Mexican Quinoa Chicken Salad

Unsure of how to include quinoa in your regular meals? It's a good idea to start with this recipe. This Mexican quinoa chicken salad is a delicious variation of the superfood that includes salsa, black beans, corn, onion, and avocado in addition to fresh herbs. It only takes about 30 minutes to make this Mason jar salad, and it can be stored for up to three days in the refrigerator. In this instance, allowing the lime juice, cilantro, and garlic to fully infuse into the chicken and quinoa will further enhance the flavor of the dish.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• 3 Tbsp refrigerated salsa
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 3/4 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup frozen roasted corn, thawed
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken and salsa.
2. Divide quinoa among four-pint jars. Layer with tomato, black beans, corn, chicken mixture, onion, and avocado, pressing ingredients down as you fill, if necessary.
3. In another small bowl, combine lime juice, oil, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Spoon dressing over layers in jars. Cover and chill for up to 3 days. Shake jars before serving.