Mediterranean Crunch Salad
In my dream world, I’d eat this salad for lunch every day. It’s inspired by the viral Jennifer Aniston salad that was supposedly eaten on the Friends set, but my take on it.
Makes 4 generous servings | ~ 20 minutes (using cooked quinoa + chicken)
Between the chicken, quinoa, apples, pistachios, and fresh mint, there’s something crunchy, chewy, creamy, and fresh in every bite. It’s filling enough to be a real lunch—not a sad desk salad—and it’s one I come back to again and again.
Jennifer Aniston’s version includes raw red onion, but I leave them out because I’m not a huge fan of raw onions in salads. But if you like them, add them!
If I could only meal prep one lunch for the week, this would be it! So good.
Ingredients
For the salad
1 cup prepared quinoa, cooled and lightly seasoned with sea/kosher salt + pepper
2 cups roasted chicken, chopped (store-bought rotisserie makes it so easy)
5–6 cups arugula, roughly chopped
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 apple (Fuji or Honeycrisp are my favorites), diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ English cucumber, diced
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
½ cup roasted, salted pistachios, roughly chopped
About ½ cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese (or crumbled feta cheese)
For the dressing
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil
Instructions
Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Season lightly with salt and pepper and let cool completely.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon, honey, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Slowly stream in the oil while whisking until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
In a large bowl, toss the arugula with a small amount of dressing. Add the quinoa, chicken, chickpeas, apple, bell pepper, cucumber, mint, and pistachios.
Drizzle with most (not all) of the remaining dressing and gently toss.
Top with freshly shaved parmesan and serve. Drizzle with more dressing if needed. Enjoy!
Notes
This is a great meal prep lunch. Keep the dressing separate and assemble just before serving for the best texture.
Rotisserie chicken works perfectly here and makes this recipe come together in about 10 minutes.
Don’t skip the mint. It sounds like a small ingredient, but it adds so much freshness and is one of the things that makes this salad special.
I like Honeycrisp or Fuji apples because they stay crisp and add a little sweetness to balance the peppery arugula.
If you’re making this ahead, wait to add the pistachios and parmesan until serving so they stay crunchy.
Any cooked grain will work, but quinoa is my favorite because it adds a little protein and blends right into the salad without weighing it down.
The dressing makes a little extra, which I prefer. Start with less than you think you need and add more to taste.
This is one of those recipes that’s easy to customize with whatever you have on hand. Avocado, feta, or chopped salami would all be great additions.eating at different times.
Tools + Ingredients I Use for this
My Favorite Tongs - I reach for these everyday.
Maldon Sea Salt - I use this for seasoning along the way + finishing.
OXO Swivel Peeler - for grating the cheese
xoxo,
Chelsea
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