Chicken And Chickpea Salad Recipe

Chicken and chickpea salad is your answer to simple, healthy meals you can make ahead and enjoy all week long. I made it one afternoon to give new life to leftover chicken in my fridge. I took a page from my favorite Healthy Chicken Salad recipe, but added a protein-boost from a can of chickpeas from my pantry. Smashing the chickpeas just a bit gives the salad an incredible richness, combining with the Greek yogurt dressing to make it even creamier with no mayo necessary. Then you bring the big Mediterranean flavor with fresh parsley, bright and chewy sun dried tomatoes, and Dijon-spiked Greek yogurt dressing.It’s feel-good, very filling, and healthy but I can honestly say you’ll look forward to eating it. Make ahead for nutritious meals on-demand, or spoon between toast for a tasty chicken salad sandwich with a twist.

What Is In Chicken and Chickpea Salad?

Simply combining chicken with chickpeas and tossing it with store-bought dressing would be rather bland and turn a precious lunch break into a chore. To make a salad you’ll actually want to eat—one that brings joy—you need bright, fresh flavors and a good amount of textural variety.

For the Chickpea Chicken Salad

Chickpeas: You can, of course, cook your chickpeas from scratch but it’s really not necessary with this recipe. They will be mashed so the slightly overcooked quality of canned chickpeas is completely fine. Just look for a can without a bunch of extras. Chicken breast: Any cooked chicken breast works here: poached, pan-seared, or even grilled chicken breast. It’s a great way to use up leftovers! It just needs to be tender enough to shred, so avoid anything that’s overcooked or crispy (or in the worst case you can chop it). Rotisserie chicken is also a solid option. Celery brings a welcome crunch to contrast the creaminess of the chickpeas. Shallots add oniony flavor without overpowering. Sun dried tomatoes add yet another textural variety and bright burst of tart-sweet flavor. I like these all natural vine-ripened sun dried tomatoes from Turkey. Parsley adds a lemony note and freshness.

For the Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing

Greek yogurt replaces the mayo for a more balanced flavor and protein boost. Dijon mustard gives the dressing a peppery kick and richer body. Stone ground and smooth both work well here. Lemon juice adds a hit of acidity for balance and freshness. Garlic brings sweet and savory depth of flavor. Seasoning: Sweet paprika and Urfa biber add sweet, spicy, bright depth (see “Ingredient Spotlight” below for a deeper dive on Urfa biber. Salt and pepper enhance the flavor. Extra virgin olive oil brings a richness and nuance that other oils lack. It does vary greatly depending on the quality of oil you’re using. Make sure it’s an extra virgin variety with a pleasant flavor (I love our buttery-smooth Italian Nocellara with this recipe).

Ingredient Spotlight

This chickpea and chicken salad recipe uses mostly Mediterranean seasonings that are pantry staples in the U.S., with the exception of one spice you may not be familiar with: Urfa Biber. This deep red chili pepper comes from Southern Turkey, where they sun-dry the fresh peppers, then tightly wrap them to “sweat” before drying once more and grinding them into flakes. This gives the spice a tannic, earthy, and slightly smoky quality, similar to a robust red wine. The peppers used to make Urfa Biber also aren’t as hot as the chili pepper used to make your typical crushed red chili flakes, so they add a more nuanced spice without dominating the dish with heat. I think you should give this fascinating Mediterranean spice a try! I trust you’ll soon be swapping out your chili flakes left and right, from topping soups to popcorn to your morning eggs.

READ MORE: Urfa Biber: The Turkish Chili Pepper You Want In Your Spice Drawer TRY IT: Order all natural Urfa biber from our spice shop. BEST SUBSTITUTE: Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes.

Swaps and Substitutions

The base of this recipe is the punchy dressing, creamy chickpeas, and shredded chicken. You can take it so many ways from there. Some ideas:

Chickpeas: White beans. Celery: Green apple will bring a similar crunch and pair well with the other ingredients (of course keep in mind their assertive tart-sweet flavor). Shallot: Scallion or red onion. Sun dried tomatoes: You can leave this out, or swap for a briney flavor profile with capers or olives. Lemon juice: Lime juice or red wine vinegar. Parsley: Another tender green herb, like basil or cilantro.

How to Make this Chicken and Chickpea Salad Recipe

Chickpea chicken salad is quick and easy, particularly with canned chickpeas and rotisserie chicken. Ideally, though, give yourself extra time so the salad can chill in your refrigerator, soak up the dressing, and become even more vibrant. Here are the steps:

Make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, add 1/3 cup Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 finely chopped garlic clove, and a big glug of olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon each sweet paprika and Urfa Biber (or red pepper flakes) and a big pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Whisk until well combined. Mix the salad. To the bowl with the yogurt dressing, add 1 (15-ouonce) can drained and rinsed chickpeas. Lightly smash the chickpeas with the back of a spoon or fork, then add 12 ounces of shredded chicken breast, 2 finely chopped celery ribs, 1 to 2 finely chopped shallots, 1/4 cup roughly chopped sun dried tomatoes, and 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley. Mix until well combined. Chill (optional). If you have the time, allow the chicken salad to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or so before serving to let the flavors meld (this is optional). Serve in the bowl or make chicken salad sandwiches using your favorite bread.

Ways to Mix it Up

You can tweak this recipe if anything doesn’t speak to you, or to keep things interesting while you make it on repeat. Here are some ideas to make this chickpea chicken salad your own:

Use aioli in place of the yogurt: If you love a classic chicken salad with mayo but want a higher quality oil and richer flavor, swap the yogurt for this Garlic Aioli. It will be quite garlicky, so start with 3 tablespoons and adjust to taste. You’ll want to hold off on adding more garlic to the dressing as well. Use a different dressing: Any of the dressings from this list of 10 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes would work well. Add avocado for even more creaminess.

What to Serve with Chicken and Chickpea Salad

You can serve this chicken salad all on its own, on toast open-faced, or between toasted bread as a sandwich. I also like to scoop it onto Pita Chips for a snack. If you’re meal-prepping for lunch, keep this antioxidant-rich Karkade (Iced Hibiscus Tea) at the ready in your fridge. It goes a long way to curb a soda craving and will set up your afternoon with a nice refreshing treat to look forward to. Browse all Mediterranean recipes.