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+ servings
Melany

Easy Chicken Arugula Salad with Warm Fig Dressing delights!

Bright, fresh, and bursting with flavor, this one-pot chicken and arugula salad is tossed with tender figs, chickpeas, toasted almonds, and a rich warm dressing. Perfect for a healthy, gourmet meal made in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish, Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed¾ teaspoon table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper, divided1 tablespoon plus ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced2 teaspoons ground coriander3 tablespoons red wine vinegar2 teaspoons honey1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed12 figs, stemmed and quartered5 ounces (5 cups) baby arugula⅓ cup fresh tarragon or basil leaves, torn if large½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Method
 

  1. Pound the thicker end of the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap to an even ½-inch thickness. Pat dry and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook the chicken until browned and it registers 160°F, about 5–7 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Wipe the skillet clean. Heat ⅓ cup olive oil in the skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in ground coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Remove skillet from heat. Whisk in red wine vinegar, honey, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  5. Stir chickpeas and figs into the dressing; let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes.
  6. In a large bowl, toss shredded chicken, arugula, tarragon or basil, and the warm chickpea-fig dressing mixture.
  7.  
  8. Top with toasted almonds and serve immediately.

Notes

For a vegan version, substitute chicken with extra chickpeas or tofu and swap honey with agave
For a nut-free version, replace almonds with toasted sunflower seeds
To lower the carb count, reduce the number of figs used
Spinach or mixed greens can be used instead of arugula if preferred
Serve immediately for the freshest flavor and best texture

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