Lemony White Bean Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken and white beans tossed with fresh herbs in a bright lemon vinaigrette. Light, protein-rich, and ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
04 - 1/4 red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Fresh Herbs

06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

→ Vinaigrette

08 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, white beans, celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and dill.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and gently toss to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Let the salad rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer even when it's gray outside, bright and clean without being fussy.
  • You can make it with leftover rotisserie chicken and pantry staples, so it's ready in the time it takes to answer three emails.
  • The beans make it filling enough to carry you through the afternoon without that heavy, sleepy feeling.
  • Leftovers actually get better overnight as the flavors soak into everything.
02 -
  • If you add the dressing too early and let it sit for hours, the acid will start breaking down the beans and they'll get mushy, so dress it close to serving time.
  • Rinsing the beans really matters, the canned liquid makes everything taste metallic and dull.
  • Let the salad come to room temperature before serving if it's been in the fridge, the flavors hide when it's too cold.
03 -
  • If your lemon is hard and not juicy, microwave it for ten seconds and roll it on the counter before cutting, you'll get twice as much juice.
  • Add the lemon zest directly into the vinaigrette and let it sit for five minutes before whisking, it releases more flavor that way.
  • Taste the salad after it rests, the salt disappears into the beans and you almost always need a pinch more at the end.
Return