Chicken · 35 min
Pan-Seared Chicken with Cranberry & Pistachio Quinoa Salad
- 35 min
- 2–6 servings
- 562 kcal / serving
A bright, balanced plate features pan-seared chicken resting atop a quinoa salad with spinach, cranberries, and pistachios. The combination offers soft greens, chewy fruit, and a nutty crunch, making it a straightforward weeknight option.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- ½ (5 oz) pkgbaby spinach
- ¾ lbchicken breasts, boneless skinless
- 8 fl ozchicken or vegetable broth
- ⅛ cupdried cranberries
- 1 clovegarlic
- ¼ cuppistachios, unsalted
- ½ cupquinoa
From the pantry: black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, salt
Cookware
chef's knife · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · measuring cups · measuring spoons · mixing bowls · small saucepan · stainless steel or cast iron skillet · stirring spoon · tongs
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More recipes with: chicken breast · quinoa
More dinner ideas: easy dinners
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- ½ (5 oz) pkgbaby spinach
- 1 clovegarlic
Meat & seafood
- ¾ lbchicken breasts, boneless skinless
Pantry & dry goods
- 8 fl ozchicken or vegetable broth
- ⅛ cupdried cranberries
- ¼ cuppistachios, unsalted
- ½ cupquinoa
3 aisles for this recipe. Plan a week in MealPot and it merges every dinner into one list in this order, scaled to your household.
Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| baby spinach | ½ (5 oz) pkg | 1 (5 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (5 oz) pkgs |
| chicken breasts, boneless skinless | ¾ lb | 1 ½ lb | 2 ¼ lb |
| chicken or vegetable broth | 8 fl oz | 16 fl oz | 24 fl oz |
| dried cranberries | ⅛ cup | ¼ cup | 0.375 cup |
| garlic | 1 clove | 2 cloves | 3 cloves |
| pistachios, unsalted | ¼ cup | ½ cup | ¾ cup |
| quinoa | ½ cup | 1 cup | 1 ½ cups |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Rinse and cook the quinoa in broth, bringing it to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. When done, keep it covered off the heat for 5 minutes.
- Roughly chop the pistachios and set them in a small bowl.
- Remove the root end of the garlic, peel, and mince or press it; place in a small bowl.
- Uncover the quinoa and fluff it with a fork.
- Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Toast the pistachios in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 3–5 minutes. Transfer them back to their bowl and wipe the pan clean.
- Add a thin layer of olive oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom.
- Cook the chicken cutlets in the skillet until golden on the outside and cooked through in the center, about 2–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm; cook in batches if needed.
- In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil, then the garlic, spinach, cooked quinoa, cranberries, and toasted pistachios. Season with salt and pepper and cook 1–2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
- Divide the quinoa salad between plates and top with the chicken. Serve.
Two tips
- Prep ahead: chop the garlic and pistachios in advance and store separately for quick assembly.
- Serving idea: crumble extra pistachios over the top for added crunch, or swap cranberries for diced apples for a different twist.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 562 kcal
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 146 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.