Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is a refreshing salad made with seasoned chicken breasts, chickpeas, and fresh veggies, topped with lemon vinaigrette dressing. Try my Blueberry Spinach Salad for another delicious and nutritious salad.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
You have probably heard of the Mediterranean diet. It is one of the healthiest diets to choose because of the nutrients in the kinds of food eaten. This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is packed with ingredients that will not only satisfy your hunger but make you feel good, too! You don’t need to be on any particular diet to enjoy this light and refreshing salad.
Salad Ingredients
Chicken: The boneless, skinless chicken breasts are seasoned with garlic powder. The chicken added to the salad gives you some protein and makes this salad more of a main dish rather than a side dish. Leave out the chicken for a flavorful vegan dish.
Vegetables: Fresh vegetables are a big part of a Mediterranean diet, and this salad has lots of them. I used tomatoes, red onion, a yellow bell pepper, and cucumber. You could add your favorite vegetables to the mix.
Chickpeas: With chickpeas in the name, you know there has to be plenty in the salad. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are considered a superfood. They are legumes that are high in protein and can aid in digestion, may promote brain health, have lots of nutrients, and may help you feel full. They are the common ingredient in hummus but be sure to also add them to other salads, soups, and even sandwiches! Be sure to drain and rinse chickpeas; this lessens the amount of sodium.
Dressing: The dressing for this salad is a lemon vinaigrette with just a few added red pepper flakes for a subtle kick. You could leave those out if preferred. You can also use store-bought dressing!
Cooking the Chicken
The first thing you have to do in this recipe is to season and cook the chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts seasoned with garlic powder. After you season the chicken, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Set the cooked chicken aside and tent it to keep it warm as you prepare the salad.
How to Make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Once the chicken has been cooked, it’s ready to be added to the salad. To make the salad, add the tomatoes, red onion, garlic, bell pepper, parsley, chickpeas, and cucumber to a large bowl. Next, in a separate bowl, make the lemon vinaigrette dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix it with the ingredients. Finally, cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it to the salad. Toss to combine all the goodness. Serve topped with feta cheese.
Can I Make this Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes! The cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The drained chickpeas will also last about 4 days in the fridge. The dressing will last up to a week in the refrigerator. Just get all the veggies cut and prepared and you can put together this salad to have when craving.
Or, you could mix everything together and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This would be great for lunches throughout the week!
How to Serve Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
With the added chicken to the salad, I would consider this a light main course. Serve it with a baguette or ciabatta bread to complete the meal. Another way to serve this salad is to add some lettuce or greens to the mix; you may have to add a little more dressing. You could also use this salad to fill a pita pocket for a sandwich.
If you don’t want to add the chicken, use this salad as a side dish. Pair it with chicken, salmon patties, or your favorite main dish.
More Delicious Salads
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Salad
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced (approximately 1 cup)
- ½ red onion, diced, (approximately ½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 tablespoons parsley, minced
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium cucumber, diced (approximately 2 cups)
Dressing
- 1 medium lemon, juiced (approximately ⅓ cup)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Topping
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Chicken
- Season chicken on all sides with garlic powder.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add chicken and cook 8-10 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and no longer pink (165°F). Cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. Set aside and tent to keep warm.
Salad
- In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, red onion, garlic, yellow pepper, parsley, chickpeas, and cucumber.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to salad. Toss to combine.
- Serve topped with feta cheese.
Did you make this recipe?
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