dressing. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate for later. The flavors get even better after a short chill.
Notes
- Cooked chicken –> Grilled chicken thighs, leftover turkey, baked chicken breast
- Cooked quinoa –> Farro, couscous, bulgur, brown rice
- Cucumber –> Diced zucchini, celery
- Cherry tomatoes –> Chopped Roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes
- Green bell pepper –> Red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, shaved fennel
- Red onion –> Shallots, soaked onion for milder flavor
- Olives –> Green olives, capers
- Feta cheese –> Goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, low-fat feta
- Olive oil –> Avocado oil
- Lemon juice or red wine vinegar –> Apple cider vinegar
- Mustard –> Dijon mustard, yellow mustard
- Honey –> Maple syrup
- Cool the quinoa first –> Warm quinoa wilts veggies and melts feta.
- Season in layers –> Lightly salt plain quinoa before mixing.
- Use good olive oil –> Simple dressing means quality matters.
- Chop small and even –> Better texture and balanced bites.
- Taste after tossing –> Add lemon or salt if it needs a lift.
- Let it rest –> 15 to 30 minutes makes the flavors deeper.
- Refresh before serving –> Save a little dressing for later.
- Store smart –> Keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Add lemon or olive oil to freshen.
- Sodium note –> Nutrition is estimated. Actual sodium is often lower since some dressing and seasoning stays behind in the bowl.
Thelma Jones says
absolutely delicious recipe! 😋😋😋😋😋
Nico Pallotta says
Glad you liked it, Thelma 🙂 Thank you for the message.