Jennifer Aniston Salad (Extra Quick & Easy Version)
This extra quick and easy take on the viral Jennifer Aniston Salad is fresh, crunchy, and packed with flavor.
Servings: 2
Calories: 553kcal
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1 shallot
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/3 cup roasted & salted shelled pistachios
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
Dressing:
- 2-3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
- kosher or sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare rice as desired, then fluff and set aside in a large bowl to cool completely.2 cups cooked brown rice
- While the rice cools, prepare the other ingredients. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, chop the cucumber, and finely mince the shallot, parsley, and mint.1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, 1/2 English cucumber, 1 shallot, 1/3 cup fresh parsley, 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
- Add chickpeas, cucumber, shallot, parsley, mint, pistachios, and feta to the bowl with the rice.1/3 cup roasted & salted shelled pistachios, 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small measuring cup or jar. Whisk or shake well to combine, then pour over the salad and toss well. Enjoy!2-3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, kosher or sea salt and black pepper
Notes
- Yield: As written this yields two pretty generous portions, enough for me or my husband to eat for lunch and feel satisfied. If using it as a side dish or feeding kids it will obviously stretch further, and it can easily be doubled or just stretched by adding more veggies, more chickpeas, etc.
- Storage: This salad keeps well for 1-2 days in the fridge, even completely dressed, but if you plan to spread it out over more days than that, reserve the cucumbers, feta, and pistachios to mix in to individual servings same day.
- Shallot Sub: Red onion can be substituted for the shallot. Red onion actually is the more common ingredient in “the” Jennifer Aniston salad, but I prefer the milder taste of shallot. If using onion and you want to soften its natural bite, soak the minced pieces in cool water for 5-10 minutes while you prepare everything else.
- Pistachios: If using unsalted pistachios, taste the salad and consider adding an extra pinch of sea salt to taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 817mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1329IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 6mg