Lentil & Chicken Spring Salad (Printable)

Tender lentils, roasted chicken, peppery arugula, and pickled onions tossed in tangy mustard dressing. A refreshing, protein-rich meal.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 1 cup dry green or brown lentils, rinsed
02 - 2 cups cooked shredded roasted chicken, skinless
03 - 4 cups fresh arugula
04 - 0.5 cup pickled red onions, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 0.5 cucumber, sliced

→ Mustard Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1.5 tablespoons Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Place lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils, shredded chicken, arugula, pickled onions, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber.
04 - Pour the mustard dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Divide among four plates and serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The mustard dressing creates this incredible tangy creaminess that somehow makes every single ingredient taste better than it has any right to taste
  • You can make a huge batch on Sunday and actually look forward to eating it for lunch three days in a row without feeling like you're suffering through meal prep leftovers
02 -
  • The lentils continue absorbing dressing as they sit, so if you're making this ahead, reserve a little extra dressing to refresh it before serving
  • Pickled onions can be made in five minutes by slicing red onion thinly and covering it with vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and salt
03 -
  • Toast the lentils in a dry pan for two minutes before cooking to deepen their nutty flavor
  • Massage the arugula with a tiny bit of olive oil before adding the dressing to prevent it from becoming too wilted
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