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Coconut Lime Rice (Instant Pot)

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Feel those tropical vibes with this recipe for Coconut Lime Rice! This vibrant, zesty and super easy recipe is a fiesta of fragrant coconut and tangy lime, coming together perfectly with fluffy grains of rice. Topped with cilantro and made in the Instant Pot, this delicious coconut rice will be your new favourite side dish🥥

Coconut Lime Rice in a dish.

This recipe for coconut lime rice is such a delicious and easy way to change up RICE at dinner.

When you first go gluten-free, rice becomes your new BFF😍

At least it did for me when I finally switched over to a gluten-free diet for good.

Rice is a naturally gluten-free grain, super versatile, and easy to make.

Love rice too? Check out these other recipes featuring the small but mighty grain:

This recipe for Coconut Lime Rice boosts the flavour of the healthy grain up a notch with a creamy, coconut milk mouthfeel, plus zingy lime juice and zest.

It's a simple gluten-free side dish with a little twist to dinnertime.

Let's make it!

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📝Ingredients for coconut lime rice

Cooked basmati rice in a dish with cilantro and lime.
  • Coconut milk - from a can, not coconut milk from a carton
  • Basmati or Jasmine rice
  • Water
  • Limes
  • Kosher salt
  • Cilantro - optional

See recipe card below for quantities.

🔪How to make coconut lime rice

Because we're using the Instant Pot here, this rice is super easy to make.

Rinse the rice with a fine mesh strainer.
Let soak for a couple minutes and remove.
Add rinsed rice to Instant Pot.
Add coconut milk and water. Stir and add Kosher salt.
Secure Instant Pot lid and set to "Rice". Do an NPR for 15 mins.
Remove lid. Stir in lime juice and lime zest.
Coconut Lime Rice in a dish.
Top with cilantro and serve.

🙋‍♀️Stovetop instructions

  1. Cook the rice: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, lime zest, lime juice. Add a pinch of salt to taste. Give it a good stir to mix everything together.
  2. Bring to a boil: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low.
  3. Simmer: Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the rice simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Try not to lift the lid while the rice cooks to keep the steam in there. l
  4. Fluff and rest: Once the rice is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. This helps the rice to steam and become fluffier.
  5. Serve and garnish: After the resting time, remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork. Transfer the coconut lime rice to a serving dish. Top with cilantro if you want or more lime zest.
Coconut and Lime Rice with cilantro.
This recipe calls for canned coconut milk which adds flavour and a creaminess to the rice.

🍚Should you always rinse rice before cooking?

Well, it's not a hard and fast rule, but rinsing rice before cooking is a good thing to do because of how it affects the final cooked rice.

For one, when rice is processed and packaged, it can sometimes get a bit of starch or dust on the grains. Rinsing it helps remove some of that excess starch and any potential impurities.

Plus, by giving the rice a quick rinse, you end up with fluffier, less sticky, cooked rice. Rinsing also helps improve the texture overall and prevents clumping. So, if you prefer less sticky rice, rinsing is worth doing.

That said, there are a few exceptions. Some types of rice, like Arborio rice used for risotto, benefit from keeping the starch, as it helps create a creamy texture.

Also, if you're using pre-seasoned or flavoured rice mixes, rinsing might wash away some of those added flavours.

Ultimately, rinsing rice before cooking is a personal preference. If you enjoy fluffier rice or want to remove any potential residue, go ahead and give it a rinse.

But if you're using specific rice varieties or pre-seasoned mixes, you can probably just skip the rinsing step.

Coconut and Lime Rice with cilantro.
The hands on time of this coconut rice recipe is only 10 minutes! Your Instant Pot takes care of the rest.

🔄Substitutions

  • 🍚Type of rice - you can use Basmati rice or Jasmine rice for this recipe. I haven't tried this recipe with a brown or wild rice but if you do, I would adjust the cooking time accordingly.
  • 🥣Instead of water, try broth - I love cooking rice with gluten free chicken broth for a little extra flavour. If you use chicken broth often, be sure it doesn't have any sneaky sources of gluten in it! Check out this article for how to tell if there's gluten in your chicken broth.
  • 🙋‍♀️Lite vs. Regular Coconut milk - so I've tried both and you'll get a creamier mouthfeel and I think, more of a coconut flavour with the regular (non light) version of coconut milk. If you're wanting to keep extra calories on the lower side, go for the light version of coconut milk. It still tastes delicious without the extra calories.
  • 🥥MORE coconut - if you're coo-coo for coconut like I am, try adding ~1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the rice before you cook it. It'll give even more of that coconut taste and silky feel.
Does chicken broth have gluten? Yours might. Check out the details here so you're not surprised by sneaky gluten in chicken broth!

💃Variations

Here's a few ways to change up this recipe:

  • 🥕Add vegetables: Give a little more texture to the rice by adding finely diced vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, peas, or green beans. Sauté them lightly before adding the rice and coconut milk for added depth of flavour
  • 🐔Add some protein: Why not up the satiety factor with some cooked shrimp, chicken, or tofu. You can marinate the protein in a combination of lime juice, soy sauce or tamari, and spices before cooking it separately and then mixing it into the cooked coconut lime rice. Try this recipe for The BEST Honey Soy Marinade
  • 🌿Change up spices: Try some different spices to give the rice a unique twist. Add a pinch of cumin, turmeric, or ginger powder to give the rice a new flavour. Like it hot? You could also try adding a bit of red pepper flakes or chili powder
  • 🍃Mix in fresh herbs: Toss in some freshly chopped herbs to brighten up the flavors. Cilantro or Thai basil work well with the coconut lime combination.
  • 🥭Add fruit - yes fruit! For a tropical twist, throw in some diced pineapple or mango to the rice. The natural sweetness of these fruits goes so well with the tangy lime and coconut.
  • 🥥Toasted coconut topping: Add a fun crunch by toasting some shredded coconut in a dry skillet until golden brown and sprinkle it over the cooked rice before serving.
Large pan of cooked rice.
Best part about all types of rice? They're naturally gluten free! Check out all the details here

🥣Equipment

All you need here is your trusty Instant Pot and a fine mesh strainer to rinse the rice.

🥡Storage and Freezing

Leftover coconut rice keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Simply re-heat in the microwave when you want to eat it.

You can also freeze cooked coconut rice. Be sure to put it in a container or large freezer bag after it's cooled down.

Get as much air out of the container or bag as you can.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

Cooked rice in a dish with lime.
Cilantro lime rice made with coconut milk is a great way to change up rice for dinnertime.

🥥Is rice and coconut healthy?

Absolutely! Rice and coconut are not only a delicious combo (especially with the lime in there) but a healthy one too!

Rice is a naturally gluten free carbohydrate and provides energy, essential nutrients, and dietary fiber.

It's a great source of healthy carbohydrates that can help fuel you all day and keep you feeling satisfied.

Coconut, on the other hand, offers a unique blend of flavor and health benefits.

It contains healthy fats, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which can provide a quick source of energy.

Coconut also offers essential minerals like manganese and copper, as well as antioxidants.

So definitely have coconut lime rice as part of your diet. Especially when you first go gluten free, having rice in different ways can help keep you on track with gluten-free eating.

If you want some more healthy meal ideas, check out this Gluten Free Diet Plan for Beginners (PDF download).

🙋‍♀️What goes well with coconut rice?

Sooo many dishes go well with coconut lime rice. It's really a blank canvas (with more flavour than just plain rice) that you can add on to.

Serve coconut lime rice with grilled fish, BBQ'd chicken or a spiced cut of pork, like these Cast Iron Skillet Boneless Pork Chops with Homemade Spice Rub

Here's some more ideas:

🐟Salmon dishes to serve with coconut lime rice

🐔Chicken recipes to serve with coconut lime rice

🏅Top tips

Just be sure to NOT use coconut milk, from a carton for this recipe. Only use canned coconut milk. Whether you choose the "lite" or regular version is up to you. I've made it with both versions. The regular coconut milk and the lighter version both give a coconut lime rice that's delicious and has that coconut-milk mouth feel😋

To rinse or not to rinse the rice? After years of being a "non-rinser" (who has time for that?!), I do prefer to rinse the basmati rice before cooking. It's a step that's worth taking if you like your rice to be as fluffy as possible and have more separation between the grains of rice. If you don't feel strongly either way, then save yourself a step and skip the rinse, I say😄

Hope you love this rice recipe like we do❣️

~April

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📖 Recipe

Coconut Lime Rice in a dish.

Coconut Lime Rice

This recipe for Coconut Lime Rice is vibrant, zesty and super easy to make! It's a fiesta of fragrant coconut and tangy lime, that come together perfectly with fluffy grains of rice.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy side dish, rice
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Instant Pot coming to temperature + NPR: 25 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: April

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 can of coconut milk 14oz / 240 ml
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 2 cups basmati or Jasmine rice
  • 2-4 limes
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Cilantro optional

Instructions

  • Optional but recommended step: Rinse the Basmati rice for a minute or 2 under running water in a fine mesh strainer. Let it soak for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the 1 can of coconut milk, 1.5 cups of water and the rinsed Basmati rice to the Instant Pot.
  • Add 2 pinches of Kosher salt.
  • Give it a stir and then secure the lid.
  • Select the "Rice" button. (This is 13 minutes on high pressure on my Instant Pot.)
  • Once the time is up, let it do a 15 min Natural Pressure Release (NPR) and then carefully release the remaining pressure with the valve.
  • Remove lid. Add zest and juice of 3-4 limes.
  • Stir and serve warm with cilantro on top if desired.

Notes

Makes about 6 cups of rice.
Getting the perfectly cooked rice can be tricky but I've tested this enough times to get it right. A few tips:
  • My best results have come from rinsing and soaking rinsed rice for 5 minutes
  • Using full fat canned coconut milk
  • Not doing a quick release when the timer goes
  • Letting the Instant Pot go to "Keep Warm" setting for the 15 minute NPR
  • I have left the rice for up to a 30 minute NPR (while the Instant Pot was in "Keep Warm" setting) and it was still absolutely perfect

Easy Watermelon Gazpacho Without Tomatoes

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This Easy Watermelon Gazpacho with cucumber and mint is a summery take on the traditional cold soup: gazpacho. You'll love this cold watermelon soup because it's packed with hydrating cucumber, sweet watermelon,  refreshing mint - and no tomatoes!

The sun is beating down on you. You're sweating. You're hot.

It's like, thighs-sticking-to-the-leather-couch-hot.

It must be summer, baby😎

Two bowls of Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho on a green napkin with a spoon beside

And what better way to counter all that heat than a cooling watermelon gazpacho recipe?

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This watermelon mint gazpacho was adapted from one I saw a few years ago from the Marilyn Denis show.

I think you're gonna absolutely love a bowl of this cooling, sweet and healthy recipe.

📝Ingredients for watermelon gazpacho

Here's what you'll need to make this updated gazpacho:

  • Watermelon
  • Red onion - gives a strong balance of flavour to balance the sweetness
  • Cucumber - another reason why this recipe is so freakin' hydrating
  • Garlic
  • Lemon and white vinegar - gives a "tang" and again, balances naturally sweet watermelon
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Mint or basil for garnish on top

See recipe card below for quantities.

Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho in a white bowl with a silver spoon beside

I tried this watermelon soup with basil as a garnish on top the first time. Because the soup is so sweet on it's own from the watermelon, I prefer the mint on top of the soup when serving for the cooling contrast.

If you have both mint and basil, try each and see what you like best.

And note: there are no tomatoes in this gazpacho!🚫🍅

🔪How to make watermelon gazpacho without tomatoes

Making this watermelon cucumber gazpacho is so simple.

