Dense Bean Lemon-Dill Chicken (Printable Version)

High-protein salad with beans, shredded chicken, and a bright lemon-dill dressing, perfect for a hearty meal.

# 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 (about 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

# Preparation steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 18–20 minutes until cooked through. Allow to cool, then shred using two forks.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, navy beans, diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped fresh dill.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, chopped dill, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Add shredded chicken to the bean and vegetable mixture. Pour the lemon-dill dressing over and toss gently to combine evenly.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling without feeling heavy, the kind of lunch that actually sustains you through the afternoon.
  • The lemon-dill dressing does all the talking—bright, tangy, and impossible to mess up.
  • You can make it once and eat it three days straight, which is a quiet victory on busy weeks.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step on canned beans—it actually matters for texture and taste, not just nutrition labels.
  • The dressing needs an emulsifier, which is why the mustard is there; if you omit it, everything separates into oil and vinegar sadness.
03 -
  • Shred the chicken while it's still warm—it separates more easily and absorbs the dressing better.
  • If you're making this ahead, hold off on the cucumber until just before serving or it'll weep into the rest of the salad.
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