Couscous chicken salad. This is a quick, easy to make, delicious healthy salad which is perfect as a warm dinner salad or cold packed lunch!
Folks, this amazing couscous chicken salad is made with couscous, cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes and olives.
It's a delightful combination of flavours and textures that is sure to please.
I added a couple of store cupboard spices, paprika and coriander, to give it a delicious "smoky" taste.
These spices elevate the dish and make it truly special.
You'll find this an easy to make couscous salad, perfect for busy weeknights. It can be eaten warm for dinner and also the next day cold for lunch too.
The versatility of this dish is one of its many strengths.
It's simple, healthy and so addictive. This Mediterranean syle couscous salad is a definitely a winner!
I've made and eaten loads of chicken salads this year.
It's been a refreshing change from my usual routine of eating soups all year round. Ha ha!
One of my favourites is my couscous chicken salad recipe. It's perfect for this kind of weather because it's light, healthy, and so easy to make.
You see, here in Scotland the weather really has been truly amazing. I cannot remember the last summer that was as good as this one.
With the warm and sunny days, it's been salads for lunch and salads for dinner. My couscous chicken salad has been a staple in my meals.
If I could eat salad for breakfast, then I did that too! This recipe has been a go-to, providing a refreshing and satisfying meal any time of the day.
This couscous chicken salad is a great way to use up any leftover chicken you might have from your roast Sunday dinner.
If you don't have leftovers, you could just buy pre-cooked frozen chicken breasts as I do and chop them up.
This makes the recipe even more convenient and quick.
It takes just 20-minutes to prep this couscous chicken salad and 10 minutes to cook the delicious smoky flavours in.
The combination of paprika and coriander really brings out the best in the dish.
There are only 279 calories in a single serving of this couscous chicken salad.
Plus there's a good amount of protein too, all helping towards your recommended daily dose!
This makes it a healthy and satisfying option for any meal.
We often enjoy this salad paired with a glass of wine and some flatbreads for a chilled out Saturday night in front of the TV!
This special chicken salad has become a favourite in our household for its ease and delicious taste.
Steps For How To Make Couscous Chicken Salad
- Put the couscous in a large bowl and pour boiling water over it. Stir. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow to stand for about 5 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.
- Whilst the couscous is absorbing all the water, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the cooked chicken, paprika and ground coriander and stir around the pan for a couple of minutes until the chicken is well coated with the spices.
- When the couscous is ready, fluff it up with a fork and add all of the contents of the chicken pan.
- Stir the tomatoes, olives, basil, remaining olive oil and lemon juice into the couscous mixture. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Serve.
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Couscous Chicken Salad Recipe
We found this couscous chicken salad tasted even better the next day after the flavours had marinated together in the fridge overnight.
For the couscous I just use ordinary quick cook couscous but you could also use pearl couscous if you wanted to!
I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂
Couscous Chicken Salad Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 125 g couscous
- 180 ml boiling water
- 170 g cooked diced chicken*
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 10 cherry tomatoes quartered.
- 50 g Kalamata olives chopped.
- 2 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Place the couscous in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over it and stir. Cover the bowl and leave to stand for about 5 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.
- Meanwhile, whilst the couscous is absorbing all the water, gently heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the cooked chicken, paprika and ground coriander and stir around the pan for a couple of minutes until the chicken is well coated with the spices.
- When the couscous is ready fluff it up with a fork to separate all the grains and scrape all of the contents of the chicken pan into the bowl with the couscous.
- Stir the tomatoes, olives, basil, remaining tablespoon olive oil and lemon juice into the couscous mixture. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and serve.
Chef Mimi
Lovely. I like the additions of the olives and basil in here! Perfect for the chicken and tomatoes!
Neil
The olives and the basil definitely add a kind of "Mediterranean" feel to the recipe. Thanks Mimi!
David @ Spiced
You know, I really should make couscous more often! I really enjoy it, but I rarely think about it. And the thing is couscous can be served warm or cold - it's delicious both ways! I really like the flavors you've got going on this recipe, Neil. And for that calorie count, it means I can have a bowl of ice cream afterwards! 🙂
Neil
You can definitely enjoy a bowl of ice cream after this David! Thanks!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
I love salad with couscous (Especially Tabbouleh), so this terrific salad is right up my alley! Beautiful combination of textures and flavours, and with an addition of chicken, that's a win-win!
Neil
I love Tabbouleh too Ben. And I make mine with Couscous. I guess this is similar to Tabbouleh with a little spice and chicken added. Glad you like the recipe. Thanks Ben!
Katerina
I must admit we don't eat couscous very often here (the kids find it a little dry) but this looks delicious! I love the flavours you've put in here, Neil, and eating this meal with a glass of wine sounds like a great pairing. Hope you've been well!
Neil
Ha ha yeah Laura, it's probably more of an "adults" meal when you pair it with a glass of wine. But I'm pretty sure you're kids would enjoy it too. Thanks! 😀
Laura
You know, Neil, I think grains are definitely the unsung hero of a healthy diet! I just love salads made with ancient grains, and couscous is definitely one of the best, and can definitely be a quick dish! Love the spices here too!
Neil
Thanks Laura. Yes I'm with you there on quick healthy salads made with grains. When it's too hot these quick salads are just the thing!