Here's the steps:

watermelon chunks in a pot.
Cut the watermelon, red onion and cucumber into chunks.
Watermelon Summer Gazpacho ingredients before blending in a blender.
Working in 2 batches, blend the vegetables and watermelon with ½ of the garlic, lemon, white vinegar, olive oil and salt.
Watermelon gazpacho on a spoon in a blender.
You can use a hand blender and do it all in a large pot or you can use a blender like a Ninja or a Vitamix.
Pouring Watermelon Gazpacho from the blender into a large tupperwear.
Then chill the blended soup in the fridge for a couple hours.
A small white bowl of Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho with a silver spoon beside
When you're ready to serve, divide the soup into small bowls. Add the mint on top and dig in with a giant spoon!

🏅Top Tips

  • You don't have to peel the cucumber! No need to peel all that nutrition away. The watermelon? Yes, you'll want to remove the tough outer rind of the watermelon before blending.
  • When you're ready to blend everything up, I'll either use my hand blender or the Ninja blender. Either works fine as long as your hand blender is powerful enough to handle the cucumber.
  • The recipe uses about ½ of a large watermelon. So if you want, cut the leftovers into triangles, stick a popsicle stick through the rind by making a little hole with a knife (be careful!) and freeze. In a couple hours, you'll have the coolest treat around.

You can also grill triangles of watermelon you have leftover:

  • Pre-heat your grill to about 350 degrees F.
  • Place watermelon wedges (with the rind still on) on a clean grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
  • Flip and grill for another 2-3 on the other side. Serve.
Two bowls of Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho on a green napkin with a spoon beside.

🍽️What to serve with watermelon gazpacho

Here's some recipes that go well with a sweet and refreshingly cold watermelon soup:

❓Is watermelon high in sugar?

Watermelon gets a bad rep for being labeled incorrectly as being "high in sugar."

There are only 11 grams of carbohydrates (in the form of fruit sugar or "fructose") in 1 cup of watermelon.

So where does the bad reputation come from?

I think it has to do with a mis-interpretation of the glycemic index.

A bowl of cold watermelon soup.

📈What is the glycemic index?

The glycemic index of a food is a way to measure the impact on blood sugars.

It's measured on a scale of 1-100.

Watermelon is an interesting fruit because it has a Glycemic Index of 72, which is relatively high.

However, a typical serving size only has 5 grams of carbohydrate.

So the potential impact on blood sugars is low, when a reasonable serving size is eaten.

🙋‍♀️To account for serving size, the Glycemic Load calculation was created

Here's how you calculate glycemic load:

  • Glycemic Index/100*grams of carbohydrate per serving

So in our watermelon case:

72 Glycemic Index/100*5 grams of carbohydrates = 3.6

Although the Glycemic Index is higher, the Glycemic Load is low.

So if you care about the glycemic index of foods, then you should also care about the glycemic load. 

Because, it takes into account the serving size of any particular food.

Not only that, at meals, we eat a combination of foods that further lowers the glycemic load of the meal.

Think: basmati rice, green beans and chicken breast, for example.

A small white bowl of Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho with a silver spoon beside.

😄Bottom line on this glycemic index in watermelon?

When eating a few slices of watermelon on a hot day, you don't have to worry about the sugar content.

Be more interested in your whole diet vs. one food or one single dish.

If you want to see a healthy, gluten-free meal plan, check out this post: Gluten Free Diet Plan for Beginners (PDF download).

Two bowls of Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho on a green napkin with a spoon beside

Hope you love this watermelon gazpacho like we do♥️

Now go peel those beautiful thighs off the couch and make this recipe!

~April

PS. Lookin' for some other summer-friendly recipes (aka simple, gluten-free and don't take much time?)

Then check these out:

This post was originally published on August 8th, 2022. Post and recipe updated and re-published on May 15th, 2023.

📖 Recipe

Easy Watermelon Summer Gazpacho in a white bowl with a silver spoon beside

Easy Watermelon Gazpacho (without tomatoes)

This Easy Watermelon Gazpacho with cucumber and mint is a summery take on the traditional cold soup: gazpacho. You'll love this cold watermelon soup because it's packed with hydrating cucumber, sweet watermelon,  refreshing mint - and no tomatoes!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: watermelon gazpacho, watermelon soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Blending: 2 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Servings: 8 cups
Author: April

Ingredients

  • 8 cups watermelon peeled and diced
  • ½ cup red onion, diced
  • 2 cups cucumber, diced about 1 large cucumber
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Place ½ of the watermelon, red onion, cucumber and garlic into high speed blender.
  • Blend in a blender by pulsing for a few seconds each time until juices and water come out and there are no large pieces left (will be lumpy - it's ok!)
  • Add the juice of ½ of the lemon, add half the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and 1 pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Add to a large serving bowl or other container.
  • Repeat the process with the second half of ingredients.
  • Add the blended second half of ingredients to the first half in the large serving bowl or container.
  • Chill completed soup in fridge for an hour or overnight.
  • Serve with fresh basil or mint leaves on top.

Notes

You can also use a hand blender, instead of an upright blender.
Do it in batches as per the recipe but instead of the blender, put the ½ of the ingredients into a large pot - I'll use my biggest one pot and blend the ingredients in there if using the hand blender.
Keeps in the fridge in an air-tight container for 5 days.

Homemade Greek Seasoning

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This Greek seasoning recipe is so easy to make with ingredients you probably have in your cupboard! High notes of oregano with added basil, dill, garlic, and onion make this Greek spice blend one of the best seasoning mixes you’ll ever use.

Greek Seasoning blend on a white spoon.

It's seasoning time, baby!💃

This Greek seasoning blend will be your new go-to way to spice up your chicken, fish salad, grilled veggies - almost anything!

It's actually amazing how having this easy to make Greek seasoning mix on hand makes dinner time comes together in a snap.

Coat that chicken or fish with some of the seasoning mix, grill or bake the protein and serve with one of these delicious and gluten-free sides:

If you're into this seasoning blend, check out this recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning too🌮

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📝Ingredients for Greek seasoning

Here's what you'll need to make this easy recipe for Greek seasoning:

Homemade Greek Seasoning ingredients on spoons.
Homemade Greek seasoning is made with ingredients already in your cupboard. Woohoo!
  • 3 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
  • 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Dried Dill
  • 1 Tablespoon Pepper
  • ½ Tablespoon Sea Salt

See recipe card below for quantities.

🔪How to make Greek seasoning

Combine all the spices into a bowl. Stir and store in an air-tight container.

Homemade Greek Seasoning ingredients in bowl.
A Greek seasoning recipe means you'll always have a delicious way to flavour your meat, chicken or fish.

💃Variations

If you want to change it up, a couple great additions to this Greek seasoning mixture are dried parsley, dried rosemary, or dried thyme.

I tried adding dried parsley but I found it added zero flavour because it was drowned out by the other herbs.

But totally up to you if you want to add it in!

If you want to try out any changes, I would just add a tablespoon of the herb and give it a go😄.

Homemade Greek Seasoning Blend.
You can even us this mix to make a simple Greek salad dressing! Just add the seasoning blend to some olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

🥶Storage and Freezing

Keep this Greek seasoning blend in an air tight container. And if you have them, a small container is better.

The less air that's in there, the more fresh and flavourful your seasoning blend will stay😄

Be sure to store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture to maintain its punchy flavour. ie, do NOT store it above the stove, k? It's too hot and / or moist up there.

Greek Seasoning blend recipe.
Making a homemade Greek seasoning blend is so easy and it keeps for months.

You can freeze homemade Greek seasoning blend to help it last longer too.

Freezing is a great way to preserve the flavor and aroma of spices, especially if you make large batches of seasoning blends.

To freeze your Greek seasoning blend, simply transfer it to an airtight container or a freezer bag and make sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing it. Label the container with the date and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

When you're ready to use your frozen Greek seasoning blend, just take it out of the freezer and it warm up at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using it.

You can also use it right from the freezer, but there is some moisture that forms during the thawing process can affect the texture of the Greek spice blend so best to use it fresh.

🙋‍♀️Where to use this Greek Seasoning

So. Many. Delicious. Options!

Here's a few ideas on where you can use this Greek seasoning blend:

  • 🐔Grilled chicken or fish: Use this Greek seasoning blend to add awesome flavour to grilled chicken or fish. Sprinkle the seasoning blend over the chicken or fish before grilling, or mix it into a marinade for an extra punch of flavour.
  • 🫑Roasted vegetables: Toss your favourite vegetables in some olive oil and this Greek seasoning blend, then roast them in the oven for a healthy and delicious side dish.
  • 🥗Greek salad: Add this Greek seasoning blend to a classic Greek salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese, and olives for an extra pop of flavour.
  • 🥒Tzatziki dip: Mix thus Greek seasoning blend into a homemade tzatziki dip made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and lemon juice. Serve it as a healthy dip for veggies or pita chips. Try it in this Easy Greek Dip with Feta.
  • 🍚Quinoa or brown rice: Add this homemade Greek seasoning mix into cooked quinoa or brown rice for a yummy and healthy grain dish.
Homemade Greek Seasoning in a bowl.

🏅Top tips

  • Buy the best dry spices and herbs you can afford and store them away from heat and moisture. It really will make all the difference in your finished spice blend! The flavours will be brighter with higher quality ingredients. And you’ll use less seasoning in the end with better quality ingredients because the flavours are stronger so you don't need as much.
  • Store the finished spice mix in the smallest container you have. Why? The less air that gets to the seasoning blend when you're not using it, the better!

Hope you love this recipe for Greek seasoning spice blend like we do!

~April

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📖 Recipe

Greek Seasoning blend on a white spoon.

Greek Seasoning

5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Spices
Cuisine: American, Greek
Keyword: Greek seasoning, Greek seasoning blend
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Author: April

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
  • 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Dried Dill
  • 1 Tablespoon Pepper
  • ½ Tablespoon Sea Salt

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir until combined.
  • Store in an airtight jar or container in the pantry for 2 months or longer.

Notes

Store in a cool, dry place in an air tight container for up to 3 months.

Is Chicken Broth Gluten Free?

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Ah, chicken broth. It’s the perfect base for soups, stews, and gravies, and it adds a depth of flavour to just about anything it touches. But for those of us on a gluten-free diet, the question remains: is chicken broth gluten free? Unfortunately, it's not a straight-forward answer. Let's break it down!

The short answer is that chicken broth can be gluten-free, but it depends on the ingredients within the broth itself.

Some chicken broths have hidden gluten in them, making the broth not gluten-free.

Read on for all the details or use the buttons below to jump to where you want to go.

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🍞What is Gluten?

First, let’s talk gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

For people with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or wheat allergy, consuming gluten can cause a whole bunch of symptoms.

Reactions to gluten can involve the immune system (celiac disease) and cause damage to the lining of the small intestine.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity can range from digestive issues to skin rash to fatigue or "brain fog".

If you think you might be gluten intolerant, check out this post for more on the signs and symptoms of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity.

So, naturally, if you think you're sensitive to gluten, you're gonna want to:

  • One, follow a gluten-free diet and
  • Two, have a pretty good idea on which foods and ingredients are safe to consume - and which ones aren't

And chicken broth is one of those ingredients where you might think it doesn't have gluten (I didn't at first!) but it could be a sneaky source of gluten.

Just getting started with gluten-free eating? Cut out these foods STAT. Grab the cheat sheet here.

🐔Is Chicken Broth Gluten-Free?

Homemade chicken broth made from scratch with a whole chicken, vegetables and seasoning is typically gluten-free.

Of course, like other foods and recipes, making it yourself at home lets you be in control of gluten containing ingredients, if any.

chicken broth ingredients in a pot.
Making your own chicken broth ensures it's gluten-free but you can buy gluten-free chicken broth too!

Pre-packaged chicken broth or bouillon cubes may contain gluten-containing ingredients like wheat flour or yeast extract, made from barley.

  • The flour found in some chicken broth brands is added as a thickener or used to enhance the flavour of the chicken broth.
  • The yeast extract is added to enhance the flavour of the soup broth.

What you can do is read the ingredient labels of your store bought broth carefully to see if there is in fact "yeast" added.

