Earthy, flavorful and colorful, Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad is easy to prepare and oh, so delicious!
I have to admit, I love quinoa. While most people think it’s a grain, it’s actually a seed! And they grow it right here in Colorado (among other places). It has a nutty flavor that adds a bit of crunch to this Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad.
I like the combination of quinoa and brown rice together – it’s sort of earthy and blends perfectly with the chicken, artichokes, black olives, celery and pimiento. And, best of all, you can reduce the prep time by using 2 packages of instant quinoa and brown rice mix (see note below)! I recommend using jarred roasted artichoke hearts if you can find them; it works equally well with marinated artichoke hearts as well.
Enjoy!
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Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad
Earthy, flavorful and colorful, Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad is easy to prepare and oh, so delicious!
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (see Note)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice (see Note)
- 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup sliced black olives
- 1/3 cup drained, chopped pimientos
- 1 large (13 ounce) jar roasted artichoke hearts packed in olive oil, or 2 jars (6 ounce) marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (or more to taste)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Place the quinoa and rice in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cooked chicken, celery, green onions, olives and pimientos.
- Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving marinade, and chop. Add chopped artichoke hearts to rice mixture.
- Whisk together 1/3 cup of reserved marinade, curry powder and mayonnaise (don’t worry if it looks a bit funky, just keep whisking until combined). Stir into rice; season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add more of the reserved marinade if too dry.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to one day. Adjust salt, pepper and curry powder as needed before serving.
Notes
Note: I like to use 2 (8.5 ounce) packages instant quinoa and brown rice mix, that require cooking in the microwave for around 90 seconds. There are various brands on the market and they are available at most grocery stores.( I use “Seeds of Change” organic with garlic.) Each package makes around 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa-rice mixture.
- Category: main dish salads, make ahead, easy entertaining
