Mediterranean Chickpea Chicken Salad (Printable)

Juicy chicken, creamy feta, crisp vegetables, and briny olives tossed in zesty Mediterranean dressing for a refreshing lunch.

# Ingredient List:

→ Protein

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

→ Vegetables & 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 & 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 lemon juice, freshly squeezed
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

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, drained chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, chopped parsley, crumbled feta cheese, and halved Kalamata olives.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well emulsified.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately for a fresh presentation or chill for 20 minutes for a chilled salad.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The way creamy feta and briny olives play against crisp vegetables creates that perfect restaurant quality balance without any actual cooking
  • It keeps beautifully for days, meaning tomorrows lunch is already sorted and possibly even better than todays
02 -
  • Don't dress this salad more than an hour before serving, the salt will draw water out of the vegetables and turn everything soggy
  • Red onion can be overwhelming raw, so if you're sensitive to its bite, soak the sliced onion in ice water for 10 minutes before adding
03 -
  • If your chicken seems dry, toss it with a tablespoon of the dressing before adding it to the salad, it will thank you
  • Let the dressed salad sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, this allows the flavors to marry and the vegetables to soften slightly
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