Dense Bean Lemon-Dill Chicken (Print Version)

High-protein salad with chickpeas, navy beans, shredded chicken, and zesty lemon-dill dressing.

# Components:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) navy beans, drained and rinsed

→ Chicken

03 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 oz)
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 small cucumber, diced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

→ Lemon-Dill Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon honey
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until fully cooked. Cool and shred using two forks.
02 - In a large bowl, mix chickpeas, navy beans, diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped fresh dill.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, chopped dill, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Add shredded chicken to the bean and vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
05 - Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling—the beans and chicken together make this feel like a complete meal, not just something you eat before the real food.
  • The dressing is where the magic happens; that lemon-dill combination tastes like someone who actually knows what they're doing made it.
  • Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, and most of that is just letting the chicken cook while you chop vegetables.
  • It tastes even better the next day when all the flavors have gotten to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step with the canned beans—the liquid they come in tastes metallic and bitter, and rinsing them makes a real difference in the final flavor.
  • The dressing needs a few minutes to come together properly, especially if your garlic is large; whisking for 30 seconds gets you halfway there, but a full minute of gentle whisking makes the dressing actually emulsify rather than just mixing.
  • Fresh dill is non-negotiable here; I've tried dried dill out of desperation and the salad tastes completely different—in a not-good way.
03 -
  • Cool your chicken completely before shredding it; hot chicken falls apart differently and won't give you those satisfying bite-sized pieces.
  • Make the dressing in a jar and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds just before serving to re-emulsify it if it's been sitting in the fridge.
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