Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas (Printable Version)

Fresh greens and cabbage with creamy herb dressing, topped by crunchy air-fried chickpeas for added texture and protein.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crispy Chickpeas

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
04 - ½ tsp garlic powder
05 - ¼ tsp salt
06 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Salad

07 - 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
08 - 2 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
09 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
10 - ½ cup scallions, sliced
11 - ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
12 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
13 - ¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
14 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Green Goddess Dressing

15 - ½ cup Greek yogurt (use vegan yogurt for dairy-free)
16 - ¼ cup olive oil
17 - ¼ cup fresh parsley
18 - ¼ cup fresh basil
19 - 2 tbsp fresh chives
20 - 2 tbsp fresh tarragon
21 - 1 garlic clove
22 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
23 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
24 - ½ tsp salt
25 - ¼ tsp black pepper

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
02 - Pat chickpeas dry and toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Air-fry chickpeas in a single layer for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and crispy. Set aside to cool.
04 - Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as desired.
05 - In a large bowl, mix lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, scallions, parsley, basil, chives, and avocado.
06 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Top the salad with crispy chickpeas immediately before serving for optimal crunch.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's ready in under 35 minutes and feels way fancier than it actually is.
  • The creamy dressing means you won't miss heavy ingredients while the crispy chickpeas give you that satisfying crunch that makes you keep coming back for another bite.
  • You can prep everything ahead and just toss it together—perfect for when life gets busy but you still want to eat something that tastes intentional.
02 -
  • Chickpeas must be completely dry before air-frying or they'll steam and stay soft—I learned this the hard way and ended up with sad, chewy chickpeas that taught me a valuable lesson about patience and paper towels.
  • Don't dress the salad more than 15 minutes before serving unless you like eating a wilted mess—the greens will surrender to all that liquid and you'll lose the crisp texture that makes this dish worth making.
  • Taste the dressing before you commit it to the salad because seasoning adjustments are much easier in a blender than they are once everything's mixed together.
03 -
  • Let your blender run just a few seconds longer than you think necessary so the dressing becomes silky and creamy rather than chunky.
  • Shake the chickpeas halfway through cooking so they brown evenly and develop those crispy, golden edges that make people reach for more.
  • Serve immediately after tossing because this salad is all about texture contrasts and they disappear if you let it sit.
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