Sometimes it's listed as "yeast extract (from barley)".

📝Common Ingredients in Store Bought Chicken Broth

Although the ingredients in chicken broth will vary brand to brand, here are some of the most common ingredients you may find on the label:

  1. 🐔Chicken: The main ingredient in chicken broth is typically chicken, which provides the flavour and nutrients.
  2. 💦Water: Chicken broth is typically made by simmering chicken and vegetables in water, so water is also an important ingredient.
  3. 🥕Vegetables: Many chicken broths include vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery to add flavour and that awesome chicken broth smell.
  4. 🧂Salt: Salt is often added to chicken broth to bump up the flavour.
  5. 💛Natural Flavours: Some brands may add natural flavours, such as yeast extract (which may contain gluten if made from barely), to boost the taste of the broth.
  6. 😋Chicken Fat: Some chicken broths may contain chicken fat, which can add flavour and richness to the broth.
  7. 🌿Spices and Herbs: To add depth of flavour, some chicken broths may include spices and herbs like thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
Two bowls of chicken broth.

So where's the gluten?

Some store-bought chicken broths may also contain gluten-containing ingredients like wheat flour or barley.

It's so important to always read the label and ingredient list carefully to make sure that the product is gluten-free, especially if you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

🙋‍♀️How to choose a gluten-free chicken broth

Look for products that are labeled as “gluten-free,” or that don’t contain any wheat, barley, or rye.

Some brands also offer low-sodium or organic options, so you can choose the one that best fits your needs.

Chicken broth in a bowl.

✅Gluten-Free Chicken Broth Options

There's quite a few store-bought gluten-free chicken broth options available in most grocery stores or through Amazon.

Here's some popular brands:

  1. Pacific Foods: Pacific Foods offers a range of organic and gluten-free chicken broths, including their Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth, Organic Low-Sodium Chicken Broth, and Organic Bone Broth Chicken with Ginger.
  2. Imagine: Imagine offers a variety of gluten-free chicken broths, including their Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth and Organic Low-Sodium Chicken Broth. They also have a line of bone broths, including their Organic Free-Range Chicken Bone Broth and Organic Low-Sodium Chicken Bone Broth.
  3. Swanson: Swanson offers several gluten-free chicken broth options, including their Natural Goodness Chicken Broth and Unsalted Chicken Broth. They also have a line of Sipping Bone Broths that are gluten-free, including their Chicken Bone Broth with Ginger and Turmeric and Chicken Bone Broth with Lemon and Rosemary.
  4. Kitchen Basics: Kitchen Basics offers several gluten-free chicken broth options, including their Original Chicken Bone Broth, Unsalted Chicken Stock, and Organic Chicken Stock.
  5. College Inn: College Inn offers several gluten-free chicken broth options, including their Chicken Broth, 33% Less Sodium Chicken Broth, and Organic Chicken Broth.
Just getting started with gluten-free eating? Cut out these foods STAT. Grab the cheat sheet here.

😄Gluten Free Chicken Bouillon Options

Gluten-free bouillon is also a great option to use in making soups, stews or adding flavour when you're cooking rice or quinoa.

Here's a few brands of gluten-free bouillon to check out. They're available in most grocery stores or online at places like Amazon.

  1. Better than Bouillon: Better than Bouillon offers a wide variety of gluten-free bouillon flavours, including chicken, beef, vegetable, and mushroom. Their products are made with real ingredients and contain no added MSG.
  2. Knorr: Knorr offers several gluten-free bouillon options, including their Homestyle Chicken Stock, Beef Stock, and Vegetable Stock. They also have a line of concentrated liquid bouillon called Flavour Boost that's gluten-free.
  3. Massel: Massel offers a range of gluten-free bouillon flavours, including chicken, beef, vegetable, and mushroom. Their products are vegan, GMO-free, and contain no added MSG.
  4. Edward & Sons: Edward & Sons offers several gluten-free bouillon options, including their Not-Chick'n Bouillon Cubes and Not-Beef Bouillon Cubes. Their products are vegan and non-GMO.
  5. Orrington Farms: Orrington Farms offers several gluten-free bouillon options, including their Chicken Flavoured Broth Base & Seasoning, Beef Flavoured Broth Base & Seasoning, and Vegetable Flavoured Broth Base & Seasoning.
  6. Luda: Luda Foods has a range of gluten-free bouillons available including chicken, beef vegetable and vegan as well.

If you want to know WHAT to eat when you first go gluten-free, check out this Gluten Free Diet Plan for Beginners (PDF download).

Check out this post on a gluten-free diet plan for beginners and get started on the right foot!

🍽️Chicken broth at restaurants

It's a bit tricky to know if restaurant-made chicken broth is gluten-free, because it'll often have other seasonings and ingredients that may be hidden sources of gluten.

When you're eating out and you don't know if a dish has chicken broth that's gluten-free, don’t be afraid to ask your server or the chef.

They should be able to give you a list of ingredients or help you pick something else that's completely a gluten-free.

😄Is Chicken Broth Safe for Gluten-Free Diets?

Chicken broth can be a safe food for people following a gluten-free diet. The trick is to read the ingredient list and know WHERE hidden gluten is found.

Then you can make an informed decision about whether or not you want to eat something!

Although typically chicken broth does not contain large amounts of gluten ingredients, many do have flavour-enhancers or thickeners that are wheat-based.

Find a brand of chicken broth you love that's gluten free from the list above or try making your own! Here's a recipe from Taryn at Hot Pan Kitchen for Gluten-Free Chicken Stock.

Check out more resources below and if you're just getting started with gluten-free diets, be sure to grab this list of What Not to Eat With Gluten Intolerance (PDF list)

~April

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Healthy Black Bean Dip Recipe

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This Healthy Black Bean Dip recipe is like no other because of the secret ingredient: roasted red peppers! This crowd pleasing, perfect-for-a-party healthy black bean dip brings a ton of flavour to the table - literally. The canned black beans get a major boost from paprika-dusted roasted red peppers, a classic spice combos of cumin, chili powder and onion powder, and it’s all brought to life with fresh cilantro and bright lime juice. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, this is one of the best black bean dip recipes out there!

Black bean dip in a white bowl on a blue countertop.
This healthy black bean dip with roasted red peppers is a HUGE crowd pleaser.

Can we please gather around and talk about this amazing black bean dip please!?

This recipe was on regular rotation for pool parties at our place this year and after a few tweaks of the recipe, it’s now dialed in baby.

If you like black beans in general, I think you’ll love this healthy dip recipe.

This recipe for black bean dip is SO PACKED with nutrition that the dip has more hummus vibes - no runny dips here today🚫

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It's easy to make, healthy and suuuuper delicious.

Why not keep up the black bean train with this recipe for Summer Corn and Black Bean Salsa, perfect for a get together and these Easy Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Avocado.

It’s black bean central!

📝Ingredients for black bean dip

The ingredients for this easy black bean dip recipe are simple and fresh.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Canned black beans - rinsed and drained
  • Red, yellow or orange peppers - any colour (except green) would be great
  • Paprika
  • Chili powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Cumin
  • Kosher salt
  • Limes for fresh lime juice
  • Parsley
  • Cilantro
  • Olive oil

See recipe card for quantities.

Black bean dip in a white bowl on a blue countertop.
Roasting the red peppers for this dip gives a hint of sweetness which balances so well with the spices in the dip.

🥣How to make a healthy black bean dip

This is a super easy recipe-here’s the high level steps for how to make this black bean dip:

Ingredients for black bean dip with roasted red peppers in a food processor.

Roast your prepped peppers at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes. When done, put all ingredients into the food processor.

A food processor filled with black bean dip.

Blend ingredients on high for about 3-4 minutes total, scraping the sides every 30 seconds.

See recipe card below for more details and tips.

A corn chip dipped in black bean dip.
Behold the high protein and high fibre goodness here! This black bean hummus dip is packed with nutrition.

💃Variations

Here’s a couple ways to change things up a bit with this dip.

  • 🌽Add corn kernels - a lot of black bean dips out there have corn in them. And why not?! Corn and black beans is a natural and delicious pairing. If you’re looking to add some corn niblet goodness into this recipe, I’d suggest stirring in about ½ cup of corn niblets after you run the dip through the food processor
  • 🧀Say Cheese - once you’ve got this dip all blended and into a serving bowl, you could also add some cheese on top to change it up. I would suggest cojita or feta cheese. Either cheese would be a welcome addition to the dip
  • 🔥Add spice - looking for some heat? Add cayenne pepper, dried chili flakes or some finely diced jalapeño in the final stages of blending all the ingredients together
  • 🥑Next level guacamole - adding chunks of avocado on top of this dip just says ”hello, I am delicious; come and eat me please”. Try it and you won’t be disappointed

🔪Equipment

All you need for this recipe is a dish to roast the peppers in (I like my square glass dish) and a food processor.

I’m sure you could also use a high-speed blender if you don’t have a food processor.

Black bean dip in a white bowl on a blue countertop.
Gluten free corn tortilla chips are one of my favourite things to serve with this black bean dip.

🥡Storage and Freezing

This black bean dip is a fabulous make-ahead dish because it’s good in the fridge for up to 5 days after you make it!

If you need to get ahead on party-prep, this is a fabulous dip to make ahead. Follow the recipe as written for best results and store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

You can freeze this dip for up to 3 months in an air tight container in the freezer.

Psst - since this black bean dip recipe lasts for so many days, why not make it as part of your healthy meal prep? I'll have this in the morning spread on gluten-free toast or at lunch with gluten free crackers😋

Grab my PDF Check List for Meal Prep Success!

🙋‍♀️What to serve with black bean dip

This black bean hummus dip is perfect for well, dipping!

Here are some perfect choices to dip-dip-dip your black bean heart out:

  • Gluten-free tortilla chips
  • Mexican corn chips, like these from Neal Bros
  • If you're feeling really energetic, make your own gluten-free tortilla chips like these ones
  • Gluten-free rice crackers
  • Cucumber wedges
  • Carrot sticks
  • Cherry tomatoes

And if you're making this for a crowd and not everyone needs the gluten-free aspect, this black bean dip goes great with mini naan bread (or large naan cut up into triangles.)

Black bean dip in a white bowl on a blue countertop.
This delicious dip is super creamy and perfect for a Superbowl party food or pool-side dipping.

❓Should black bean dip be served hot or cold?

This black bean dip is best served at room temperature - right after you make it.

Or make it ahead for a party and just take it out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature before you want your guests to dig in.

I've never heated this dip up so not sure if that would work but if you tried it, I would heat on low in a saucepan on the stove.

Hope you love this healthy black bean dip like we do!

~April

📖 Recipe

Black bean dip in a white bowl on a blue countertop.

Healthy Black Bean Dip

This Black Bean Dip recipe is like no other because of the secret ingredient: roasted red peppers! Naturally vegan and gluten-free, this is one of the best black bean dip recipes put there!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black bean dip
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Roasting peppers: 25 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Author: April

Equipment

  • 1 Food processor

Ingredients

  • 2 cups canned black beans rinsed and drained, about 16 oz
  • 3 medium bell peppers red, yellow or orange
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 limes
  • ½ cup parsley
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare the peppers for roasting by cutting off the sides and end from the pepper. Take out all the seeds and white parts. Place the peppers on a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and some kosher salt. Bake in oven for 25 minutes.
  • While peppers roast, add the black beans, spices, parsley, cilantro, and olive oil to the food processor. Cut the limes in half and squeeze the fresh lime juice on top of everything.
  • When the peppers are done roasting in the oven, carefully add them to the food processor too. It’s fine if they’re still warm from the oven.
  • Blend the dip ingredients up on high for about 3-4 minutes total. Pause about every 30 seconds or so to scrape the sides of the bowl down.
  • Your dip is ready! Serve right away or store in the fridge for up to 4 days before serving.

