Full of fresh Mediterranean flavors, this pearl couscous chicken salad recipe is great for meal prep. Pearl couscous is combined with cucumber, feta cheese, red onion and shredded chicken before being tossed in a simple lemon dressing.
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If you are stuck having the same thing for lunch and looking for inspiration, you have got to try this Pearl couscous chicken salad. Simple to make with a handful of ingredients and perfect for weekly meal prep.
Made with crunchy cucumber and red onion and creamy feta, this salad is full of textures and the fresh lemon juice dressing makes it wonderfully zingy and fresh.
Be sure to try my BLT Chicken Avocado Salad too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Substantial: This chicken salad will leave you feeling full and satisfied with it's balance of carbs, fresh vegetables and protein.
- Make ahead: This couscous chicken salad keeps really well in the fridge for weekday dinners and lunches.
- Great for sharing: Perfect for picnics, potlucks and cookouts, make up a big bowl and let everyone dig in!
Ingredients
- Pearl Couscous: Also known as Israeli couscous or giant couscous. I used tricolor pearl couscous for this recipe, but you can use regular. Simple and quick to cook.
- Bouillon Cube: I like to cook the couscous in stock rather than water to add more flavor. I used a vegetable stock cube and chicken will work well too.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon zest and juice liven up this salad.
- Oil: For the dressing. Extra-virgin olive oil is perfect, but avocado, canola or sunflower will work well.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper and dried oregano
- Honey: Just a little to balance the zesty lemon.
- Red Onion: Sliced finely so that it's not overpowering.
- Cucumber: English cucumber adds crunch and freshness.
- Feta: Fresh feta is creamier than cubed feta. Both work, but fresh is definitively best.
- Shredded chicken: I used pre-shredded chicken for convenience. Leftover rotisserie chicken works great too, or you can cook up your own.
How to make Mediterranean Pearl Couscous Chicken Salad
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Cook the couscous in the stock.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the lemon dressing.
- Chop the cucumber, onion and feta.
- add the cooked couscous, cucumber, onion, feta and shredded chicken to a large bowl. Pour over the dressing.
- Stir everything together.
Recipe Variations
- Regular couscous can also be used in this recipe - follow package instructions for cooking times.
- Couscous is a type of pasta, so you could easily substitute it with orzo if you prefer.
- Add in other veggies like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, green onions or arugula.
- Chicken can be replaced with other proteins like chickpeas, tofu or white beans. Rather than use shredded chicken, you can grill up some chicken breasts to add.
- Make it creamy by mixing in some mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
- If serving the same day, fresh herbs make a great addition. Parsley, dill or chives are my top picks.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great full meal by itself, but it's great to serve up with a green side salad.
Make Ahead and Storage
Once made, this pearl couscous chicken salad will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Pearl Couscous Chicken Salad
Full of fresh Mediterranean flavors, this pearl couscous chicken salad recipe is great for meal prep. Pearl couscous is combined with cucumber, feta cheese, red onion and shredded chicken before being tossed in a simple lemon dressing.
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RateServings: 4 servings
Calories: 398kcal
Ingredients
- 1 bouillon cube vegetable or chicken
- 2 cups water (475ml)
- 1 cup pearl couscous (175g)
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ¼ small red onion finely sliced
- ½ English cucumber diced
- ⅔ cup feta cheese (100g) cubed/crumbled
- 1½ cups shredded chicken (250g)
Instructions
- Dissolve the bouillon cube in the water. Add to a saucepan and bring to a boil on the stovetop.1 bouillon cube, 2 cups water
- Add the couscous to the water, simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Take off of the heat, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. All of the liquid will be absorbed and there shouldn't be a need to drain it.1 cup pearl couscous
- Meanwhile, make up the lemon dressing by whisking together the lemon juice and zest, oil, salt, black pepper, oregano and honey.1 lemon, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, pinch black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon honey
- Finely slice the onion and cube the cucumber and feta.¼ small red onion, ½ English cucumber, ⅔ cup feta cheese
- Add everything to a large bowl and toss to combine.1½ cups shredded chicken
Notes
- This pearl couscous salad has a strong lemon flavor. Omit the zest if you prefer it less lemony.
- If you find the flavor of red onion too strong, after slicing it, let it sit in cold water for a few minutes to make it milder.
- I cook the couscous in vegetable or chicken stock for more flavor, you can use plain water if you prefer.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and based on 1 of 4 servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 722mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 2mg
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