Chicken Quinoa Salad with Sesame Dressing

1 Add the quinoa to a saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water and a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the flame and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Set aside.
2 Add the sliced chicken to a bowl and season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce, maple syrup and 1 tbsp of olive oil 
3 Heat a skillet on medium heat with about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for about 15-18 minutes total, flipping the chicken every couple of minutes until browned. I like to add in about 2 tbsp of water towards the end to deglaze the pan. 
4 To prepare the dressing, add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust salt as needed.
5 Assemble the salad with the chopped kale, shredded cabbage, carrots,  quinoa, chicken, scallion and cashews. Toss together with the sesame dressing.