Notes

Leftovers are good in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips:
  • After blending the first few times, taste your dip - does it need more salt? Lime juice? Adjust to your taste
  • So much of the delicious flavour in this dip comes from those gorgeous roasted red peppers. And since you'll be turning the oven on, why not do a few extras and make this Easy Black Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Instant Pot) too?
  • Personally I like the consistency of this dip to be between a runny dip and a hummus - not too thick, but not too thin. Make it the consistency you want - for a thinner dip, reduce black beans by ~⅓ cup.

The BEST Honey Soy Marinade

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This Honey Soy Sauce Marinade is simply delicious! With just a few ingredients, this sweet and tangy marinade brings a ton of flavour to either beef, chicken or pork.

Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.

Can we just all gather 'round and agree on how uh-maaaazing an easy to make marinade makes you a gluten-free, suppertime HERO🦸‍♀

This easy marinade for beef with honey and soy sauce is no exception.

With only a few ingredients, you'll be setting your beef (or chicken or salmon) up for major flavour SUCCESS at supper.

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😍Love marinades? Check these out too:

📝Ingredients for this honey and soy sauce marinade recipe

  • Soy sauce - look for one labeled gluten-free
  • Honey - the liquid or creamed kind (see below for tip on using creamed honey)
  • Rice vinegar
  • Sesame oil
  • Fresh garlic
  • Fresh ginger
  • Fresh ground black pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
Keep this honey soy sauce marinade gluten-free with a gluten-free soy sauce!

🔄 Substitutions

For the best (and tastiest) results, I've tested this recipe many times so if you're able, follow the ingredients to a tee.

But if you're into subs, check out these swaps you could try:

  • 🍯You can use either creamed honey or liquid honey for this recipe. Liquid honey may be slightly easier to mix with the other ingredients since it's already in a semi-solid state, but creamed honey will work just as well. If you're using creamed honey, you may need to warm it slightly to make it easier to mix. Simply place the jar of creamed honey in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes until it softens up. Then, it should be easier to mix with the other ingredients.
  • ✅Instead of rice vinegar, you can use different type of vinegar in the honey soy marinade if you prefer or if you don't have rice vinegar on hand. Rice vinegar has a mild and slightly sweet flavour, but you can substitute it with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even balsamic vinegar depending on your preference. Keep in mind that using a different type of vinegar will affect the overall taste of the marinade (obvi).
  • 👌If you don't have sesame oil on hand or prefer not to use it, you can use a different oil. Sesame oil has a distinct nutty flavour, but you can substitute it with another neutral-flavoured oil such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil. Just keep in mind that using a different type of oil will slightly alter the overall flavour of the marinade.
  • 🙋‍♀️All out of fresh garlic and fresh ginger? No problem. You can sub-in garlic powder and ground ginger instead.

🔪How to make this honey soy marinade

Doesn't get much easier than this:

Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
Add the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and fresh black pepper in a bowl.
Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
Whisk it all up until combined.

Use it right away to marinade your meat of choice OR keep it in the fridge in a small mason jar in the fridge for up to 3 days before using.

💃Variations

Lookin' for something different? This honey soy marinade recipe is a great base on it's own OR you can change things up!

Here's some ideas:

  • 🔥Spicy Honey Soy Marinade: Add some red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce to the marinade for a spicy kick
  • 🍋Citrus Honey Soy Marinade: Add some orange or lime zest and juice to the marinade for a bright, citrusy flavour
  • 😋Mustard Honey Soy Marinade: Add a tablespoon of Dijon or whole-grain mustard to the marinade for a tangy twist
  • 🍃Herb Honey Soy Marinade: Add some chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or cilantro to the marinade for added flavour
  • 🍍Pineapple Honey Soy Marinade: Add some crushed pineapple or pineapple juice to the marinade for a tropical flavour
Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
Easy chicken marinades are a great way to inject some new flavours into your dinner routine.

🥡Storage and Leftovers

You can make this marinade up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge till you need it. Whisk to re-combine if necessary before using.

✅How to use this marinade with chicken

Once you've whisked all the ingredients together, you're ready to use!

Pour the marinade over the chicken in a bowl or resealable bag. Turn the chicken in the marinade so it gets evenly coated. Place the marinating chicken in the fridge.

Marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours maximum.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade and grill, bake or BBQ the chicken until cooked through.

Have a cast iron pan? Sear the chicken on the cast iron skillet first and then finish in the oven, just like this recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast.

See below for more tips on cooking.

Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
This honey soy marinade for chicken makes getting dinner on the table easy and delicious!

😋How to use this marinade with beef

My favourite way to use this marinade is with beef strips, a fast-fry steak or other thinly sliced cut of beef.

I find when the marinade can cover ALL the sides of the beef, the result is so delicious as the honey in the marinade caramelizes and the soy sauce in the marinade brings a nice balance with the salty flavour.

To use this honey soy marinade with beef, whisk all the marinade ingredients together and pour the marinade over the beef in a bowl or resealable bag.

Turn the beef in the marinade so it gets evenly coated. Place the marinating beef in the fridge.

Marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours maximum.

When ready to cook, remove beef from the marinade. My favourite way to cook the beef after marinating is in a cast iron pan over medium heat on the stovetop.

Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
This honey and soy sauce marinade is great for beef, chicken or pork.

🍽️What to serve with honey soy marinaded chicken

Here are some healthy, gluten-free side dishes to serve with honey soy marinaded chicken (or beef):

  1. 🫑Grilled Vegetables: Grilled vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant make a perfect side dish for honey soy marinaded chicken or beef. You can sprinkle some sesame seeds on top to bring out the sesame oil in the marinade!
  2. 🍚Brown Rice: Brown rice is a healthy and filling grain that pairs well with the sweet and salty flavours of honey soy marinaded chicken or beef. Throw on some chopped scallions or cilantro for an extra pop of flavour.
  3. 🍴Rice Noodles: Rice noodles cook in minutes and make a great side dish for honey soy marinaded chicken or beef. Add some vegetables like bok choy, mushrooms, and carrots to the noodles for a complete meal.
  4. 🥗Quinoa Salad: Quinoa is a great source of protein and fiber, and it pairs well with the flavours of honey soy marinaded chicken or beef. Check out this recipe for Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta.
  5. 🍠Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Roasted sweet potatoes are a healthy and delicious side dish that goes well with the sweet and savory flavors of honey soy marinaded chicken or beef. Check out this recipe for Oven Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes (Cubed).
  6. 🥦Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes: Let's do double duty! Roast broccoli potatoes at the same time for a 2-for-1 healthy and gluten-free side dish. Check out this recipe for Simple Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes (one pan).
Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.
A sweet and tangy marinade makes this one of the BEST ways to marinate chicken, beef or pork.

🏅Top tips

Honey can burn if you're not careful so keep these tips in mind to keep everything delicious (aka not burned😅)

  1. Use a moderate heat: If you're cooking the marinaded chicken or beef on the stovetop, use a moderate heat instead of high heat. This will allow the meat to cook through without burning the honey.
  2. Cover the chicken: If you're using this marinade with chicken and baking the chicken in the oven, cover it with aluminum foil for the first 20-30 minutes of cooking. This will help trap in moisture and prevent the honey from burning.
  3. Grill with care: If you're grilling the honey soy marinaded beef or chicken, be sure to watch it carefully and turn it frequently to prevent burning. You may also want to use a grill mat or foil to prevent the honey from sticking to the grill grates.
  4. Add the marinade gradually: if you're using this marinade as a sauce (ie NOT marinating), when cooking the chicken or beef, add the marinade gradually instead of all at once. This will prevent the honey from caramelizing too quickly and burning.

Hope you love this marinade like we do!

Please rate and comment below❣️

~April

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📖 Recipe

Honey and soy sauce marinade in a glass bowl.

Honey Soy Marinade

This Honey Soy Sauce Marinade is simply delicious! With just a few ingredients, this sweet and tangy marinade brings a ton of flavour to either beef or chicken.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef marinade, chicken marinade
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Author: April

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and black pepper.
  • Use immediately or place in fridge for up to 3 days prior to using.

Marinading instructions

  • Place beef (or chicken) in a large resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish.
  • Pour the marinade over the beef, making sure it is evenly coated.
  • Seal the bag or cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate the beef in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  • When ready to cook, remove meat from the marinade and discard any excess marinade.
  • Grill, bake, or pan-fry the beef until cooked through.
  • Serve the beef with your favourite sides and enjoy!

Notes

Makes about 1 cup of marinade.
Marinade can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge. Whisk to re-combine if necessary before using.
Discard any unused marinade after marinating meat.
Can be used to marinate chicken, beef, pork or tofu. Can be also used as a stir-fry sauce.

Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta

· 4 Comments

This Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta is such a healthy option for lunch, meal prep, or for your next picnic! Packed with nutritious ingredients like high-protein quinoa, fresh vegetables, filling black beans and a lemon and apple cider vinegar dressing. It's simple and delicious!

The close up of this Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta in a small white bowl with a fork in the salad

This quinoa salad is perfect any time of year, for any meal, any occasion! It delivers major nutrition, it's simple to make and of course, it's suuuuper delicious.

Make it for lunch meal preps or for when you're having a picnic or potluck and need a really BIG salad to feed a whole whack of people.

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Love spring-forward salads? Me TOO.

Check these other gluten-free salads to make and bookmark them for later:

They're all so yummy!😋

📝 Ingredients for Quinoa Salad with Feta

  • Quinoa - about 3 cups cooked
  • Red pepper
  • Celery
  • Cucumber
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Green onions
  • Black beans
  • Feta cheese - crumbed
  • Olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • Liquid honey
  • Apple cider vinegar - you can use red wine vinegar if you don't have apple cider kind
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper

See recipe card below for quantities and instructions.

Close up picture of Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta with a silver fork
Crumbled feta cheese gives a delicious taste and texture to this quinoa salad recipe😋

🔪How to make quinoa salad

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
While it cooks, whisk dressing. Once done, fluff quinoa and let cool.
Once the quinoa is slightly cooled, add a large bowl with all other ingredients.
Pour dressing over the bowl of salad ingredients and toss gently. Serve😋

🍽️What to serve with quinoa salad

Honestly, this easy quinoa salad is perfect just on it's own (see below for why it's so freaking awesome).

But sometimes, especially if I'm using the salad as part of a meal prep, I'll add a protein of some sort.

Here are some protein-packed options for what pairs well with quinoa salad:

💃Variations

One of the best things about quinoa salad is how many different vegetables and fruits go with quinoa.

There are so many healthy options - the yummy combinations feel endless! Check them out:

  • Black bean mango
  • Cranberry and feta cheese
  • Kale and chickpea
  • Kale and cranberry
  • Kale with sweet potato
  • Lemon chickpea
  • Lentil and chickpea
  • Lentil and sweet potato
  • Mango anad avocado quinoa salad
  • Tomato and cucumber
  • Roasted sweet potato and pomegranate seeds

🙋‍♀️Is quinoa salad good for you?

Quinoa itself is a highly nutritious choice and quinoa provides a ton of nutrition. It's a great source of:

  • Protein
  • Fibre
  • B vitamins - B6, B2, B1
  • Folate
  • Minerals - manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc

It's also economical, easy to cook, and you can make sooo many delicious dishes with it.

When you first go gluten-free, adding quinoa to your life opens up a ton of healthy possibilities.

Fun fact: quinoa itself is a seed. Not a grain as you might assume.

The quinoa plant belongs to the amaranth family - a naturally gluten-free option!

To keep quinoa salads healthy, go for a ton of veggies and oil-based instead of cream-based dressings. And if you love fruit and quinoa, check out this recipe for Summer Quinoa Salad with Mango🥭

Tired, bloated and just feel "off"? If you think gluten may be a problem for you, grab this list of foods to cut right now.

⏲️Make ahead tips

Cook the quinoa

To save some time the day of, you can cook the quinoa 1 day before putting this salad together.

