Instant Pot Quinoa Chicken Salad

Sometimes you just need something easy! And this was one of those times. I had 6 hungry mouths to feed. They wanted tasty, filling, and full of protein. And we were on a moving sailboat going through the Panama Canal! Instant Pot Quinoa Chicken Salad to the rescue. (Please forgive the lack of photo quality… pretty tough on a moving boat! lol! But you get the point – a super easy, super delicious meal that can be made anywhere!)

Yes, I made this quick and easy, very satisfying, and super tasty Instant Pot Chicken Quinoa Salad in less than 20 minutes (plus a little time to cool). On our boat! As we transited the Panama Canal. And it couldn’t have been easier. So when you’re looking for easy! Add this one to your list.

Check out my latest YouTube video to see just how easy this Instant Pot Chicken Quinoa Salad is to make. And to catch a glimpse of the Panama canal!

There are many, many, (many) reasons I love my Instant Pot! Just plug it in , press a button, and the meal practically makes itself. Well… that might be a slight exaggeration. But only a slight one. But there are so many other reasons. It’s compact, easy to store, very energy efficient, and super easy to clean!

And THOSE are the reasons we love having one on our boat (and, of course, in our RV!). Here’s the Instant Pot Mini Model we use for our traveling needs.

This light and refreshing, but super satisfying meal is made with just a handful of ingredients that you likely already
have in your pantry. Some quinoa, chicken broth, and fresh veggies of choice, and voila… dinner is done!

How to make Instant Pot Quinoa Chicken Salad

Place rinsed quinoa (white or tri-colored) in the Instant Pot inner pot and add an equal amount of chicken broth. Secure lid, ensuring the valve is turned toward the sealing position. Press the rice button and the pot does the rest! When the time counts down, release the pressure and remove the lid. Add 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used canned to make it really easy), some salt and garlic salt, then stir well and bring to room temperature. Add to diced salad fixings – lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and whatever you have on hand. Combine well and drizzle with olive oil and white wine vinegar. Done!

We all need that go-to meal that’s gotta be simple, tasty, and easy to clean (oh wait a minute… that’s my motto here at The Spicy Apron!), and this is that meal. Trust me when I say that after more than 2 weeks on a boat, we are ALL very happy to dig into this Instant Pot Quinoa Chicken Salad. And clean-up is a piece of cake.

If you’re looking for other quick and easy Instant Pot meals, check out both of my Instant Pot Authorized Cookbooks.

Cooking with your Instant Pot Mini – designed specifically for all 3-quart pressure cookers.

The Instant Pot Holiday Cookbook – full of great meals to make your holidays special (but I make most of these year round!)

And don’t forget to take a peek at my YouTube Cooking Show where you can see many of these dishes come together right before your eyes!

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Instant Pot Quinoa Chicken Salad

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cans Cooked Chicken, or 2 cups fresh, cooked chicken, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 cups chopped lettuce
• 1 Cucumber, diced
• 2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
• other vegetables of choice, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar

Instructions

1. Place rinsed quinoa, chicken broth, and salt into Instant Pot inner pot. Stir then secure lid, ensuring the valve is turned toward sealing. Press the Rice function button. This is an automatic function and will automatically calculate the time.
2. While quinoa is cooking, chop and mix all fresh vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Set aside in refrigerator to keep cool.
3. When the time counts down on the Instant Pot, turn the valve toward release to release all pressure. Remove lid and add cooked chicken. Add garlic salt. Stir together and transfer quinoa and chicken mixture to a large bowl to cool to room temperature.
4. When quinoa and chicken is room temperature, add fresh vegetables and stir well. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.