If you’re looking for an easy way to eat the rainbow while meal-prepping, look no further! This cous cous salad is light and refreshing, making it a dish I crave every Summer.
Beyond being absolutely delicious, the best part about this salad is that it can be prepped ahead of time so you don’t have to put in effort for every single meal. Just spoon some of this in a bowl and lunch is ready in 2 seconds. And while I am admittedly not naturally a veggie-lover, this salad is packed full of them and is a genuinely enjoyable way to get them in.
The dish is composed of four things: pearled cous cous, chicken, veggie medley and dressing. All those mixed together create this heavenly dish! Ingredients and instructions below…
Ingredients for Cous Cous
- 1 cup dry pearled cous cous
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions: Follow the directions on the container, but if you use this brand as I do… In a saucepan, boil 1 1/2 cups water. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and add ingredients listed above. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ingredients for Chicken
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 5-7 chicken tenders)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients listed above except the chicken.
Once mixed, pour over the chicken in a mixing bowl or resealable bag. *I like to stab the chicken with a fork a few times to allow the marinade to soak in.*
Let marinade for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. (Since the marinade contains a decent amount of vinegar, more than a few hours can make the chicken tough.)
Cook the chicken at 425°F for 15-18 minutes depending on size.
Allow the chicken to cool and then cut into small, bite-sized pieces.
Ingredients for Veggie Medley
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 cucumbers
- 1/4 purple onion
- 10-15 basil leaves
Instructions: Cut all ingredients into small bite-sized pieces. Tip: I remove most of the seeds from the cucumber, leaving only the crunchier part.
Ingredients for Dressing
- 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.
Mix It All Up!
To assemble the salad, combine the cooled cous cous, cooked chicken and veggie medley in a large bowl and then pour the dressing over top, mixing thoroughly.
The above makes about 5 servings, give or take depending on how big your serving preference.
This will keep in the fridge for a few days, so it is perfect for meal prep. I like to pre-portion in these glass containers so I can simply grab and go at lunchtime – easy as can be!