Follow the instructions on the container of quinoa you have at home or use my proportions and steps for cooking quinoa:

  • Use 2 cups of water for every 1 ¼ cup dry quinoa
  • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low
  • Cook with the lid on for about 15 minutes
  • Remove from heat and fluff with a fork
  • This makes approximately 3 cups of cooked quinoa

Cooking the quinoa in some broth - either chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium) - adds some extra flavour.

I like cooking the quinoa in gluten-free vegetable broth for this recipe.

Cooked quinoa will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze cooked quinoa.

After cooking and cooling the quinoa, place in a ziplock bag or container with an air-tight lid. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Take out of the freezer the night before you want to use it so it can thaw in the fridge.

I don't recommend freezing this quinoa salad recipe though as the tomatoes don't do well with the freezing and thawing process.

Prep and chop the vegetables

You can wash and chop all the veggies the day before too.

Chop the celery, dice the cucumber and red pepper, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

Keep the prepped veggies covered in the fridge until you're ready to put the salad together.

Make the salad dressing

You can whisk up the salad dressing and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it too.

  • If you're making this quinoa salad for meal prep, you can make the dressing the day before and keep it in the fridge.
  • If you're making this quinoa salad to be eaten as part of a meal in one sitting (lunch, dinner, potluck, etc), you can whisk up the dressing up to 3 days before.
Close up shot of Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta on a white background
This is a delicious and easy to make quinoa salad recipe - perfect for your next BBQ or potluck!

🥡Storage and Leftovers

This is a great salad to make for meal prep too because it keep for about 3 days in the fridge.

If you want to freshen it up a bit, squeeze some more lemon juice overtop on leftovers.

🏅Top tips:

  1. This quinoa salad recipe make a lot. That's why it's perfect to make for lunches for the week ahead or any meal prep.
  2. If you're making it to take to a potluck, get a big container or large bowl out with a lid and this salad travels well.
  3. See below in the comments because this quinoa salad can be a great way to use up some romaine lettuce, for example.
  4. If you have vegetables in the fridge or on the counter that need using up, you can probably throw them into this quinoa salad so they don't go to waste. Chopped red onion or kalamata olives you've had in the fridge for a while would be lovely.

If you do make this quinoa salad and love it, please rate and comment below.

I love to hear from you🙋‍♀️

~April

PS. Looking for more gluten-free, healthy recipes for supper? Check these out:

This post was originally published on November 8th, 2021. Updated copy and recipe tested and re-posted April 26th, 2023.

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📖 Recipe

Close up shot of Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta on a white background

Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta

This Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta is such a healthy option for lunch, meal prep, or for your next picnic! Packed with nutritious ingredients like high-protein quinoa, fresh vegetables, filling black beans and a lemon and apple cider vinegar dressing.
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: quinoa; salad; vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cooling the quinoa: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 10 cups
Author: April

Ingredients

  • 3 cups quinoa, after cooking 1 ¼ cup before cooking (dry)
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 2 medium cucumbers diced
  • 1 240ml can of black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
  • 1 cup crumbled feta

Dressing

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ juice of lemon
  • 2 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced separate the green bottoms from the white tops

Instructions

  • Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
  • While the quinoa cooks, put the chopped vegetables and drained black beans in a large bowl.
  • Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, salt, pepper and the about ½ of the white tops of the scallions.
  • Once the quinoa is cooked and slightly cooled, add to the large bowl of vegetables and black beans. stir to combine.
  • Pour dressing over the combined ingredients and toss gently to combine. Add feta and combine.
  • This is ready to eat right away. If you're packing it up, place in containers. Keeps in fridge for 3 days.

Notes

Make ahead: cook the quinoa and keep in fridge for up to 4-5 days before you need it. 
You can also freeze cooked quinoa. After cooking and cooling the quinoa, place in a ziplock bag or container with an air-tight lid. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Take out of the freezer the night before you want to use it so it can thaw in the fridge.
This salad will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tip: got some vegetable broth to use up in the fridge? Swap out water for some broth for a little more flavour when cooking the quinoa.

Is Gnocchi Gluten Free?

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Is the beloved Italian dish, gnocchi, really gluten-free? Most traditional versions of gnocchi aren't gluten-free because they contain wheat flour. But don't lose hope! You can still enjoy gnocchi even if you can't have gluten. Let's dive into the info!

🥔What is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi is a type of Italian dumpling made from potatoes and flour. The dough is typically rolled out, cut into small pieces, and then boiled until they float to the surface.

Gnocchi can be served with so many different sauces and toppings, which makes it a fun dish to try and good for the whole family.

Gnocchi on a plate with a fork.
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🙋‍♀️Is Gnocchi Gluten-Free?

The short answer is no, gnocchi is not gluten-free. Not typically, anyways.

But there are exceptions.

Here's the thing: traditional gnocchi recipes contain wheat flour, which of course, isn't gluten-free.

But there's many gluten-free versions of gnocchi available on the market that use naturally gluten-free flours like rice flour, corn flour, or even potato starch.

grating cheese on gnocchi.

📝Traditional Gnocchi Ingredients

  1. Potato - Potatoes are the star ingredient in gnocchi. They add a starchy, earthy flavor and a creamy texture that makes gnocchi so comforting. When making gnocchi, it's important to use starchy potatoes like russets or Yukon golds, as they will create a lighter, fluffier gnocchi. Boil them until they're tender, then mash them until they're smooth.
  2. Flour (all-purpose) - Flour is what binds the mashed potatoes together and gives gnocchi its structure. Usually all-purpose flour is used, because it has the right amount of gluten to hold the gnocchi together without making it too tough. (Gluten-free flour options for gnocchi are below.)
  3. Egg (optional) - Eggs are an optional ingredient in gnocchi, but they do help to give the gnocchi a richer flavor and a firmer texture. You'll only need to use one egg for a recipe that serves four people. Be sure to whisk the egg before adding it to the dough, so that it's evenly distributed. And if you're making a vegan version of gnocchi, you can omit the egg altogether and use a little extra flour to help bind the dough together.
  4. Salt - salt is an important ingredient in a gnocchi recipe! Adding salt to the water when boiling the potatoes helps to enhance their natural flavour, while adding salt to the dough itself helps to bring out the flavours of the other ingredients. Here's the catch: don't over-salt the dough, as this can make the gnocchi too salty and overpower the other flavours. A good rule of thumb is to start with a small amount of salt and adjust as needed. You can always add more salt later, but you can't take it out once it's been added.

🛒Gluten-Free Gnocchi Brands

Want a quick and easy way to enjoy gnocchi without having to make it yourself?

Me TOO.

Luckily for us, there's some delicious options for gluten-free gnocchi brands you can try.

Here's a few brands to check out:

DeLallo Gluten-Free Potato and Rice Gnocchi - Made with potato and rice flour, this gnocchi is a great gluten-free option that still has a classic texture and flavour.

Cucina Antica Gluten-Free Potato Gnocchi - This gnocchi is made with potato starch and rice flour, and is a great option for those who are looking for a simple, gluten-free option.

Schar Gluten-Free Gnocchi - Schar is a well-known brand in the gluten-free community, and their gnocchi is no exception. Made with potato starch, corn starch, and rice flour, this gnocchi has a great texture and flavour.

Check out Amazon or your local grocery store to give these brands a try.

🏅Tips for Making Gluten-Free Gnocchi at Home

If you're interested in making your own gluten-free gnocchi at home, there's a few things to keep in mind to help make sure it's a success😄

Here's some tips to get you started:

Use a Gluten-Free Flour Blend - There's a ton of great gluten-free flour blends out there, BUT not all of them produce the same result.

Look for a blend that is specifically designed for baking, because it will have a more similar texture to traditional flour.

You'll need to experiment with the ratio of flour to potato to get the right consistency, but there's so many recipes available online to help you get started.

Check out this one for Homemade Gluten Free Gnocchi for a more traditional recipe or this one that ups the fancy-quota: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Gnocchi from Schar.

In addition to rice flour and potato starch, you could try using almond flour, coconut flour, or chickpea flour.

Each of these options will give your gnocchi a slightly different flavour and texture, so feel free to experiment and find your favourite.

Experiment with the Ratio of Flour to Potato - Getting the right consistency for your gnocchi can be tricky, so don't be afraid to experiment with the ratio of flour to potato until you find the right balance.

Gnocchi on a ceramic plate with parmesan cheese.

Don't Overwork the Dough - When making gnocchi, it's important not to overwork the dough. This can lead to tough, chewy gnocchi instead of light and fluffy ones.

Only knead the dough until it comes together, and then let it rest before shaping and cutting.

Boil the Gnocchi in Salted Water - To get the best texture and flavour for your gnocchi, be sure to boil it in salted water. This will help to enhance the flavour of the gnocchi

Just getting started with gluten-free eating? Cut out these foods STAT. Grab the cheat sheet here.

💃Gluten-free Alternatives to Traditional Ingredients

  1. Potato flour or potato starch, also known as "farina" instead of the wheat flour
  2. Mashed sweet potato instead of the potatoes (both gluten-free but changes the taste and texture of the gnocchi)
  3. Rice flour, cornmeal, chickpea flour, or a blend of these can be used instead of all-purpose flour.
  4. And for a vegan version of gluten-free gnocchi: Aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) can replace eggs in the recipe.
A woman holding a bowl of green gnocchi.
Grab a fork! Traditional gnocchi may not be gluten-free but you can still enjoy gnocchi with a few easy swaps.

🔄Variations for Different Flavours of Gluten-Free Gnocchi

So now you know gnocchi can be gluten-free, here's some ways to add interesting and different tastes to the gnocchi.

You can use some of these options whether you're making gluten-free gnocchi at home or you're cooking a store-bought gluten-free version:

  1. 🍃Add herbs: You can add chopped herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme to the gnocchi dough to give it a fresh, aromatic flavour. Add them after cooking into the sauce too!
  2. 🍠Use different types of potatoes: While russet or Yukon gold potatoes are the most commonly used potatoes for gluten-free gnocchi, you can also try using sweet potatoes or even purple potatoes. You'll get a fun colour and slightly different taste.
  3. 🎃Incorporate vegetables: Pureed vegetables like spinach, roasted pumpkin, or beets can be added to the dough when you're making gluten-free gnocchi. You'll boost the nutrition and get a fun colour.
  4. 🧀Say Cheese! You can't really go wrong with some grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or some cheddar cheese. Add some cheese to the dough or on top after the gnocchi is cooked.
  5. 🍅Try different sauces: While gnocchi is often served with tomato sauce, you can also try it with a creamy Alfredo sauce, pesto, or brown butter and sage sauce.
  6. 😄Add a little crunch! Change up the typical pillowy, soft gnocchi by rolling the gnocchi in gluten-free breadcrumbs before cooking them to add a crispy, crunchy texture to the outside.
  7. 💃Experiment with shapes: While the traditional shape of gnocchi is small and pillowy, you can also try making larger, flatter shapes or even forming them into fun shapes like shells or twists. Let your kids decide! Maybe you'll end up with Pokemon-shaped gluten-free gnocchi😎

🧑‍🍳How to cook gnocchi

Cooking gnocchi is easy and quick. Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi and let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface. Once the gnocchi float, you know they're done!

You can also tell they gnocchi is done cooking when they're tender but still firm to the touch.

To get them out of the water, use a slotted spoon or a strainer, remove the gnocchi from the water, and transfer them to a serving bowl.

For more of a classic Italian-style dish, heat a pan with some butter or olive oil, add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then, add the cooked gnocchi to the pan, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to coat the gnocchi evenly. Serve hot and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

You can also bake the gnocchi. You just have to boil them first. After boiling the gnocchi, transfer them to a baking dish, pour some marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot and dig in😋

Finally, you can also pan-fry the gnocchi. This is probably my favourite way to cook gnocchi.

Heat a pan with some olive oil and add the cooked gnocchi. Sauté for a few minutes until they are lightly golden brown on the outside. Then, add some chopped cherry tomatoes, spinach, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook for another minute or two until the spinach is wilted, and the tomatoes are softened. Serve hot and sprinkle with some crumbled feta cheese.

🥘Do you have to pre-boil the gnocchi before pan-frying?

You don't have to pre-boil gnocchi before pan-frying, but it can make the cooking process quicker and it'll make sure the gnocchi are cooked through.

Simply add the gnocchi to a pot of salted, boiling water for a few minutes until they float to the surface before you pan fry them.

However, if you're short on time or prefer a crispier texture, you can skip the pre-boiling step and pan-fry the gnocchi directly from the package. Just heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the gnocchi, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Keep in mind that this method may result in slightly denser gnocchi compared to the pre-boiling method. Boiling adds some water into that littl' dumplin' and fluffs things up!

Gnocchi in a pan with herbs.
You can pan fry gnocchi after pre-boiling them for a crispier texture.

🙋‍♀️Is gnocchi good for you?

Gnocchi can definitely be good for you and deliver some nutrition! With the main ingredient of potatoes, gnocchi provides a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Like a lot of times, it's what we add to the dish that may give us more fat, calories or sodium so keep the sauces tomato-based vs. cream based.

The best way to up the nutritional value of gnocchi is to inject some vitamins and minerals from additional ingredients. Consider using sweet potatoes or adding vegetables like spinach or kale to the dough. You can also use spinach or chopped kale into a tomato sauce for the gnocchi too.

🍑Bottom Line

So ok, while traditional gnocchi is not gluten-free, there's gluten-free gnocchi options that you can find pretty easily online or in a store near you!

And if you're up for it, you can make gluten-free gnocchi at home using gluten-free flours or starches.

Why not give gnocchi a try today and see how it can be an easy and delicious way to change up gluten-free dinners in your house🏡

~April

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More Gluten-Free Resources

Easy Lemon Chicken Marinade Recipe

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This Lemon Chicken Marinade is made with only 4 simple ingredients! It's the perfect blend of olive oil, Kosher salt, tangy dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice. With only a short marinading time needed, you'll have juicy, lemony chicken in no time.

A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

This lemon chicken marinade will give you juicy, delicious chicken every time😄

One of the best parts of this lemon marinade is that the chicken gets infused with lemony flavour after only 1 hour of marinading!

Now you can marinade the chicken for longer but from my tests, I've found this 1 hour minimum is the best way to get lemony, juicy chicken onto the table in the least amount of time.

(See below for more tips on marinating time because you could go too long.)

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Love marinades? Me TOO.

Check out these other recipes for flavour-infusing marinades and tasty spice rubs to bookmark them for later:

📝Lemon Chicken Marinade ingredients

With only a handful of simple ingredients, this lemon chicken marinade comes together in no time.

Here's what you'll need:

  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Dijon mustard
  • Lemons - you'll need 3-4
  • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs - you can also use chicken breasts instead of thighs here
A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪How to marinade chicken

Whisk marinade ingredients together.
Place chicken thighs in a large bowl.
Coat chicken thighs with lemon marinade.
Marinde in fridge for 1 hour.
A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.
Remove chicken and grill till cooked through. Serve.

See below for more tips and different ways to change up the flavours of this easy marinade.

💃Variations

What to change it up? Here's a few ways you can change this lemon chicken marinade to add new tasty flavours.

Honestly, the possibilities are endless!

Here's a few ideas:

  1. 🍃Add fresh herbs: Try adding chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano to your marinade. This will add a fresh element to the chicken.
  2. 🍊Use different citrus fruits: Yes, this is a lemon marinade for chicken but instead of using only lemon juice, why not try using a combination of different citrus fruits? Try lime, orange, or even grapefruit!
  3. 🧄Add garlic: Adding minced garlic to the marinade is never a bad idea. You'll get a slightly different flavour in the end and you won't regret it.
  4. 🍯Sweeten it up: Lemon is pretty tart so adding a sweetener like honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar to the marinade balances the acidity and is just plain delicious.
  5. 🔥Spice it up: Add some heat to your marinade by adding chili flakes or hot sauce.
  6. 🫒Use different oils: Try using different oils like sesame oil, olive oil, or avocado oil instead of your usual vegetable oil to change the taste of the marinade.
  7. 💃Make it Peppery! Go for a lemon pepper chicken marinade by adding a whack of fresh ground pepper to the marinade.
A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

🥣Equipment

You don't need much to make the marinade itself. All you have to do is mix it up in a bowl and then get the chicken in there.

For cooking the chicken, you can use the BBQ to cook the chicken thighs. Or, you can also sear them in a cast iron skillet and then place the whole pan into the oven to finish cooking.

This way, the chicken breasts stay juicy and delicious while cooking.

Check out more cast iron skillet recipes here.

🥡Storage and Leftovers

You can make this marinade up to 2 days before you need it.

Discard any unused marinade.

After cooking the chicken in the marinade, that chicken will be good if kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can re-heat it if you like before eating or just eat it cold on a salad😋

A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

🍽️What to serve with lemon marinated chicken

There's so many healthy dishes that you can serve with lemon marinated chicken.

Here's some ideas:

  1. 🌶️Grilled vegetables: Grilled zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and onions make great side dishes to go with lemon marinated chicken.
  2. 🍠Roasted sweet potatoes: Roasted sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins and fiber, and their sweetness pairs well with the tanginess of the lemon marinade. Check out this recipe for Oven Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes (Cubed).
  3. 🥗Quinoa salad: A quinoa salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado is a healthy and refreshing side dish that goes well with lemon marinated chicken. Check out this recipe for Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta.
  4. 🥦Roasted broccoli and potatoes: Make it a complete meal in no time with this recipe for Simple Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes (one pan).
  5. 🍅Greek salad: A Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, and olives is a delicious and healthy side to go with lemon marinated chicken.
  6. 🍚Brown rice: With healthy carbs and extra vitamins and minerals, having brown rice with the lemon chicken is a no-brainer, awesome gluten-free choice.
  7. 🍃Spinach salad: Who says you can't win friends with salad?! A spinach salad with strawberries, walnuts, and a balsamic vinaigrette is a yummy pairing with tangy, lemon chicken.
  8. 😋Roasted Brussels sprouts: Roasted Brussels sprouts are a healthy and delicious side dish. Check out this easy recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Brussel Sprouts with Lemon. No mushy sprouts here🚫
  9. 😄Cauliflower rice: Cauliflower rice can be a nice change from traditional rice and goes really well with the lemon chicken. Also naturally gluten-free like rice is.
A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

🫣Is it OK to marinate chicken in lemon juice?

Yes it's perfectly fine to marinate chicken in lemon juice. Lemon juice is a common ingredient in many chicken marinades. Lemon juice adds flavour and tenderizes the chicken meat. The acidity in the lemon juice helps to break down the proteins in the chicken, making it more tender.

But there's a catch: it's really important to not marinate the chicken for too long in the lemon juice as it can start to cook the meat and change its texture. A good rule of thumb is to marinate chicken in lemon juice for no more than 2 - 4 hours.

And you can get some good flavour in there after just 1 hour of marinading.

It's also important to handle raw chicken safely and to marinate it in the fridge so you don't get some icky bacteria growing.

🍋 Can you marinate chicken too long in lemon?

Yes, you can marinate chicken for too long in lemon juice.

While lemon juice tenderizes chicken and add that lovely lemony flavour, it's also SO acidic that it can start to "cook" the meat if it's marinated for too long.

If chicken is marinated in lemon juice for too long, it can become tough and have a mushy texture. Plus, the acidic environment created by the lemon juice can promote the growth of harmful bacteria if the chicken is left at room temperature for too long.

How to get around this? Marinade your chicken for no more than 2 - 4 hours in the fridge.

If you want to marinate the chicken for longer, it's best to use a marinade that contains less acidic ingredients, or to use a different type of acid such as vinegar or wine.

A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

⏲️How long does lemon marinated chicken last in the fridge?

After it's cooked, leftover lemon marinated chicken will last up to 3 days in the fridge.

You can use it in lunches for the week ahead with some rice and an easy salad like this Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta🥗

🏅Top tip

Be sure to NOT over-marinate your chicken in this lemon marinade. At a minimum, marinade the chicken for 1 hour, up to 4 hours max.

😍More healthy chicken recipes

Hope you love this recipe for lemon chicken marinade like we do❣️

~April

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📖 Recipe

A plate of lemon marinated chicken on a white plate.

Lemon Chicken Marinade

5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken marinade
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinade time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Author: April

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs about 6-8 thighs

Instructions

  • Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl.
  • Add chicken. Turn to coat all sides of the chicken.
  • Cover bowl and place in fridge. Marinade for 1 hour.
  • Remove from fridge and cook chicken on grill or BBQ for about 6 minutes each side or until chicken comes to 165F degrees on an instant read thermometer. Serve with rice and veggies for a complete meal.

Notes

Leftover cooked and marinated chicken is good for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Discard any unused marinade.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta

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This easy Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta is packed with fresh ingredients and delivers major nutrition! With crisp cucumbers, hearty chickpeas, and tangy feta cheese, this delicious dish will be your new favourite healthy salad! Perfect for gluten-free eating in the spring and all year long☀️

This delicious and naturally-gluten free chickpea cucumber salad with feta is here to brighten your day!

This salad with chickpeas and feta makes an easy side dish for lunches, a healthy salad at supper, or a fabulous addition to your next picnic or potluck.

Fresh Herb Salad with Chickpeas and Feta in a clear white bowl
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The veggies in this cucumber chickpea salad make this a super fresh and hydrating salad too.

And the chickpeas give a great kick of healthy carbs, protein and fibre.

Combine that with some fresh herbs and lemon and you've got a naturally gluten-free salad everyone can get behind.

Because let's not forget: going gluten-free can be overwhelming at times🤯

So recipes like this salad with chickpeas and cucumbers are great to have in your back pocket for easy, gluten-free eating!

If you love gluten-free salad recipes that are easy AND filling, check these out too:

New to gluten-free eating? Grab this cheat sheet!

Just getting started with gluten-free eating? Cut out these foods STAT. Grab the cheat sheet here.

📝 Ingredients for this chickpea cucumber salad

  • Green onions
  • Cucumber
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Canned Chickpeas - also known as garbanzo beans
  • Flat leaf parsley
  • Mint
  • Feta cheese
  • Lemon
Fresh Herb Salad with Chickpeas and Feta on a wood cutting board with a knife beside
An easy cucumber chickpea salad like this one makes healthy, gluten-free eating a snap!

🔪How to make chickpea cucumber salad

  • Drain the chickpeas and dice the cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
  • Then get all the ingredients, except the lemon juice, into a large bowl
  • Toss everything to combine and squeeze fresh lemon juice overtop
  • Serve right away or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days
A clear glass bowl filled with Fresh Herb Salad with Chickpeas and Feta
This healthy chickpea salad with feta has no oil or sugar. Just clean healthy eating here.

🥡 Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers of this chickpea salad will stay fresh for about 3 days in the fridge.

When eating it a couple days after I make it, I like to squeeze some more fresh lemon juice overtop to brighten it up.

This salad will not freeze well so eat it up within those 3 days😄

Fresh Herb Salad with Chickpeas and Feta in a clear bowl
A cucumber feta salad with chickpeas makes for a satisfying and naturally gluten-free dish.

🥗 What to serve with chickpea cucumber salad

  1. Grilled chicken - one of my fave go-to's to pair with salads is some lovely grilled chicken. Check out this recipe for Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade or this one for Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast.
  2. Baked fish: a piece of salmon would make a super healthy addition to your chickpea cucumber salad. You'll get more protein and it'll help keep you fuller, longer. Check out this recipe for Easy Baked Salmon with Mayo or this one for Cast Iron Skillet Salmon.
  3. Hummus and olives: To create a Mediterranean-inspired meal, serve your chickpea cucumber salad with some hummus, olives and gluten-free crackers on the side.
  4. Quinoa or brown rice: For a more filling meal, serve your chickpea cucumber salad on a bed of quinoa or brown rice! You'll get more healthy carbs and it'll make this a "meal salad"😄
  5. Roasted vegetables: Can't really go wrong with roasted vegetables like bell peppers, eggplant, and zucchini! Roast them in the oven with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and serve them on the side. Or try this recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Brussel Sprouts with Lemon🍋

❓Are chickpeas carbs or protein?

