Best Mediterranean Bean Salad with Chicken

Here is my favorite Mediterranean bean salad with chicken recipe, with harissa-marinated chicken thighs, two types of beans, fresh herbs, tangy feta, and a simple lemon dressing.

This salad is my go-to when I need something healthy but still filling for dinner. I love making a big batch on Sunday so we have easy lunches ready for the week. Plus, it actually tastes better the next day once all those flavors have time to hang out together.

What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

This recipe calls for both garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) and cannellini beans, which give you a nice mix of textures and flavors. You can definitely use canned beans to save time – just make sure to drain and rinse them well to get rid of excess sodium and that slightly metallic canned taste. If you want to use dried beans instead, that works too, but you’ll need to soak and cook them ahead of time, which adds a few hours to your prep. In a pinch, you could swap the cannellini beans for other white beans like great northern or navy beans, and they’ll work just fine in this salad.

Options for Substitutions

This Mediterranean salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chicken thighs: You can easily use chicken breasts instead, though they’ll be a bit leaner. Rotisserie chicken works great too if you want to save time – just shred about 2 cups worth.
• Harissa: If you can’t find harissa, mix together some red pepper flakes, cumin, and a bit of tomato paste for a similar spicy kick. Start with 2 tablespoons and adjust to taste.
• Shallot: A small red onion or half a yellow onion will work just fine. You can also use 3-4 green onions for a milder flavor.
• Cilantro and parsley: Not a cilantro fan? Use all parsley, or try fresh mint or basil for a different Mediterranean twist.
• Feta cheese: Goat cheese or crumbled queso fresco make good substitutes. For a dairy-free version, just leave it out – the salad will still be tasty.
• Beans: Feel free to use whatever white beans you have on hand – great northern beans or navy beans work perfectly. You can also use two cans of the same type if that’s what you’ve got.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking chicken thighs is a common mistake that leads to dry, chewy meat – use a meat thermometer and pull them off the heat when they reach 165°F, then let them rest for 5 minutes before cubing.

Another issue is forgetting to drain and rinse your canned beans, which leaves excess sodium and that starchy liquid that can make your salad watery and overly salty.

The harissa dressing can overpower the other flavors if you’re not careful, so start with half the amount, toss the salad, and add more to taste – you can always add more but you can’t take it away.

Finally, don’t toss the salad with dressing until right before serving, as the acid in the lemon juice will wilt the herbs and make everything look tired and sad after sitting too long.

What to Serve With Mediterranean Bean Salad?

This bean salad is pretty hearty on its own since it’s already loaded with chicken and beans, but I love serving it with warm pita bread or naan for scooping up all those delicious flavors. If you want to make it feel more like a complete meal, add some hummus or tzatziki on the side for extra dipping action. A simple cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil and lemon makes a nice refreshing side that won’t compete with the bold harissa flavors. You could also serve this over a bed of mixed greens or alongside some couscous if you’re feeding a crowd and want to stretch it further.

Storage Instructions

Store: This Mediterranean bean salad actually gets better after a day in the fridge as the flavors blend together. Keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I like to store the chicken and salad separately if I’m meal prepping, so the salad stays crisp and fresh.

Make Ahead: You can prep the whole salad a day or two in advance, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights or packed lunches. The beans and veggies hold up really well, and the dressing just soaks in more. Just wait to add the feta until you’re ready to serve so it doesn’t get too soft.

Serve: This salad is great served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve stored the chicken separately, you can enjoy it cold right from the fridge or warm it up quickly in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Give everything a good toss before serving to redistribute the dressing.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 95-110 g
• Fat: 110-125 g
• Carbohydrates: 145-160 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 5 chicken thighs

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup harissa
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For the salad:

• 1 shallot (finely diced)
• 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
• 1 cup red peppers (diced)
• 15 oz garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
• 15 oz cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 shallot
• 1 cup red peppers
• 1 garlic clove

Chop the cilantro and parsley, finely dice the shallot, and dice the red peppers into bite-sized pieces.

Mince the garlic clove.

Having all your vegetables prepped and ready will make assembly smooth and ensure even flavor distribution throughout the salad.

Step 2: Cook and Prepare the Chicken

• 5 chicken thighs

Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper, then roast skin-side up in a 425°F oven for about 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F).

Once cooked, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized cubes.

I find that cutting the chicken while still warm makes it easier to get clean pieces without it shredding.

Step 3: Build the Harissa Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup harissa
• minced garlic from Step 1
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the harissa, minced garlic from Step 1, lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar until smooth and well combined.

The harissa will give the dressing a rich, spiced depth while the lemon and vinegar provide brightness to balance the beans and chicken.

Step 4: Assemble the Salad

• cooked chicken from Step 2
• prepared vegetables from Step 1
• 15 oz garbanzo beans
• 15 oz cannellini beans
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken from Step 2, chopped cilantro and parsley, diced shallot and red peppers from Step 1, the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans, and the drained and rinsed cannellini beans.

Top with the crumbled feta cheese.

I like to add the feta just before dressing so it doesn’t get too soggy, but it still gets nice flavor from the vinaigrette.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

• harissa vinaigrette from Step 3

Pour the harissa vinaigrette from Step 3 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.

Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

Best Mediterranean Bean Salad with Chicken

Delicious Best Mediterranean Bean Salad with Chicken recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken::

• 5 chicken thighs

For the dressing::

• 1/4 cup harissa
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For the salad::

• 1 shallot (finely diced)
• 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
• 1 cup red peppers (diced)
• 15 oz garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
• 15 oz cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

Instructions

 

• Chop the cilantro and parsley, finely dice the shallot, and dice the red peppers into bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic clove. Having all your vegetables prepped and ready will make assembly smooth and ensure even flavor distribution throughout the salad.
• Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper, then roast skin-side up in a 425°F oven for about 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Once cooked, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized cubes. I find that cutting the chicken while still warm makes it easier to get clean pieces without it shredding.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the harissa, minced garlic from Step 1, lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar until smooth and well combined. The harissa will give the dressing a rich, spiced depth while the lemon and vinegar provide brightness to balance the beans and chicken.
• In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken from Step 2, chopped cilantro and parsley, diced shallot and red peppers from Step 1, the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans, and the drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Top with the crumbled feta cheese. I like to add the feta just before dressing so it doesn't get too soggy, but it still gets nice flavor from the vinaigrette.
• Pour the harissa vinaigrette from Step 3 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all components are evenly coated. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.