Sesame Chicken and Chickpea Salad with chopped cabbage, green onion, and roasted cashews. Make-ahead friendly and high protein, this filling + flavorful salad is perfect for healthy weekday lunches.

Why You’ll Love this Chicken and Chickpea Salad

• Quick + Easy. Ready in just 30 minutes with very little cooking involved, the prep is speedy and streamlined. (You can even get away with using rotisserie chicken and skip the cooking entirely!)
• Healthy. This salad is packed with protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats, making it plenty satiating. (My Mediterranean Lentil Salad includes another all-star lineup of these nutrients!)
• Make-Ahead Friendly. Just like my Chicken Cashew Salad, all of the components of are super durable, so you can prep it ahead without worrying about them going soggy.
• Flavorful. The sesame-ginger dressing is the perfect alchemy of savory and sweet, with a zippy bite from fresh ginger.

This recipe is part of a Meal Prep Salad series I started on Instagram.

With fall approaching and the days getting shorter (yet busier), I know we’re all looking for healthy, easy meals.

This chicken and chickpea salad is first in the lineup of many delicious recipes to help you master weekday lunches!

However if you need more meal inspo now, check out my Kale and Sweet Potato Salad, Broccoli Quinoa Salad, and Thai Quinoa Salad.

The Ingredients

• Chicken: You can sauté boneless, skinless chicken breasts and dice them, or use shredded rotisserie chicken. To make this salad vegetarian, a block of baked tofu is a great alternative.
• Chickpeas: You need 1 can of chickpeas, which add a one-two punch of protein and fiber.
• Cabbage: I like using red cabbage for a pop of color, however any variety works: green, savoy, Napa, or even kale. Alternatively, you can use coleslaw mix.
• Green Onion: Use both the white and green parts of green onion (scallion) for some aromatic goodness.
• Cashews: Look for roasted, salted cashews for extra flavor and richness. Alternatively, you can use almonds or pumpkin seeds.
• Carrots: Matchstick carrots add extra color, crunch, and sweetness.
• Sesame Oil: Look for toasted sesame oil, which is dark amber in color and offers complex, nutty sesame flavor.
• Rice Vinegar: One of the milder vinegar varieties, rice vinegar adds brightness and acidity to the dressing.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger is key here! You can either grate it on a microplane or finely mince it.
• Honey: A little sweetness helps balance the vinegar.

For a complete list of recipe ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.

The Directions

Step 1: Cook the Chicken

Coat the chicken in olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (optional). Sauté over medium heat until the chicken registers 165ºF. Set aside to rest.

Step 2: Prepare Dressing by combining sesame oil, vinegar, honey, ginger, and salt; whisk well to combine.

Step 3: Assemble Salad by combining cabbage, chickpeas, carrots, green onion, and cashews in a large bowl. Dice chicken and add to salad along with dressing. Toss to combine and dig in!

Recipe Variations

• Make Vegan. Swap the chicken for one block of baked tofu (I use the ones from Trader Joes). You can also bake or sauté a block of extra-firm tofu yourself.
• Add Spice. A fresh chopped jalapeño pepper is a delicious addition to this salad! Alternatively, you can also add some chili crisp or chili crunch oil to the dressing.
• Add Rice or Noodles. To make this salad extra satiating, you can add a scoop of white rice or cooked rice noodles (or dry ramen noodles).

Storage Tips

• To Store. Refrigerate in an airtight container and this salad will last for 3 days. Enjoy leftovers chilled, or remove from the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before eating for a salad closer to room temperature.
• I do recommend freezing this salad.

More Meal Prep Salad Recipes

VGVegetarianGFGluten-FreeNFNut-Free

15 Minute Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

GFGluten-FreeNFNut-Free

10 Minute Chickpea Tuna Salad

VGVegetarianGFGluten-FreeNFNut-Free

Quinoa Southwest Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing

VVeganVGVegetarianGFGluten-FreeDFDairy-Free

Thai Butternut Quinoa Salad

If you try this Chicken and Chickpea Salad, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram so I can see your creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!