Juicy grilled chicken, charred bell peppers, creamy beans, and scallions are tossed in a bright, tangy chimichurri for an easy summer meal packed with protein and fiber. Serve it as-is, spoon it over grains or greens, or tuck it into a wrap with lettuce, plenty of cheese, and avocado. It’s the perfect make-ahead lunch or dinner—the flavors only get better with time, and it’s easy to pack for a picnic or camping.
Ingredient highlight
Beans! One of the simplest (and cheapest) ways to boost both protein and fiber, along with complex carbs, folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
New to beans? Start small and work your way up so your digestion can adapt.
P.S. Salt them well. Most “bland bean” situations are just under-seasoned — beans love salt.
Servings 4 – 5 cups (serves 4-5)
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
For the chicken/peppers:
- 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 2 heaping cups cooked)
- 2-3 bell peppers cut into slabs (about 1 cup cooked)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the chimichurri:
- 2 cups loosely packed mixed herbs (parsley and/or cilantro)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 clove garlic
For the salad:
- 1 (15 oz can) of beans, drained and rinsed (about 1.5 cups)
- ½ bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- Grated, chopped, or crumbled cheese, for topping
- Serve with: ~ cooked grains, a bed of greens, roasted potatoes, toast, or turn it into a wrap (and plenty of cheese and maybe some avocado).
Instructions
- