Jennifer Aniston Salad

This “Jennifer Aniston Salad” is inspired by the viral salad recipe circulating online. Only, I think this version is the way that Jennifer would have actually eaten it, because it packs 30% protein per serving– just like the Zone diet that she famously followed during her time on Friends.

It’s made with gluten-free quinoa, cooked chicken for protein, and loads of veggies for a Mediterranean-style lunch. I love how you can prep it ahead of time, divide it into individual servings, then grab a jar to eat straight from the fridge! I can’t think of an easier lunch.

This one is easy to customize with any add-ins you like. I’ve included crumbled feta and crunchy pistachios this time (because that’s what Jennifer listed in an interview), but if you have almonds or pecans on hand, or you need to omit the cheese for a dairy-free dish, it will still be delicious!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“I made this for a week of high protein lunches, and it is so delicious and nourishing. Love the simple ingredients and great flavor. Highly recommend!” – Alex

Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad Ingredients

This famous salad took the internet by storm after Jennifer Aniston shared a peek at her “perfect salad” on Living Proof’s Instagram page. On that post, she noted that it’s made with bulgur, cucumber, garbanzo beans, parsley, mint, red onion, feta, and pistachios. 

This combination of flavors tastes amazing!

With added chicken breasts (or baked tofu), this recipe is an excellent source of protein and fiber. It’s the perfect make-ahead lunch you can eat straight from the fridge.

Feel free to add other veggies or herbs you enjoy, like cherry tomatoes, fresh dill, basil, or cilantro.

Jennifer Aniston Salad Recipe

Step 1:

Start by rinsing 3/4 cup of dry quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under running water. Rinse until no more bubbles or foam remain on top. Then, transfer the quinoa to a small saucepan and cover it with 1 1/4 cups of water. 

Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the heat, but keep the lid on the pot for 5 more minutes.

This is how to cook perfect quinoa.

Step 2:

While you wait for the quinoa to cook, you can multitask! In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Stir well to mix the salad dressing. Next, you’ll be chopping up lots of veggies and chicken.

Step 3:

To the bowl of dressing, add these chopped veggies: 1 medium cucumber, 1/2 cup red onion, 1/2 cup fresh parsley, and 1/4 cup fresh mint. Stir well, so the veggies are coated in the dressing.

Once the quinoa is fluffy and has cooled slightly, add it to the bowl as well. Then you can add any extra toppings you like, such as 1/3 cup feta cheese, 1/3 cup pistachios (roasted & salted), a 15-ounce can of drained chickpeas, and 16 ounces of cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Stir the salad ingredients together and season with additional salt, if needed. Depending on the saltiness of the feta, or if you omit it, you may need to add up to a 1/2 teaspoon more salt. 

You can enjoy this salad immediately or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. 

High-Protein Jennifer Aniston Salad

5 from 7 votes

Meet the salad I could eat every single day of the week. Jennifer Aniston called it her "perfect salad" on Instagram a few years ago, so I set out to replicate it at home, and gosh, is it delicious. Made with quinoa (to keep it gluten-free) and chicken (to keep it high-protein), it's the kind of lunch you can eat straight from the fridge while easily meeting all of your macro goals.

prep20 mins cook15 mins total35 mins

Servings:4

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• fine sea salt and black pepper
• 1 medium cucumber , chopped
• ½ small red onion
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas , rinsed and drained
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley , chopped
• ¼ cup fresh mint , chopped
• 16 ounces cooked chicken , shredded or cubed
• ⅓ cup feta , crumbled
• ⅓ cup roasted pistachios

Instructions

• Place the dry quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse it under running water until you see no foam or bubbles on top. (This helps to remove any bitter flavor.) Transfer the rinsed quinoa to a small saucepan and cover it with 1 ¼ cups water. Bring the liquid to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover the pot with a lid and set the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pot from the heat, but keep the lid on for 5 more minutes. Then, fluff the quinoa with a fork and set it aside to cool.
I think the prep work goes a lot faster if you cook the quinoa in the Instant Pot. Then the process is totally hands-off!
• In a large bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, and a ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir briefly to combine.
• To the dressing bowl, add the chopped cucumber, red onion, drained chickpeas, parsley, and mint. Add the slightly cooled quinoa and stir well. Then add the chicken, feta, and pistachios. Season with additional salt, as needed. (Add a 1/4 teaspoon at a time to avoid over-seasoning.)
• This salad is ready to serve immediately, or you can store it in the fridge to chill. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Divide it into 4 separate containers for an easy meal prep option.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1/4 of this recipe or roughly 2 cups of salad. (Assuming you get 8 cups total from this recipe.) This information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.

Calculating Protein Percentage: Multiply the grams of protein per serving by 4. (For example, one serving here has 43 grams of protein, so it’s 43 x 4= 172 calories from protein.) Then, divide that number by the total calories per serving. So, 172 ÷ 572 = .30069. That means roughly 30% of the calories in this recipe come from protein. If you get a decimal like .25 then that would mean 25% of the calories come from protein.

Make it Vegetarian: Swap the baked chicken for baked tofu or edamame. They don’t have as much protein as chicken, but they are still a good source of plant-based protein.

Nutrition

Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 951IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 5mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jennifer aniston salad

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If you try this version of the Jennifer Aniston salad, please leave a comment and a star rating below to let me know how you like it.