Chicken couscous salad is the perfect easy lunch or light dinner. This delicious and colorful dish is filled with fresh vegetables and chicken. Best of all, it’s topped with a flavor-packed, homemade dressing featuring fresh citrus.
I love making chicken couscous salad when the weather starts to warm up. It’s so perfect for both spring and summer weather, plus everything comes together in just 20 minutes, so you can get food on the table quickly with little effort.
My Easy Couscous Salad and Asparagus Couscous Salad are tasty variations of this recipe! I highly recommend giving them a try if you like this dish.
You may also consider trying my Quinoa Cabbage Salad, Carrot Quinoa Salad or Mango Quinoa Salad. Couscous is a type of pasta, and quinoa is a grain featuring a nuttier flavor and a heartier texture. But, nonetheless, it is similar. If you enjoy couscous, there’s a good chance you’ll like quinoa!
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts — I like to purchase organic chicken whenever possible.
- Extra virgin olive oil — You can also substitute avocado oil (or another neutral, high smoke-point oil).
- Seasonings — For this recipe, I like using Italian seasonings, paprika, ground coriander, salt and black pepper. Feel free to experiment with spices!
- Couscous — Typically, I purchase Moroccan couscous, but any brand will do. You can also look for a whole grain option if desired.
- Lemon juice — Fresh-squeezed is always best because bottled tends to taste stale.
- Vegetables — I generally use red bell pepper, red onion, and cucumber. You can certainly use what you’ve got on hand to reduce food waste!
- Cheese — Salty feta crumbles, goat cheese would also be a nice substitute.
- Garnish — Fresh chopped parsley is a nice addition to this salad because it provides extra flavor and color.
Instructions
Bake the chicken:
- Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F. Then, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (optional, but great for easy cleanup).
- Place chicken breasts in a big bowl. Add olive oil and stir to coat, then add spices and stir again.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until tender and internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Be sure to check temp at the thickest part of the largest piece!
- Allow chicken to rest for around 10 minutes before slicing, this will make it juicier.
Make your couscous:
- While the chicken is roasting, measure water or chicken broth into a medium saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, turn the heat off completely and stir in your couscous.
- Place a lid on the pan and allow couscous to soften for 5 minutes.
- Uncover the pan and use a fork to fluff, fluff, fluff! Then, set aside and allow couscous to cool for at least five minutes.
Mix dressing:
- Get out a small bowl or mason jar (preferably one with a lid, if you’ve got it)! Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lid the jar and shake well, or whisk vigorously to combine.
Assemble and serve your couscous chicken salad:
- Transfer cooked couscous, chopped veggies and crumbled feta cheese to a large mixing bowl. Stir until ingredients are well incorporated, then drizzle dressing over everything and mix once again to coat.
- Garnish with some fresh, chopped parsley and plate. Slice up your chicken and place atop the salad. Enjoy right away or on the next day!
Because this salad can be enjoyed hot or cold, it’s really great for meal prep. Simply portion it evenly into 4 containers (be sure they have lids)! Top with chicken and reheat at the office, or enjoy chilled.
If you’d like, you can also whip up some extra dressing to bring along. Simply place it in a jar with a screw top lid so it doesn’t spill.
Chicken Couscous Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 small free-range organic chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Couscous
- 1 cup dry Moroccan couscous
- 1 cup water
- Salt
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Salad
- ¼ cup red onions chopped
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- In a medium glass bowl, add chicken and olive oil. Mix well.
- Add all the spices and toss everything together. Set aside.
- On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper, place the chicken, and roast it for about 15 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (at the thickest part). Let it cool/rest for at least 10 minutes and slice before serving.
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the stove and add couscous. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool for 5 minutes or more.
- In a mason jar or small bowl, pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper and whisk everything.
- In large bowl, add cooked couscous, red onions, cucumber, red bell pepper and feta cheese. Stir really well. Pour the dressing on top and mix everything again.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if you think it's necessary. Garnish with parsley if you prefer. Serve immediately with slices of chicken.
MEAL PREPPING:
- Place an even amount of chicken couscous salad into 4 glass containers. Cover with the lid, and place in the fridge for up 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Yuuuuuuum! I love how fresh and vibrant this salad looks! I could see myself making the recipe time and again to share with family. I’m heading to check out Ricardo’s site now!
I loveee mango and don’t eat it enough. This salad looks perfect for a light dinner and take-to-work the next day lunch!
This salad is just gorgeous Olivia!! I love mango and couscous … so there’s no doubt I would love this!
I’m going to make this for lunch! So healthy and full of flavor. Mmmm!
That mango couscous salad looks so divine! I love how bright this meal looks, would definitely make a great work lunch!
Why am I missing the mango in list of ingredients? Haven’t made it yet but want to.
I retested this recipe and decided to remove the mango, so this salad can last longer in the fridge.
Where does it say in the recipe mango?
We remove it from the recipe when we retested it.
This dish looks amazing, and will be dinner tomorrow! I love couscous, but don’t use it enough. Will drop a note after we eat!
I hope you loved it!
This salad is lovely, I didn’t know how much I could love couscous.
I don’t use the chicken, I just do a big bowl and use it during the week as a side dish for everything. It’s nice when you add a dash of cumin and tinned sweetcorn.
Happy you liked it!
I’m making this for a second week in a row. I keep the dressing separate and pour on when I’m ready to eat. I’m going to add double veggies, but it’s so yummy!
Amazing! Happy you liked it!!1
make it for my grandson for work lunch
he loves it
That’s amazing—so happy to hear that! I love it too, and it’s been on repeat for lunch this summer 😉