Chicken Lentil Recession Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken, lentils, and crisp vegetables combine for a nutritious, high-fiber salad perfect for any season.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 10.5 oz)
02 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils (or 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup carrot, grated
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Optional Add-Ins

14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
15 - 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

# Directions:

01 - Rinse lentils under cold water. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and allow to cool.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
03 - In a large bowl, mix cooked lentils, shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, grated carrot, and chopped parsley.
04 - Pour dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - If desired, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and toasted sunflower seeds over the salad.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels substantial and satisfying without weighing you down—perfect when you want to actually taste your food.
  • Lentils pack more fiber and protein than you'd expect, so one bowl keeps you full longer.
  • The dressing is simple enough to make while the lentils cook, with no fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
02 -
  • Lentils continue to soften as they cool, so pull them off the heat when they're still just barely firm—they'll be perfectly tender in the finished salad.
  • If you're using canned lentils to save time, use about two and a half cups drained, and remember they're already seasoned, so taste before adding extra salt to the dressing.
03 -
  • Taste the lentils while they're still warm—this is when you can best judge if they need more cooking, and it saves you from having to drain and reheat them.
  • Make the dressing in the bowl you'll use for the final salad to save cleanup and to ensure every surface is coated with that lemony, garlicky goodness.
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