High Protein Dense Bean Salad with Chicken Recipe

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This high protein dense bean salad with chicken is a quick and easy recipe, high in protein from chickpeas, kidney beans, and rotisserie chicken! This recipe is made with tender chicken, canned beans, fresh herbs, and a tangy 5-minute vinaigrette dressing.

It makes the perfect lunch or dinner recipe, and is a great no-cook recipe if you make it with rotisserie chicken! Follow our step-by-step photos and directions below to make this today!

Want more high protein recipes? Try our cottage cheese ground beef bowls, Greek yogurt tuna salad, and our favorite jerk chicken and pineapple bowls.

a bowl of dense bean salad with chicken and kidney beans, chickpeas, and cannellini beans and veggies

Table of Contents

If you’re looking to get more protein in your diet, this easy dense chicken and bean salad is one of the tastiest ways to add it in! I’m training for another half marathon at the moment, so protein is top of mind for me lately.

This twist on traditional bean salad has shredded chicken to make it heartier and more filling. It has a great variety of textures and a really great flavor from the simple lemon herb vinaigrette dressing. And this recipe is perfect for meal prep.

Why This Recipe Works

This dense bean salad with chicken makes a fantastic meal prep lunch or dinner.
Ready in just 15 minutes, if you are using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
It’s versatile: you can add in your favorite vegetables or herbs.
A great high-protein meal idea, that travels well for work or school.
Cooks of any skill level can successfully make this dish by following along with our step-by-step photos below!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

To make this dense chicken salad, you’ll need some chicken. You can cook your own chicken breasts or thighs at home, but I prefer using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken at the store which saves a lot of time and prep.

I like using both chickpeas and kidney beans in this dense bean salad, like a twist on classic three bean salad.

Fresh vegetables really make the salad pop. I use both fresh bell pepper (you can use any color) and fresh parsley.

And the quick 5-minute vinaigrette dressing is made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

Additions and Substitutions

Our 5-minute dressing really makes this salad delicious, but you could use a pre-made bottled dressing instead if you prefer. Choose a honey lemon or apple cider vinaigrette.

If you wanted to make this more of a 3 bean salad, you can add in green beans or wax beans too.

Add in chopped red onion for a zesty kick.

How To Make This Recipe

sliced chicken for copycat olive garden chicken giardino copycat recipe

Step 1: Prep the chicken: break down your rotisserie chicken and remove the meat from the bone. Reserve 3 cups of the chicken and set it aside in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

high protein bean salad with chicken, kidney beans, chickpeas, and navy beans with vegetables

Step 2: In the same mixing bowl combine the canned chickpeas and kidney beans with the chicken. Chop the bell pepper into small bite sized pieces, and add to the bowl. Finely chop the celery, green onions, and parsley and add them to the bowl as well.

fresh lemon vinaigrette dressing for dense chicken bean salad

Step 3: In a pint sized mason jar: juice the lemons, and combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Stir or shake (with a lid sealing the dressing) until the dressing is a smooth consistency and pour over the bean salad.

dressing being poured oven high protein bean salad with rotisserie chicken

Step 4: Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Stir well before serving, and serve chilled.

Recipe FAQs

How much protein is in this dense bean and chicken salad recipe?

This recipe has ~45g protein for each salad, but it may vary slightly on the chicken you use.

How to store leftover chicken and bean salad?

Store leftovers in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Can you meal prep this bean and chicken salad?

Yes, this recipe makes fantastic meal prep! Make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it for meals throughout the week. I like to portion it out into individual containers so I can take one on the go for work.

Expert Tips

You can use all white meat, or a combination of white and dark meat on the chicken: whatever your preference is.
Mix up the beans! You can add in different beans: navy beans, pinto beans, green beans, or black beans would all be great additions to this salad.
When shredding the chicken, make sure the pieces are bite-sized and consistent throughout the salad.

a bowl of protein chicken and bean salad for meal prep lunches with vegetables low carb lunch ideas

More Easy Dense Salad Recipes

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

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High Protein Dense Bean Salad with Chicken

By:

Kelly Jensen

This high protein dense bean salad with chicken is a quick and easy recipe, high in protein from chickpeas, kidney beans, and rotisserie chicken! This recipe is made with tender chicken, canned beans, fresh herbs, and a tangy 5-minute vinaigrette dressing.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 0

Total Time 20

Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 2-cup servings

Calories 504 kcal

Equipment

Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

For the Bean Salad

3 cups rotisserie chicken cooked, white and/or dark meat
14 ounces canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
14 ounces canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
14 ounces canned navy beans drained and rinsed
1 bell pepper deseeded
2 stalks celery chopped
1 cup fresh parsley
3 green onions thinly sliced

For the Vinaigrette Dressing

3 lemons juiced about a 1/3 cup
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Prep the chicken: break down your rotisserie chicken and remove the meat from the bone. Reserve 3 cups of the chicken and set it aside in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
In the same mixing bowl combine the canned chickpeas and kidney beans with the chicken. Chop the bell pepper into small bite sized pieces, and add to the bowl. Finely chop the celery, green onions, and parsley and add them to the bowl as well.
In a pint sized mason jar: juice the lemons, and combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Stir or shake (with a lid sealing the dressing) until the dressing is a smooth consistency and pour over the bean salad.
Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Stir well before serving, and serve chilled.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions