Greek Chicken Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Move over crispy rice salads because crispy chickpea salads are definitely becoming a new favorite! I love a good wholesome and nourishing salad during the summer with tangy zesty flavors and a variety of soft and crunchy textures. This Greek Chicken Salad with Crispy Chickpeas Salad is so satisfying and is perfect for a filling lunch or dinner! The crispy chickpeas are the perfect healthier alternative to croutons and they also provide more fiber which makes the salad even more filling!
I love making salads that are packed with fiber and a variety of veggies, has a good amount of protein to be filling, and has a delicious dressing because we don’t eat dry salads over here! This Greek style salad really has it all and It is perfect for meal prepping or making for the whole family.
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s packed with protein, healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants that will nourish and satisfy.
- This salad has the perfect texture combo with crisp veggies, creamy feta, juicy chicken, and crunchy chickpeas.
- The lemon vinaigrette adds the perfect tangy zesty flavor note that brings all the ingredients together.
- This meal is easy to make in less than an hour and you only need a few wholesome foods and spices.
What you will need
Chicken – Chicken breasts are always a great protein option for salads and they are so easy to roast. The key is to season them very well!
Chickpeas – This legume is packed with fiber and makes for a great alternative to croutons in salads when seasoned and crisped up in the oven. All you need is a simple can of chickpeas for this recipe.
Romaine Lettuce – This is my preferred green for this salad because it is crisp and pairs well with the rest of the ingredients in the salad.
Tomatoes – I love using the cute cherry or grape tomatoes in my salads because they have a much sweeter flavor and are the perfect size!
Kalamata Olives – I love kalamata olives because they are salty and tangy which pairs so well with the flavors in the Greek style salad! You can substitute with regular black olives as well if you prefer a less salty taste.
Dairy Free Feta Cheese – This adds a nice creaminess to the salad with a slight tangy flavor. Feta cheese is always a great idea when it comes to Greek food!
Cucumber – I prefer to use English or Persian cucumbers because they are more crisp and have a better flavor in my opinion.
Olive Oil – We will use olive oil in the lemon vinaigrette for a healthier oil option! Olive oil has been shown to support heart health, help reduce inflammation, and helps with nutrient absorption.
Red Wine Vinegar – This is my go to vinegar for Greek salad dressings!
Lemon Juice/ Zest – We will use both the juice and zest of a lemon to really give the vinaigrette a strong flavor.
Dijon Mustard – This adds a nice flavor note to the vinaigrette.
Honey – The sweetness of the honey helps balance out the tanginess of the vinegar and lemon juice.
Spices – In this recipe we will use a combination of dried oregano, dried basil, garlic granules, amd salt.
Avocado Oil – This is a much healthier oil to roast food with and we will use it for both the chicken and chickpeas.
How to make the Greek chicken salad with crispy chickpeas
Prep and Roast the Chickpeas
To make the crispy chickpeas, make sure to pour and drain all the liquid and rinse in a strainer. Then pat the chickpeas dry using a towel. Add the chickpeas to a bowl along with the granulated garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and avocado oil.
Coat the chickpeas evenly and then spread out across a parchment paper lined baking pan. Roast the chickpeas at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Once the chickpeas are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool down for a few minutes.
Prep and Roast the Chicken
Slice the chicken breasts in half longways and then add them to a bowl with the dried oregano, dried basil, garlic granules, salt, and avocado oil. Coat the chicken evenly then place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake the chicken at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.(you can roast the chicken at the same time you roast the chickpeas.) Once the chicken is done, let it rest untouched for at least 10 minutes so the moisture locks in.
Chop the Veggies and Make the Vinaigrette
Carefully chop and slice the Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber and then add them to a large salad bowl along with the kalamata olives and feta.
Make the lemon vinaigrette by adding all the ingredients in a jar or small container. Whisk the ingredients or shake really well to emulsify the ingredients.
Assemble the Salad
Next slice up the chicken into small pieces and add them to the salad. When ready to serve top the salad with the crispy chickpeas and pour over the lemon vinaigrette and enjoy!
Notes:
- To keep the chickpeas crisp store them at room temp for a couple days in a container if not eating all of the salad right away. You can reheat them in a toaster oven or air fryer to crisp them up more since they will soften a bit after 1 day.
- Wait to add the lemon vinaigrette right when you are eating the salad. If you add the vinaigrette ahead of time, the salad will become more soggy.
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Greek Chicken Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Equipment
- baking sheet pans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Crispy Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas(drained and patted dry)
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
For the Roasted Chicken
- 2 medium chicken breasts sliced in halves longways.
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
For the Salad Base
- 1 head of Romaine lettuce(about 4-5 cups chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in halves
- 1 large English cucumber or regular cucumber cut and sliced(about 2 cups)
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 1/2` cup dairy free feta cheese
For the Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules
Instructions
For the Crispy Chickpeas
- To make the crispy chickpeas, make sure to pour and drain all the liquid and rinse in a strainer. Then pat the chickpeas dry using a towel.
- Add the chickpeas to a bowl along with the granulated garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and avocado oil. Coat the chickpeas evenly and then spread out across a parchment paper lined baking pan. Roast the chickpeas at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Once the chickpeas are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool down for a few minutes.
For the Chicken
- Slice the chicken breasts in half longways and then add them to a bowl with the dried oregano, dried basil, garlic granules, salt, and avocado oil.
- Coat the chicken evenly then place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the chicken at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.(you can roast the chicken at the same time you roast the chickpeas.)
- Once the chicken is done, let it rest untouched for at least 10 minutes so the moisture locks in.
For the Salad Base and Vinaigrette
- Carefully chop and slice the Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Add them to a large salad bowl along with the kalamata olives and feta.
- Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients in a jar or small container. Whisk the ingredients or shake really well to emulsify.
- Next slice up the chicken into small pieces and add them to the salad.
- When ready to serve top the salad with the crispy chickpeas and pour over the lemon vinaigrette and enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe? I would love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag @colorful_superfoodie on Instagram and I’ll re-share!
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