The Protein Salad That Doubles as a Full Meal

A salad that's just leaves leaves you hungry within the hour, but build enough protein into it and it stops being a side dish altogether. This one leans on chickpeas as the base, plant protein with genuinely useful fibre alongside it, and works equally well with or without added chicken or egg depending on what's in the fridge.

What you'll need

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups mixed greens or chopped vegetables
• Optional: shredded chicken or a boiled egg, for extra protein
• Feta or a hard cheese, if you like
• Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt

How to make it

Toss the chickpeas with the greens and any vegetables you're using. Add shredded chicken or a sliced boiled egg if you want more protein in the bowl, though the chickpeas alone already carry a reasonable amount. Dress with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, season, and toss well, chickpeas hold dressing better than leaves alone, so this one doesn't go soggy the way a purely leafy salad can.

Why this holds up as an actual meal

A cup of chickpeas carries around 15g of protein and a meaningful amount of fibre, which is most of what makes a meal actually filling rather than just virtuous. Keep a couple of cans in the pantry and this is always assemble-able, no cooking required beyond opening a can, which matters as much as the nutrition does on the days you're running on no time at all.

Built to actually hold you until the next meal, not just look good next to one.