Chickpeas are actually a great source of both carbs and protein! They're a type of legume, which means they contain a decent amount of carbohydrates, but they also pack a protein punch. In fact, just one cup of chickpeas contains around 15 grams of protein and 45 grams of carbs. Plus, the type of carb in chickpeas is low-glycemic, meaning it won't spike your blood sugars, leaving you feeling fuller for longer. So whether you're looking for a post-workout snack or a healthy addition to this or any salad, chickpeas are a tasty, nutritious and naturally gluten-free choice😎

🏅Top Tips

Make this chickpea cucumber and feta salad and pop it into food prep containers. Then add some cooked chicken breast for easy and healthy gluten-free lunches for the week ahead.

This salad hits all the healthy marks and has no oil or sugar. But if you're looking for a dressing that would go nicely, try an Easy Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing! Mix some extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard together to create a tangy and flavorful dressing. Pour over the salad before serving.

Hope you love this Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta like we do🥗

~April

Check out these other healthy and gluten-free recipes:

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This recipe was originally published on April 18th, 2021. Updated with more useful content and re-published on April 7th, 2023.

📖 Recipe

Fresh Herb Salad with Chickpeas and Feta in a clear bowl

Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta

This easy Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta is packed with fresh ingredients and delivers major nutrition! With crisp cucumbers, hearty chickpeas, and tangy feta cheese, this delicious dish will be your new favourite healthy salad!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy salad, healthy salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10 cups
Author: April

Ingredients

  • 3 green onions, diced
  • 3 cups diced cucumbers
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2.5 cups (540 ml)
  • 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup mint, chopped
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese about 140 grams
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice about 1 large lemon
  • Fresh ground pepper optional

Instructions

  • Place everything except the lemon juice in a large bowl and toss to combine.
  • Squeeze fresh lemon juice overtop and stir. Add fresh ground pepper if desired.
  • Serve immediately or keep in the fridge until you're ready to eat.

Notes

Makes about 10 cups.
Keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge.
I find the feta brings that salty note but if you want, you can sprinkle some Kosher salt over the whole dish before serving.

Cast Iron Skillet Brussel Sprouts with Lemon

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This recipe for pan roasted brussel sprouts made in the cast iron skillet only needs 4 ingredients! With just olive oil, salt and lemon, these roasted brussel sprouts get crispy on the outside with a delicious charred texture and stay tender on the inside. No pre-boiling needed!

Cut brussel sprouts in a cast iron pan.

Grab that cast iron pan and get ready for the BEST roasted brussel sprouts recipe!

Honestly, after making these in the cast iron skillet, my husband and I were like: how are THESE brussel sprouts?! The thing that has the worst reputation - right up there with liver and XXX.

But not these sprouts! Omg no. These are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. And with only olive, salt and lemon as the ingredients, these cast iron brussel sprouts will be your new favourite side dish to make at supper on a weeknight.

Yes, they're great for Thanksgiving and Christmas but man. We'll eat this roasted vegetable side dish all dang year long.

Let's get cooking!

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✅ Ingredients for cast iron skillet roasted brussel sprouts

All you need for this easy recipe is:

  • Fresh brussel sprouts
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Lemon
Pan roasted brussel sprouts on a white plate.
This roasted brussel sprouts recipe is so easy to make and there's no need to turn on your oven!

See recipe card for quantities.

📝How to pan roast brussel sprouts

Wash and cut brussel sprouts in half and remove the hard stem.
Heat olive oil in the cast iron skillet. Add sprouts. Let cook 2 minutes.
Then turn, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Cast Iron Pan Brussel Sprouts.
Repeat until nicely charred. Add salt and lemon juice.
Pan roasted brussel sprouts on a white plate.
Serve warm with extra lemon.

💃Variations

Changing up these roasted brussel sprouts is so easy! You can customize them to whatever flavour profile you're into.

Here are a few classic combinations to try on for size:

  • 🧀Parmesan cheese - after plating these cast iron skillet brussel sprouts, sprinkle on some parmesan cheese for a cheesy and salty taste😋
  • Balsamic vinegar - another way to amp up the flavour is to use balsamic vinegar on the brussel sprouts instead of the fresh lemon juice. The balsamic vinegar gives the same hit of brightness as the lemon and adds more depth of flavour too
  • 🥓Bacon - if you're so inclined to up the indulgence factor, bacon and brussel sprouts are a match made in heaven. Sprinkle some pre-made bacon overtop of the brussel sprouts in the last few minutes of cooking and infuse those sprouts with a smoky flavour
Cast Iron Pan Brussel Sprouts.

🔪Equipment

A cast iron pan is all the equipment you'll need for this recipe. If you don't have cast iron, you can use another oven safe pan.

Pan roasted brussel sprouts on a white plate.

🥡Storage and Leftovers

One of the BEST things about these pan roasted brussel sprouts is that they're good for days after cooking.

Keep any leftover cooked brussel sprouts in the fridge and re-heat when you want them.

🥘What to serve with pan roasted brussel sprouts

Who doesn't love some roasted and blackened brussel sprouts on their Thanksgiving or Christmas day plate of food!

But these brussel sprouts aren't just for fall and winter holidays, no siree Bob. This nutrient-packed veggie pairs well with a ton of other dishes. Be sure to make them part of your veggie side-dish repertoire any day of the week!

Try them any one of these main dishes:

Cut brussel sprouts roasted in a cast iron pan.
No mushy brussel sprouts here! Tender and slightly firm, these sprouts are the perfect healthy side dish for any meal.

😍Are brussel sprouts a Super Food?

Brussel sprouts are absolutely PACKED with nutritional goodness to fuel you through your whole dang day - and more.

Here's the sprouts nutritional highlights:

  1. Fiber: Brussels sprouts are a good source of dietary fiber, which keeps your digestive system on track and promotes and healthy gut microbiota.
  2. Vitamin C: move over oranges! Brussel sprouts are packed with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. It helps boost the immune system, promotes collagen formation for healthy skin, and is needed for absorbing iron.
  3. Vitamin K: Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting and bone health.
  4. Folate: They contain folate, which is essential for cell growth and development, and is especially important during pregnancy.
  5. Iron: Brussels sprouts contain iron, which you're gonna need for healthy blood cells and getting oxygen around the body.
  6. Calcium: Not just in dairy products, brussel sprouts have calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth.
  7. Potassium and Magnesium: Brussels sprouts are a good source of both potassium and magnesium. Two minerals a lot of us don't get enough of. Both of these help in regulating blood pressure, bone development and keeps muscles and nerves functioning in tip top shape.
  8. Vitamin A: They contain vitamin A, which is important for healthy eyesight, skin, and immune function.
  9. Vitamin B6: Brussels sprouts contain vitamin B6, which is SO important for brain development and function, and immune system function.
Cut brussel sprouts in a cast iron pan.
If you love that char on roasted veggies, this cast iron skillet recipe will be right up your alley.

❓Why are my roasted brussel sprouts not crispy?

To really promote those crispy, crunchy brussel sprouts, they need 2 main things: space and heat. Whether you're roasting in a cast iron pan like this recipe or just on a sheet pan in the oven, this cruciferous vegetable needs to release some of that stored water. Brussel sprouts will do this in the form of steam during the cooking process. But if they're too crowded on the pan, the moisture gets trapped and the steam can't escape. So use a big pan for roasting and spread those sprouts out! The other factor is heat. When you're roasting on the stovetop, set your burner to medium high heat (that's a 7 on my stove.) And don't put the brussel sprouts in the pan until the oil is shiny and hot. If you're roasting the oven, go for temperature between 425F and 450F. And don't use parchment paper or tinfoil on the pan! That'll also prevent the brussel sprouts from getting nice and crispy.

Should you boil brussel sprouts before roasting?

You really don't have to boil brussels sprouts before roasting them. In my experience, it just ends up making them mushy and overcooked. But, if you find cooking them pan roasted right from raw is not enough cooking for you, then you can use a quick boil to soften them up. Here's how to do it the right way: boil them for a few minutes - but only a few minutes! Then get them right into to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This blanching step will help the brussel sprouts to cook more evenly when they're roasted and they'll still have their gorgeous green colour. It will give a slightly different flavour too then just roasting only like this recipe.

🏅Top tip

When you're roasting brussel sprouts on the stove top, be sure to put only ONE LAYER down. You don't want your brussel sprouts all crowded on top of each other. Why? This is how you'll get them crisped up. As you cook them in the cast iron, you'll notice the steam coming off them. When they have a little room to breathe like this, they get rid of moisture. Which leads to lovely crisp and blackened sprouts.

Hope you love these Cast Iron Skillet Brussel Sprouts like we do❣️

~April

🙋‍♀️More easy side dish recipes

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📖 Recipe

Cast Iron Skillet Brussel Sprouts with Lemon

This recipe for cast iron skillet brussel sprouts made in the cast iron pan only needs 4 ingredients! These roasted brussel sprouts become crispy on the outside with a lovely charred texture and stay tender inside.
5 from 2 votes
Print Rate
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brussel sprouts
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 adults
Author: April

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 0.5 kg brussel sprouts about 5 cups
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Cut the small stem off the brussel sprouts and cut them each in half.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a cast iron pan.
  • When it's shimmering and hot, add the brussel sprouts and cook for 2 minutes, undistrubed. Start a timer so you don't forget.
  • After 2 minutes, stir the brussel sprouts in the pan, sprinkle with Kosher salt and cook again for 2 minutes, undisturbed.
  • Again, stir the brussel sprouts one last time and squeeze some fresh lemon juice overtop. Cook for another 2 minutes to get the halves a good char overall.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately with a wedge of fresh lemon.

Notes

Leftovers good in the fridge for up to 3 days. Re-heat in the microwave until desired temperature.
 

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe only takes 30 minutes to make! It's a simple, delicious soup that uses frozen broccoli, real cheddar cheese, carrots and celery - no potatoes and no flour needed!

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup in a white bowl.
A healthier version of Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is here to warm you up in the colder weather!

The temperature outside is dropping so why not stay WARM with a cozy bowl of Broccoli Cheddar Soup🥣

I feel like this is one of those recipes that's soooo comforting.

Plus, this broccoli soup also maximizes the nutrition you get, spoon by spoon😎

This soup is packed with nutrition from all the veggies and lower in fat and calories than most other recipes out there.

Bottom line: this Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe will not disappoint.

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That's why I LOVE soups for you if you're just getting started with gluten-free eating.

They're pretty easy to make and with the right ingredients, soup can provide a whack-ton of nutrition.

Case in point: just check out these other recipes for easy, gluten-free soups:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup in 2 bowls.
Even without adding heavy cream, this broccoli cheese soup is thick, creamy and delicious.

📝Ingredients for easy broccoli cheddar soup

You only need a few easy to find ingredients to make this yummy and filling broccoli soup.

Here's what you'll need:

  • Butter
  • Onion - shallots or cooking onion will work here
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Chopped broccoli florets - frozen broccoli florets work just as well as fresh too
  • Chicken broth - if you're very sensitive to gluten, go for a broth that is labeled gluten-free. Some brands contain yeast extract made from barley. You can sub-in vegetable broth or you can also use water instead of broth altogether
  • 1% milk
  • 10% cream - using milk and cream gives a ton of creaminess while keeping the total fat and calories lower than most other recipes for broccoli cheddar soup
  • Minced garlic - no fresh garlic? No problem - garlic powder can be used in placed of it
  • Shredded cheddar cheese - if you buy the pre-shredded cheese (omg I love it so much!), try a sharp cheddar cheese blend or go for a taco-spiced variety. This gives a little extra flavour-kick to the soup. Processed cheese in this recipe? Um, no. Just like don't even try😅
  • Salt and pepper to taste

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪Instructions for Instant Pot broccoli cheddar soup

Cut soup vegetables in an instant pot.

