Chicken Lentil Salad (Make-Ahead)
If you’ve been looking for a lentil salad that’s hearty and make-ahead friendly, you’re in the right place! My version uses cooked chicken, canned or cooked lentils, and one simple sheet pan of roasted vegetables; all tied together with a quick Dijon dressing. It holds up for days and works warm, room temp, or straight from the fridge.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 small red onion, cut into thick wedges
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cooked green, brown, or French lentils
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
For the Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Roast The Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a large sheet pan, toss the sweet potato and red onion with the olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Spread into a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping once, until golden and tender.
- Make The Vinaigrette: While the veggies are roasting, in a large bowl (the same one you’ll be tossing the salad together in later), whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined.
- Assemble The Salad: To the large bowl, combine the cooked lentils, shredded chicken, roasted sweet potato and onion, feta and parsley, tossing gently to combine. If you have time, allow to sit for 10-20 minutes, for the lentils and chicken to better absorb the dressing.
- Serve: Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled.
- Make Ahead: If you want to batch prep this one (highly recommend), I’ve found it keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Lentils: You can cook your own from dry for this recipe, use canned (drained and rinsed), or use steamed. I like the Trader Joe's steamed lentils if you can find them! Just don't use red lentils, as they have a different texture and flavor that won't work well for this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 (of 4) | Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 703mg | Potassium: 872mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8426IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 6mg
