Test Kitchen: Scallion Herb Chickpea Salad

This week in the test kitchen, we prepared a scallion herb chickpea salad made with avocado and Greek yogurt. Although we had a small turnout, the salad was DELICIOUS and so easy to prepare (no cooking involved!). Either alone on a pita bread or served as a side dish, this salad can make for an easy, healthy lunch or dinner option.

What we loved:

  • The rich creaminess of the avocado and yogurt
  • The simplicity and no cooking (which means less cleaning too!)

What we would’ve changed:

  • Possibly the name. We agreed the name may not do the recipe justice and may not have attracted many students to the test kitchen this night despite how delicious the recipe was. Possible names: creamy avocado chickpea salad ?
  • We used regular yogurt and the recipe turned out great. However, using Greek yogurt would make the salad even thicker. Use either yogurt depending on your preferences!

The nutrition

  • Chickpeas: protein + fiber
  • Avocado: healthy fats + fiber + potassium
  • Greek yogurt: calcium + protein
  • Herbs: micronutrients + antioxidants

Scallion Herb Chickpea Salad
Recipe modified from Budget Bytes
Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients:
1 avocado
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup sliced scallions (about two)
1 15-ounce can chickpeas

Optional: Whole wheat pita bread

 Directions:

  1. Place the avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, parsley, cilantro, and scallions in a bowl. Mash the ingredients together until combined. It’s okay if the avocado is a bit chunky still.
  2. Drain the can of chickpeas, then add them to the bowl with the avocado dressing. Stir and mash the chickpeas into the dressing. Taste the salad and add ¼ teaspoon more salt if needed.
  3. Salad can be served on top of a bed of greens or in a whole grain pita with lettuce, tomato or other toppings of choice.Blog post by Kelley Magill, DPD/MS/DI Student