The humble chickpea, or garbanzo bean, has had quite the glow up in recent years. As many cooks are trying to cut back on their meat consumption, chickpeas can often be the perfect substitute. For instance, in this Curry Chickpea Salad. I am personally a huge curry chicken salad fan– I love the warm flavors and subtle crunch! I’ve found that swapping in chickpeas really doesn’t change the flavor all that much and I might even like the texture even better. Didn’t see that coming!

The great thing about this recipe is that it is incredibly easy to toss together. No cooking needed, just pop open a couple cans of chickpeas and start mashing. It also doesn’t hurt that legumes are very affordable, especially compared with the price of chicken these days! I load up on beans when they’re on sale, typically for about a dollar a can. Hard to beat.

You can serve this salad over greens, on a sandwich, or just enjoy it by the bowlful. It’s a great dish to have on standby for a last minute meal or packed lunches. If you’re a curry fan then I highly encourage you to give this version a try. It’s bound to be a new fav!