Mediterranean Chickpea Chicken Salad (Printable)

Vibrant protein-packed salad with chicken, chickpeas, crisp vegetables, feta, and olives in Mediterranean dressing. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables and Herbs

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Cheese and Olives

07 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
08 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the chicken, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, feta cheese, and olives.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or chill for 20 minutes for a colder salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its the kind of salad that actually fills you up thanks to the chicken and chickpeas
  • You can prep everything ahead and it somehow tastes even better after the flavors hang out together
  • No cooking required if you use leftover chicken, making it perfect for those days when turning on the oven feels like too much
02 -
  • The salad gets watery if you dress it too far ahead, so add the dressing just before serving or pack it separately for meal prep
  • If your chicken is straight from the fridge, let the salad sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, the flavors really wake up when theyre not ice cold
  • Red onion can overpower everything if its sliced too thick, paper thin is the way to go
03 -
  • Pat your chickpeas completely dry with a paper towel before adding them, it keeps the whole salad from getting watery
  • Let the dressing sit for at least 10 minutes before tossing, the garlic mellows out and the flavors come together
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