Easy Spinach Chickpea Pasta Salad (Meal Prep Friendly + High Protein)

I like the way the tomatoes stay juicy and simple here, because they cut through the chicken without making the bowl feel messy.

The dressing is small and sharp, which works really well since the rest of the salad is clean and straight to the point.

And once the sliced chicken lands on top, it stops feeling like lunch leaves and starts feeling like a real meal.

This is the kind of plate I reach for when I want something fresh, but I still need it to hold me for a while.

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Ingredients You Need

• 4 oz chicken breast
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• Salt
• 2 oz spinach
• 3 oz chickpeas
• 6 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp mustard
• Salt and black pepper

How To Make Chickpea Spinach Salad

1. Season the chicken.

   

   Rub the chicken breast with the olive oil, paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt until the whole piece is coated.

   I like making sure the top and the sides are covered so every slice tastes the same once its cut.

2. Bake it off.

   

   Set the chicken on a lined tray and bake it at 180 C, which is about 350 F, for 20 to 25 minutes.

   Give it a few minutes to rest after baking so the juices stay put when you slice it.

3. Build the salad base.

   

   Add the spinach to a bowl, then add the chickpeas over the top.

   This bowl starts simple, and honestly thats part of why it works.

4. Add the tomatoes.

   

   Add the halved grape tomatoes to the bowl.

   Spread them around a bit so the tomatoes and chickpeas dont all sit in one corner.

5. Whisk the dressing.

   

   Whisk the white vinegar, mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

   It comes together fast, but give it a proper whisk so the mustard stops looking streaky.

6. Dress the greens.

   

   Pour the dressing over the spinach, chickpeas, and tomatoes.

   Toss it all together until the leaves look lightly coated and the chickpeas pick up some of that mustardy bite.

7. Plate the salad.

   

   Move the tossed salad to a plate once it looks mixed through.

   I like doing this before slicing the chicken so the top stays neat.

8. Slice the chicken.

   

   Slice the baked chicken into even pieces.

   Cutting it after a short rest keeps the slices cleaner and helps the juices stay inside.

9. Top and serve.

   

   Lay the sliced chicken over the salad and serve it right away.

   Once the warm chicken hits the cool greens, the whole plate just lands really nicely.

Why The Mustard Dressing Pulls It Together

The salad base is super simple, so the mustard and vinegar do the heavy lifting and give the chickpeas and spinach some edge.

That sharper dressing also helps the baked chicken feel less plain once it lands on top.

Small Moves I’d Keep

Let the chicken rest before slicing so it stays juicy and doesn’t leak all over the board.

Halve the tomatoes instead of leaving them whole, because the dressing grabs onto them better that way.

Toss the salad before topping it with chicken, so the final plate still looks clean and put together.

What I’d Serve With It

This already eats like a full lunch, but a warm piece of bread or a little bowl of soup beside it wouldn’t be a bad move.

If you like chickpeas in your salads, Tuna Chickpea Salad is another easy one to keep in the mix later this week.

How I’d Store It

If you’re making this ahead, keep the baked chicken, the dressed salad, and any extra dressing separate until you’re ready to eat.

Once assembled, it’s best the same day, though the chicken will hold in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Questions That Usually Come Up

Can I use canned chickpeas?

Yes, that makes the most sense here, and just drain them well before adding them to the bowl.

Does the dressing need oil?

No, this one keeps the dressing lean with mustard and vinegar, which is why it tastes so sharp and clean.

Can I serve the chicken warm?

Yes, and that contrast is actually really nice against the cool spinach and tomatoes.

What if I want this more like a side salad?

Use the same salad base and leave the chicken off, and it turns into a much lighter plate without changing the feel too much.

Use The Extra Bits

If you have extra mustard left from the dressing, use it again for sandwiches or another fast vinaigrette tomorrow.

Extra spinach and chickpeas never go to waste around here, because they slide into another lunch bowl with almost no effort.