Dense Bean Salad w/ Chicken (Mediterranean-Inspired!)
If you’ve ever searched for dense bean salad that’s actually filling, flavorful, and doesn’t wilt in the fridge, this is it. It comes together fast with rotisserie chicken, canned beans, and a homemade garlicky vinaigrette that makes the whole thing shine.
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
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.
Nutrition
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
