About to make this crispy chickpea chopped salad your new favorite thing!
How’s that for alliteration? A great salad is even better when it rolls off the tongue.
This salad is a mash-up of two classics I make all the time: my favorite Greek salad and my house salad. They’re both staples in my kitchen—perfect when we need a simple side or a light starter.
I make a lot of salads, many of which have become entree-sized because they include proteins like chicken or are just massive. The Greek and house salads, though, are perfect as a salad course or a side—simple, fresh, and satisfying on their own.
I’ve wanted another salad that puts chickpeas front and center. I love the panzanella with marinated chickpeas and chimichurri, but I wanted something easier and quicker to throw together—something chopped. Chopped salads are my love language: everything is small, so each bite delivers a perfect combination of flavors and textures.
We start with super crispy roasted chickpeas. They’re best eaten right away, but they hold flavor well even if you make them ahead. They’ll lose a bit of crunch over time, but they remain delicious.
Into the big bowl goes:
Lots of chopped butter lettuce for a tender base.
Tomatoes and cucumbers to echo a Greek-style freshness, though this isn’t a Greek salad.
Torn Castelvetrano olives for a briny lift—use them if you love briney olives, or leave them out if you don’t.
Plenty of creamy crumbled goat cheese—big chunks are encouraged.
That’s it: simple, vibrant, and full of texture.
The dressing is a shallot vinaigrette. Letting the shallot sit in vinegar and honey mellows its bite, giving you the brightness of raw onion without sharp chunks. It’s essentially marinated shallot—sweet, tangy, and subtle.
Once the chickpeas are roasted and the dressing is ready, toss everything together. The result is a salad with balanced flavor and satisfying contrast: crisp greens, creamy cheese, briny olives, bright veg, and crunchy chickpeas.
This salad works any time—light lunch, a side for dinner, or a starter to share. It’s flavorful, textural, and full of fresh ingredients that feel good to eat.
Crispy Chickpea Chopped Salad
Crispy Chickpea Chopped Salad
2 people
15 minutes
30 minutes
45 minutes
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Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 8 cups butter lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
- 2/3 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and torn
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
Shallot Vinaigrette
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chickpeas dry on a towel to remove excess moisture and any loose skins. Spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper, then shake the pan to distribute the seasoning. Roast for 15 minutes, toss, then roast 10–15 minutes more until very crispy.
- While the chickpeas roast, chop the lettuce and place it in a large bowl. Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, torn olives, and crumbled goat cheese. Lightly drizzle some of the vinaigrette so the chickpeas retain more crunch. Toss the salad gently, top with the roasted chickpeas, and serve.
Shallot Vinaigrette
- In a bowl or jar, whisk together the diced shallot, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Stream in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking until the dressing emulsifies. Store in the refrigerator for a few days if desired.
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Chomp chomp.