If you’re on the search for dense bean salad that’s actually filling, flavorful, and doesn’t wilt in the fridge, this is IT! Simple and delicious, my take comes together fast with rotisserie chicken, three types of beans, and fresh veggies that makes the whole thing truly shine.

A bowl of mixed bean salad with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, grilled chicken, feta cheese, parsley, and pita bread on the side.

5 star review

“Super delicious and filling! Even my 2 yo enjoyed it. I used a jar of roasted peppers to make it even faster. Thanks for the realistic and delicious recipes!”

– Emily
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A Protein-Packed Dense Bean Salad with Chicken

I created this dense bean salad for those days when I want something I can just toss together and know I’ll be fed, no reheating, no wilting, and no sad desk lunches here! It’s packed with three kinds of beans (think chickpeas, navy, and kidney for a creamy, filling bite), plus chicken for staying-power, plus a mix of crunchy cucumber, sweet tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and salty feta.

My homemade red wine vinegar dressing is super simple to make, but has that flavorful, garlicky thing going on that keeps you coming back for another bite. I love that this meal prep salad feels bold and satisfying, but still fresh; and just like my Mediterranean tuna salad, it totally works for dinner, lunch, wraps, or whatever’s happening that day. When I tested this, rotisserie chicken made it wildly easy, so just dice it up and you’re already halfway there.

I also found that once you get the dressing right (which is just olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt), you can mix and match everything else. And for a chicken salad with a completely different flavor profile, my chicken salad with cranberries and walnuts is a great make-ahead option worth having in the rotation. Or my turmeric loaded chicken salad is another no-cook, protein-forward lunch that holds up just as well in the fridge all week. So good!

Top-down view of assorted salad ingredients including beans, grilled chicken, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, garlic, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
I love how vibrant and fresh all the ingredients in this recipe are, and how well it holds up in the fridge for days.

Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Bean and Chicken Salad!

Jump to Recipe Instructions
A whisk in a glass bowl containing oil, vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper, surrounded by vegetables, chickpeas, cheese, and grilled chicken.
Whisk the dressing.
A glass bowl contains chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, feta cheese, red onion, red bell pepper, chickpeas, white beans, kidney beans, and fresh parsley.
Add the beans, veggies, and feta.
A clear glass bowl contains chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kidney beans, chickpeas, white beans, grilled chicken, parsley, and crumbled feta.
Mix & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
A bowl of mixed bean salad with cucumber, tomato, feta cheese, and parsley, served with pita bread and a bottle of olive oil.
Serve as a main, side, or wrap filling!

Tips for the Perfect Make-Ahead Bean Salad

  • In testing, I let this chicken and bean salad chill for 30 minutes before serving and it made a huge difference, as it really allows the beans and chicken really soak up the flavor.
  • I recommend mixing everything in a really big bowl, as the tossing gets a little wild otherwise, and you want that dressing on every bite.
  • Don’t skip the red onion! I found that just a little gives just the right bite to balance the creamy beans and tangy vinaigrette.
  • I tried this as a wrap filling, and it totally held up, just add some greens and roll it up in a pita or tortilla.
A close-up of a salad with chickpeas, kidney beans, grilled chicken, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese, red onion, and parsley in a white bowl with a fork.
A bowl of mixed bean salad with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, grilled chicken, feta cheese, parsley, and pita bread on the side.
5 stars (7 ratings)

Dense Bean Salad (with Chicken)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
A protein-packed dense bean salad with chicken, three kinds of beans, feta, and veggies. Ready in 10 minutes and perfect for meal prep.
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Ingredients

Dressing

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Dense Bean Salad

  • 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can of navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • ½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Equipment

  • Large Bowl

Instructions 

  • Make the Dressing: In a very large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and black pepper until smooth.
  • Prepare the Salad: To the same bowl, add the chickpeas, navy or cannellini beans, kidney beans, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, parsley and feta, tossing to combine.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Optional: Chill for 30 minutes, or overnight, for flavors to combine. Serve as a main, side, or wrap filling.

Notes

  • Chicken: I like to chop the chicken pretty small so it grabs onto the dressing better and better matches the size of the beans, but shredding it also works.
  • Roasted Red Peppers: To make prep easier, I use jarred roasted red peppers (drained) in this recipe.
Course: dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 5), Calories: 379kcal, Carbohydrates: 32.2g, Protein: 24.3g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 732mg, Potassium: 491mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 716IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 124mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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