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Greek Couscous Salad

January 21, 2021 | Chicken

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Greek Couscous Salad is a flavorful, vegetable filled, high-protein meal. It’s great to enjoy as a family or meal prep for quick and healthy lunches for the week.

A meal prep container of Greek Couscous Salad with a small cup of dressing and two forks on the side.

This Greek Couscous Salad is one of my husband’s favorite meal prep lunches. It’s refreshing, healthy, filling, and doesn’t require heating. For more meal prep ideas, check out my Kalua Pork, Mini Meatloaf, and Chicken Pasta Salad.

Greek Chicken Salad

No, this isn’t an authentic Greek recipe but it has a lot of delicious Greek flavors! The juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and crunchy onions make this salad so refreshing! There is so much color and texture going on in this dish with all the vegetables, chicken, chickpeas, and couscous. It’s pretty, yummy, easy, and health– everything you want in a meal!

Greek Couscous Salad with chicken in a large mixing bowl with spoons.

Ingredients for Greek Salad:

  • Pearl/ Israeli Couscous– This can be found in local grocery stores near the rice or in the international aisle.
  • Cucumber– English cucumbers are my preference because their seeds are smaller (big seeds=bitter) and have thinner skin.
  • Tomatoes– Grape tomatoes work best in this salad because they are sweet and stay intact when tossed in the salad.
  • Chickpeas– These legumes are full of fiber, protein, and vitamins. Simply pop open a can, drain, and rinse.
  • Kalamata Olives– These have a strong flavor so a little goes a long way.
  • Red Onion– This type of onion is mild making it great for eating raw in dishes like salads.
  • Feta– This tangy salty cheese is a Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk. It is so good in this salad!
  • Parsley– For best flavor, select Italian flat leaf parsley. Not only is is pretty but it adds a nice earthy herbal flavor to the dish.
  • Chicken– This can be cooked on the grill or in a pan. Alternatively, precooked shredded chicken like rotisserie chicken can be used.
  • Dressing– The dressing is a simple homemade red wine vinaigrette with a few seasonings. Feel free to swap it out for a store-bought dressing for ease.
A baking sheet with diced red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, and chickpeas.

How to make Greek Couscous Chicken Salad:

Time needed: 40 minutes.

  1. Cook the Couscous

    Combine couscous, water, and seasonings together in a 2 quart pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add lid, leaving it open a crack. Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring halfway through. Fluff with fork and let cool.

  2. Cook the Chicken

    Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook at med-high heat on a grill or in a skillet (cast iron works great!) for 6-7 minutes per side or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Cool and slice into bite size pieces.

  3. Make the Dressing

    Place all dressing ingredients together in a jar and shake well to combine. Chill until ready to use.

  4. Assemble:

    In a large mixing bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, Kalamata olives, red onion, feta, parsley, couscous, and chicken. Toss together. Add dressing and mix when ready to enjoy.

A large mixing bowl with tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, olives, chicken, couscous, onions, feta, and parsley.

FAQs

How to meal prep salad?

Once the couscous and chicken are cooled, toss together with the vegetables, chickpeas, olives, cheese, and parsley. Divide among containers. Divide the dressing among small covered containers and place in with the salad. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Shake the dressing and pour over salad just before eating.

What is Israeli Pearl Couscous?

This is a small round shaped pasta made of wheat (or semolina) flour and water. They are bigger than regular couscous and have a soft, chewy texture. It is toasted giving it a savory nutty flavor.

What substitutions can be made?

If you can’t eat wheat, substitute the pearl couscous with barley or brown rice. Other raw vegetables like bell peppers would be great in this salad too.

How long does this salad last?

According to food safety guidelines, the FDA suggests refrigerated food be consumed within 4 days. As long as the dressing is kept separate, the salad will stay good for up to 4 days.

Four glass meal prep containers of chicken couscous salad.

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS COUSCOUS SALAD:

  • Pyrex Mixing Bowls with Lids– I love my mixing bowls with lids because then I am able to stack things up with the fridge. Plus, glass is nice for when I need to microwave whatever is in it.
  • Cast Iron Skillet– A cast iron skillet is a kitchen must have. It heats evenly and gives meats a nice crust.
  • Meal Prep Containers– I’ve been using these meal prep containers for the last 2 months for my husband’s lunch and they have worked beautifully. They are leak proof, my husband can easily open them, they can go in the microwave, and I can wash them in the dishwasher. Oh, and they don’t get gross stains since it’s glass.
  • Reusable Salad Dressing Containers– These screw top containers are great for holding dressing or dip.
Three glass meal prep containers of Mediterranean Couscous Salad, small containers of dressing, a bowl of feta cheese.

LOOKING FOR MORE FILLING SALADS? CHECK OUT THESE:

  • Kale Salad with Roasted Vegetables
  • Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad
  • Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
  • Apple & Bacon Spinach Salad
  • Tuna Chopped Salad
Greek Couscous Salad with chicken in a large mixing bowl with spoons.
Print Recipe

Greek Chicken Couscous Salad

Greek Couscous Salad is a flavorful, vegetable filled, high-protein meal. It's great to enjoy as a family or meal prep for quick and healthy lunches for the week.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings: 5
Calories: 598kcal
Author: Garnish and Glaze

Ingredients

For the Couscous:

  • 1 1/2 cups Israeli pearl couscous
  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

For the Chicken:

  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

For the Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

For the Salad:

  • 1 1/2 cups english cucumber, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
  • 2/3 cup red onion
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions

For the Couscous:

  • Combine 1 1/2 c. couscous, 2 1/4 c. water, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 3/4 tsp salt, and 2 tsp. Italian seasoning in a 2 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add lid, leaving it open a crack. Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring halfway through. Fluff with fork, transfer to a large mixing bowl and place in fridge to cool.

For the Chicken:

  • Meanwhile, season 1 lb. chicken with salt and pepper. Cook at med-high heat on a grill or in a skillet (cast iron works great!) with a little oil for 6-7 minutes per side or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool (in the fridge). Slice into bite size pieces.

For the Dressing:

  • Place 1/3 c. olive oil, 1/4 c. red wine vinegar, 1 T. lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a jar. Shake well to combine. Chill until ready to use.

For Assembling:

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine 1.5 c. cucumber, 1.5 c. tomatoes, 1 can chickpeas, 3/4 c. Kalamata olives, 2/3 c. red onion, 1/2 c. feta, 3 Tbsp. parsley, couscous, and chicken. Toss together. Mix in the dressing when ready to enjoy.
    *If meal prepping, divide salad among containers and divide dressing into small cups with lids. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Shake dressing and pour over salad before eating.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Greek Coucous Salad
Nutrition Facts
Greek Chicken Couscous Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 598 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 71mg24%
Sodium 1433mg62%
Potassium 754mg22%
Carbohydrates 59g20%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 602IU12%
Vitamin C 11mg13%
Calcium 168mg17%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @GarnishandGlaze on Instagram and use hashtag #GarnishandGlaze

Related topics:
Chicken Main Course Meal Prep Salad Summercouscous cucumber olives tomatoes

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Hey There, I'm Melanie!

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I am a wife, mother of three little girls, and a chocolate addict. I love baking (and eating!) sweets, but I balance it out with healthy meals.

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