These Southwestern chicken and quinoa salad jars are a vibrant, meal-prep–friendly option for nourishing weekday lunches. Each jar layers cooked quinoa with shredded chicken, crisp romaine, fresh cilantro, green onions, and red bell pepper over a chili-lime vinaigrette. With about 30 grams of net carbohydrates and 28 grams of protein per jar, they provide a balanced combination of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and high-quality protein to support steady midday energy. Preparing these on the weekend makes it easy to have deeply nourishing lunches ready to grab and go throughout the week. When you're ready to eat, simply dump the entire jar into a bowl and toss to evenly distribute the dressing. For added magnesium, fiber, protein, and healthy fats, top each serving with toasted pumpkin seeds and sliced avocado just before eating.
Ingredients
1 cups
quinoa
1½ cups
water
1 pinches
sea salt
2 cups
cooked chicken
2 medium
red bell peppers
diced small
2 small heads
romaine lettuce
thinly sliced
4
green onions
thinly sliced
1 cups
cilantro
chopped
½ cups
extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons
freshly squeezed
lime juice
1 teaspoons
chili powder
½ teaspoons
ground cumin
½ teaspoons
smoked paprika
1 teaspoons
sea salt