Cook onions, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes.
Instant Pot with frozen broccoli.
Add in broccoli and broth. Set manual timer for 5 min cook.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup after blending in Instant Pot.
Add milk, cream, garlic and cheese. Blend.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup in bowls.
Serve right away and enjoy😋

See detailed instructions below.

💃Variations

Broccoli cheddar soup is a delicious and comforting dish that you can change up too!

Here's a few ideas:

  1. 🔥Spicy broccoli cheddar soup: Add some heat to your soup by adding chopped jalapeños or red pepper flakes.
  2. 🧄Garlic broccoli cheddar soup: Infuse your soup with the rich flavor of garlic even more by sautéing minced garlic in butter before adding it to the soup.
  3. 🚫Broccoli Cheddar Soup No Cream: looking to maximize nutrition without the fat and calories that come with cream? This recipe is already a step in that direction (no heavy cream here) but if you're looking for a full no-cream recipe, you can make this soup with 1% or 2% milk and skip the cream altogether.
  4. 🥣Curry broccoli cheddar soup: Add curry powder to your soup to give it a warm and spicy flavour.
  5. 🥔Potato broccoli cheddar soup: Add diced potatoes to your soup for a heartier, more filling meal.
  6. 🧀Ham broccoli cheddar soup: Dice up some cooked lean ham and add it to your soup for a smoky, salty flavour.
  7. 🥦Broccoli cauliflower cheddar soup: Mix in some cauliflower for added texture and flavour.
  8. 🍅Tomato broccoli cheddar soup: Stir in some canned tomatoes or tomato paste to give your soup a tangy, acidic flavor.
Easy recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
This gluten-free broccoli cheese soup has no potatoes and no flour - it's a snap to make and packed with veggies.

🥡Storage and Leftovers

Leftover broccoli cheese soup should be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Re-heat any leftovers before eating.

Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before re-heating. You may need to add a little water or broth, depending the consistency.

🥘 What to serve with broccoli cheddar soup

Up your side dish game💃Serve this easy soup with a main meal or one of the ideas below:

  1. Corn bread muffins - these muffins from Erin at Meaningful Eats are easy to make and gluten-free.
  2. Gluten-free whole grain toast with hummus
  3. Pack in the nutrition with a salad - try this Broccoli Chickpea Salad with Feta or this Easy Quinoa Salad with Feta
  4. Roasted vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts - check out this recipe for Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli or this one for Roasted Potatoes and Carrots Recipe {one pan!}
  5. Grilled chicken or fish - grill your chicken in this Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade or make this easy recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast
  6. Baked sweet potato or baked potato wedges - these Oven Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes or this recipe for Oven Roasted Yellow Potatoes with Lemon Greek Yogurt Sauce are both delicious and would go great with this broccoli cheese soup

🏅Top tips

  1. When you're adding in the shredded cheese to the Instant Pot of cooked broccoli and other veggies, do it slllooowly. Sprinkle in the cheese and keep stirring the soup while you do it. This way, you'll avoid getting goopy clumps of cheese and have a nice, smooth and delicious broccoli cheese soup.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup in 2 bowls.

2. For the broccoli, I actually prefer using frozen broccoli for this soup. And you guys, it's JUST as good for you as fresh broccoli. All that powerhouse nutrition got locked and loaded when it was flash frozen.

So don't think you're missing out on nutrition by using frozen broccoli - go for it😄

Plus, it's all cut up into small lovely florets for you. Which equals less prep time - woop woop!

Hope you love this broccoli cheddar soup like we do❣️

~April

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📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup in a white bowl.

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe comes together in only 30 minutes! It's a super delicious soup that uses frozen broccoli, real cheddar cheese, carrots and celery.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 adults
Author: April

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure cooker (Instant Pot)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 ½ cup diced onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 4 cups chopped broccoli florets, frozen
  • 2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
  • 1 cup 1% milk
  • 1 cup 10% cream
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to Saute and once it reads Hot, add butter.
  • Toss in onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Once the onion is translucent, turn off Saute. Add in broccoli and chicken broth. Stir.
  • Lock Instant Pot lid into place and set seal to sealing. Press Manual and set time to 5 minutes.
  • Once the timer beeps, release pressure. Remove the lid carefully and select Saute mode.
  • Stir in milk, cream and garlic. Use a hand immersion blender to break up any chunks of vegetables and puree the soup till smooth.
  • Turn off Saute. Slowly add cheese while stirring until cheese melts completely.
  • Taste the soup and add salt or pepper to taste. Serve immediately or let cool and freeze for later.

Notes

If you prefer a chunkier soup, you can skip the step with the immersion blender.
Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Peanut Butter Banana Toast with Honey (kid-tested and approved)

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Peanut Butter Banana Toast with Honey is the perfect breakfast or snack for those who want a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. It’s also incredibly easy to make!

📝Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for banana toast:

  • Bread
  • Bananas
  • Peanut Butter
  • Honey
  • Blueberries
  • Chocolate chips

🍞Instructions

To start, simply toast your bread until it’s crispy and golden brown. Then, spread a generous amount of peanut butter on top – creamy or crunchy works equally well.

Next, slice up a ripe banana into thin rounds and layer them on top of the peanut butter. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and fiber, which can help regulate blood pressure and digestion.

Finally, drizzle some honey over the entire thing. Honey not only adds sweetness but also has antibacterial properties that can boost immunity.

This simple combination of ingredients creates a delicious flavor profile with a satisfying texture that will keep you full for hours.

Plus, it's customizable! You could add some chia seeds or sliced almonds for extra crunch or swap out the honey for maple syrup if desired.

So next time you’re in need of quick yet nutritious meal option, try making peanut butter toast with banana and honey – your taste buds (and body) will thank you!

Hope you love this peanut butter banana toast like we do!

~April

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe (gluten-free)

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This Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad is right up your alley if you're into a delicious and satisfying salad that's packed with flavour! With crispy, spicy chicken and a mix of fresh greens and veggies, this salad is the perfect combination of bold and refreshing. It's a healthy, easy to make and gluten-free buffalo chicken salad recipe that hits all the marks!

Buffalo chicken salad in a bowl.

Who's up for a salad?🥗

Whether you're looking for a quick and easy lunch or a filling but not heavy dinner, this recipe is sure to hit the spot.

Grab that big, wonderful salad bowl of yours and get ready to enjoy the taste of crispy buffalo chicken like never before!

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📝Ingredients for buffalo chicken salad

Here's what you'll need to make this gluten-free buffalo chicken salad:

Buffalo chicken salad ingredients.
Ingredients for this easy buffalo chicken salad recipe: simple and healthy!

Salad ingredients

  • Romaine lettuce - crispy and fresh ice berg lettuce works too
  • Celery stalks 
  • Shredded cabbage - a mix bag of coleslaw works here too
  • Shredded carrots

Crispy Chicken Ingredients

  • Chicken tenders - I can usually find those fresh chicken tenders in my local grocery store among the other types of chicken. But iff you can't find them, no prob. Just use regular chicken breasts and cut them into smaller pieces so they cook faster
  • 1 large egg
  • Almond flour - this doesn't make the chicken taste like almonds, promise! Using almond flour as the main part of the coating keeps this recipe gluten-free and adds some nice crunchy texture to the chicken strips
  • Cornstarch
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Olive oil - you'll need this for cooking the chicken and for getting that crispy coating
  • Hot Buffalo sauce - Frank's Red Hot is my go-to
  • Ranch dressing - optional for on top of the salad after you get it all together. Blue cheese dressing could work too. Just be sure to read the labels on both because bottled salad dressings can be a hidden source of gluten

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪How to make buffalo chicken salad

Buffalo chicken salad ingredients.
Gather all salad ingredients and add to a large bowl. Set aside.
Make the gluten-free dredge.
Whisk egg and make the gluten-free coating in separate bowls.
Chicken in an egg wash.
Dip each chicken piece in egg.
Chicken dipped in gluten-free coating.
Coat in the almond flour mixture.
Cooked coated chicken pieces.
Cook chicken pieces through.
Pouring hot sauce over cooked chicken cutlets.
Coat with buffalo sauce.
Cut buffalo chicken tenders.
Cut up the coated chicken pieces.
Buffalo chicken salad with a fork.
Divide salad and chicken between plates and enjoy😋

🥡Storage and Leftovers

This salad makes great leftovers for the next day. I store the buffalo chicken on top of the salad ingredients in a glass container and it's totally fine the next day.

If you like your chicken leftovers warm, store it separately from the salad and warm it up before enjoying😋

Buffalo chicken salad with a fork.
A healthy buffalo chicken salad recipe makes a great supper and leftovers are perfect for the lunches the next day.

🍽️What to serve with buffalo chicken salad

There are many great side dishes that pair well with buffalo chicken salad.

Here's a few ideas:

  1. A Greek-yogurt based dressing: keep it on the lighter side with a healthier salad dressing such as a low-fat Greek yogurt, vinaigrette, or a homemade dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs. My husband would prefer that classic combo of blue cheese and hot sauce - me not so much but hey, to each their own😆 A homemade ranch dressing would work too.
  2. Sweet Potato Fries: Baked sweet potato fries are a great alternative to regular fries and provide a perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours to the whole meal. Check out this recipe for Oven Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes😋
  3. Grilled Vegetables: Double down on those veggies! Grilled vegetables like zucchini, peppers, and onions make for a tasty and healthy side dish that complements the salad nicely.
  4. Corn on the Cob: Grilled or boiled corn on the cob is a simple and tasty side dish that pairs well with the spicy flavors of the salad.
  5. Avocado slices: a simple sliced avocado on the side provides a creamy contrast to the spicy flavours of the buffalo chicken salad.

Choose your favourite side dish or mix and match to create the perfect meal for you and your family!

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe in a bowl.
That classic combo of hot and spicy buffalo sauce goes perfectly with healthy salad greens😋

🏅Top Tips

  • Using boneless, skinless chicken breast is my favourite way to make this healthy buffalo chicken salad BUT if you want, you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
  • Shortcut the chicken cooking time and use pre-cooked, shredded chicken. I'll often have it in the fridge for the kids lunches. Shredded chicken tossed in the buffalo hot sauce would be totally delicious in the salad.
  • Have pre-cooked non-breaded chicken strips in your freezer? Great! You can use those instead of the fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts to get this healthy salad recipe on the table in no time, while still keepin' it easy and delicious.
  • Another way to save time is to use leftover rotisserie chicken for this salad. Simply add the torn rotisserie chicken pieces to a large bowl and toss in hot buffalo sauce. Serve on top of the salad. Or use the rotisserie chicken in lettuce wraps (see next tip)
  • Turn this buffalo chicken salad into buffalo chicken lettuce wraps! Cook the chicken as directed and then cut it up into small pieces or shred it with forks before tossing in the buffalo hot sauce. Then, instead of big plates of salad, serve in crispy, crunchy and fresh ice berg lettuce leaves. Wrap em' up and enjoy😄
Healthy Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad in a bowl.
Healthy, easy and gluten-free: a buffalo chicken salad that hits all the right marks.

🙋‍♀️More healthy salad recipes

Looking for more healthy salad recipes? Check these out too:

Hope you love this crispy chicken buffalo salad like we do❣️

If you tried it out, I'd love to hear from you - rate and leave a comment below.

~April

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📖 Recipe

Buffalo chicken salad in a bowl.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

This Buffalo Chicken Salad has crispy, spicy chicken and a mix of fresh greens and veggies. A perfect combination of healthy, bold, and refreshing.
5 from 5 votes
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