Crispy Chickpea Salad with Dijon dressing

This crispy chickpea salad with dijon dressing is one that can be enjoyed year round. It’s bursting with tons of flavor and texture that it will easily become one of your favorite ways to spice up a boring salad. This delicious salad can also be a vegetarian main dish as it’s hearty enough to fill you up. If you like this recipe, you may also like this Burger salad bowl, Salmon sushi bowl or this Chicken sheet pan fajita bowl. 

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WHY CRISPY CHICKPEA SALAD WITH DIJON DRESSING

Sometimes eating a salad the same way can become boring and we all know what happens when boredom strikes. We end up reaching for foods that may not be the healthiest (trust me, all food has a place in your diet). That said, spicing things up with this crispy chickpea salad with dijon dressing will bring new life to your salad game. The crispy roasted chickpeas bring so much texture and crunch that most salads are missing. The best part is that it is really filling on it’s own or you can easily pair it with a lean protein and you will have the perfect low carb meal. 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR CHICKPEA SALAD RECIPE

What I love about this crispy chickpea salad with dijon dressing is that most of these ingredients you will already have in your fridge. If not, many items can be easily substituted and this salad will still turn out amazing. For this recipe you will need:

• Arugula salad – has a nice spicy and pepper flavor however can easily use any leafy green like a spring mix, kale or spinach
• Garbanzo beans – taste like classic beans with a earthy and nutty with a slightly grainy texture
• Red Onion – raw red onion has less “bite” and a milder flavor than white or yellow onion. To balance it even more you can use some fresh lemon juice to mellow them out 
• Cucumber – I prefer English cucumber for this recipe as they are a bit firmer than the traditional cucumber but either one will get the job done
• Red peppers – Slightly sweeter than the other peppers and provide a great addition to this salad
• Cherry tomatoes – Flavor will be more concentrated given their small size however it’s a great way to add some brightness to the dish
• Black olives – Mild and salty these help balance the other sweetness added to the dish
• Feta Cheese – Adds a touch of creaminess to the overall crispy chickpea salad 

HOW TO ROAST CHICKPEAS

Roasting chickpeas is fairly simple and easy once you have the process down. Also, the chickpeas take on the flavor that you season them with making these completely customizable to your taste and mood. To get crispy chickpeas, first drain and rinse your chickpeas under cold running water. Once the water runs clear, place the chickpeas on paper towels to soak up the excess water. 

Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil paper. Place the drained and dry chickpeas on the foil paper in a single layer and season them to your liking. For this great recipe I used black pepper, salt, paprika, garlic powder and chili powder for a bit of spice. Drizzle the chickpeas with a little of extra virgin olive oil and stir them to coat.

Next place the chickpeas in the oven and roast them for approximately 20 minutes before checking on them. Stir the chickpeas around and roast for another 20 minutes or until the chickpeas have a crunchy and crispy texture and are golden brown. Allow them to come to room temperature while assembling the rest of the chopped salad. 

HOW TO MAKE THIS GOOD SALAD

This crispy chickpea salad will come together in no time as the biggest lift will be all of the chopping and dicing of the fresh veggies. While you are roasting your chickpeas, prepare the remaining ingredients. 

On a large cutting board, chop all of your fresh veggies and set them aside. In a large bowl, place your arugula lettuce in the bowl, next add all of your ingredients including the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, roasted chickpeas, red peppers and feta cheese. 

Next make a simple salad dressing scoop 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard with 1 tbsp of agave, honey or sweetener of choice with a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar. Stir to combine. If the dressing is too thick you can loosen it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. 

Toss the entire salad along with the dressing and top with fresh herbs (optional). 

SOME EXCELLENT ADDITIONS

Here are some great options for some excellent additions to this amazing side dish:

• Add a lean protein like rotisserie chicken
• Add some extra creaminess and good fat with avocado slices
• ​Make it a “fall salad” by adding some roasted sweet potatoes 

If you make this crispy chickpea salad with dijon dressing recipe, feel free to leave me a comment down below. Let’s stay in touch! Feel free to follow me on my social media as I share more healthy recipes, fitness workouts and motherhood. Give a follow at: Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest!