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A big bowl of southwest quinoa salad with black beans, corn, bell peppers, feta cheese and a creamy southwest dressing on top.

Southwest Quinoa Salad Recipe

Author: Erin Jensen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dinner/Entree
Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Our quick and easy Southwest Black Bean Quinoa Salad recipe is high in protein, high in fiber, and perfect for meal prep!

Ingredients 

Grilled Chicken Breasts:

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper

Creamy Southwest Dressing:

  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt regular or dairy-free
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Other Quinoa Salad Ingredients:

  • 2 cups quinoa cooked
  • 1 15oz can of corn, drained
  • 1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 orange bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled (reg. or dairy-free)
  • 1/3 cup green onions sliced
  • garnish: fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Prep Chicken: Place chicken in a glass container. Add soy sauce and coat. Set aside. Ensure grill grates are clean and preheat grill to 400-450 degrees F. 
  • Make Dressing: Put all of the Creamy Southwest Dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
  • Grill Chicken: Place chicken on direct heat (discard excess soy sauce), season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook at medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Move chicken away from the direct heat so that it is cooking on indirect heat (maintaining the same grill temp) and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes (you don't need to flip during this point because the chicken will cook as if it is in an oven) or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 on your meat thermometer. Remove from grill and let rest at least 5-10 minutes. Cut into cubes.
  • Combine Quinoa Salad: Add the chicken and all of the remaining quinoa salad ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine.
  • Add Dressing: Pour the dressing on top of the salad and mix again.
  • Serve: Option to garnish with fresh cilantro or extra green onions and enjoy immediately or store in the fridge.

Notes

  • Cook Time: cook time includes grilling chicken - if you use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken you can get this prepped in about 20 minutes. 
  • Meal Prep: this is a great option to prep at the beginning of the week to enjoy for dinner or lunches. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge.
  • Dressing Options: highly recommend the creamy southwest dressing included in the recipe card, but we also have a Southwest Vinaigrette that would be great too!
  • Chicken: feel free to use chicken thighs, if you prefer, or omit the chicken for a meatless option. We love grilling ours for that extra flavor - but using a store-bought rotisserie chicken works too! 
  • Dairy-Free: use a dairy-free plain yogurt and dairy-free feta to make this dairy-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 887mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 591IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg
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