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Chickpea Couscous Salad with Crispy Chicken

Chickpea Couscous Salad with Crispy Chicken

This vibrant chickpea couscous salad with crispy chicken is perfect for work lunches, meal prep, or using up leftover veggies in your fridge. Packed with protein, fiber, and flavor, it’s easy to prep ahead and stays fresh for hours.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 44 minutes
Course: Salad, Snack
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the salad
  • 1/2 cup cooked couscous
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • optional: any leftover vegetables (carrots, radishes, etc.)
For the crispy chicken
  • 2 chicken breast fillets
  • salt & pepper
  • breadcrumbs or panko
  • olive oil spray
  • optional: egg or yogurt for coating
For the dressing
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method
 

For the salad
  1. Finely dice all your vegetables.
    In a large bowl, combine couscous, chickpeas, diced tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, and any other leftover vegetables you want to use.
  2. Toss gently and set aside while you prepare the chicken and dressing.
For the Crispy Chicken
  1. Preheat your Airfryer or oven to 200 °C (392 °F)
  2. Slice the chicken breast fillets if needed. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
    Coat the chicken in egg or yogurt, then press into breadcrumbs or panko to coat evenly.
  3. Place in the Airfryer or on a lined baking sheet and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
  4. Let the chicken rest briefly, then slice or leave whole for serving.
For the Dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well to coat evenly.
Serving
  1. Plate the salad and top with crispy chicken.
    Serve warm or cold – perfect for meal prep or work lunches!