Chicken Chickpea salad with feta cheese in balsamic dressing
Ingredients
 | 15 oz of boneless skinless chicken (2-3 medium size pieces) |
 | 2 cups of canned chickpeas |
 | 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves |
 | 1 small red onion |
 | 8 oz of feta cheese (1 block) |
Spices, herbs and flavoring ingredients:
 | 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil |
 | pinch of garlic powder or flakes |
 | 4-5 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar |
 | pinch of paprika |
 | (Optional) pinch of cayenne pepper |
 | Salt and pepper |
How to make this chicken chickpea salad with balsamic dressing
- Cut the chicken into small, bite-size pieces so it cooks faster and more evenly.
- Grill the chicken on the stove over medium-high heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly golden. (Shortcut: use a pressure cooker if you’re in a hurry.)
- Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas, then place them in a large microwave-safe serving bowl.
- Wash and shred the spinach into small pieces and add it to the bowl with the chickpeas.
- Microwave the chickpeas and spinach on high for about 2 minutes, just to warm and slightly soften them.
- Chop the onion and feta into small pieces and add them to the bowl.
- Combine the cooked chicken with the chickpea mixture and toss everything together.
- Whisk the salad dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl until well blended.
- Pour and mix the dressing into the salad, stirring thoroughly so everything is evenly coated.
- Serve immediately.
If you are looking for a light and healthy lunch or dinner idea, this chicken chickpea salad is for you. It is delicious, nutritious, protein-packed and it will keep you full for hours.
With olive oil and feta cheese, and of course chickpeas, this dish is a staple of the Mediterranean diet. Chickpeas are sometimes referred to as garbanzo beans and are a type of legume. They are commonly used as a culinary ingredient in around the Mediterranean basin in Provence, the Middle East and Indian cuisines.
It is a light summery dish, and avoids cooking over a stove for long hours which is always a win. And chicken and chickpeas pair quite well together, so this dish can be served its own, or can also be served as a side dish.
Shortcuts to cooking
Now the main ingredient that needs to be cooked is the chicken. The chicken can be cooked in a pressure cooker, over the stove, or even in the oven. Please make sure that the chicken is fully cooked, as I don’t want anyone getting sick with uncooked chicken!
Now, if you don’t have the patience for cooking chicken, you can skip it entirely or add another ingredient like smoked ham or charcuterie.
The chickpeas will also need to be cooked, but in this case you can just buy canned chickpeas that are already cooked. I like to cook them for 2 minutes in the microwave to liven and soften them up a bit, but you can also cook them lightly on the stove or serve as is.
The other ingredients like the onion and spinach don’t need to be cooked, especially if you are using baby spinach. But if you want to heat them up lightly, you can.
Similar salad recipes
Chicken Chickpea salad with Feta (Mediterranean Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups of canned chickpeas
- 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
- 15 oz of boneless skinless chicken (2-3 medium size pieces)
- 1 small red onion
- 8 oz of feta cheese (1 block)
For the salad dressing
- 4-5 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
- pinch of garlic flakes
- pinch of paprika
- pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces for faster cooking.
- Grill the chicken at medium to high heat on the stove for at least 20-25 minutes until cooked. (You can also use a pressure cooker.)
- Open the cans of chickpeas and place into a serving bowl that is microwavable.
- Wash the spinach leaves and shred into small pieces and place in the bowl.
- Mix the chickpeas and spinach and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
- Chop the onion and feta cheese into small pieces and add to the serving bowl.
- Once the chicken is cooked add to the bowl and mix all together.
- In a smaller bowl, combine all the ingredients to make the sauce.
- Stir the sauce into the salad serving bowl and mix throughly.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Chicken chickpea salad goes wonderfully as a starter or side dish with a meat dish that is rich in flavor.
Try a boeuf bourguignon, a chicken provençale, or pork tenderloin. It can also be served by itself, if you are looking for a lighter meal.
What drinks to serve with it?
You can pair a chicken chickpea salad with a light rosé from Provence or the Côtes du Rhône to keep with the Mediterranean theme. You can read more about French wines here.
How to store it?
This chicken chickpea salad can easily be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge for at least a couple of days.
In addition, the chickpeas and chicken can be frozen but the rest of the ingredients should be added fresh to the recipe. If you have leftovers, place it in glass containers in the fridge for a day or two until you are ready to eat it.
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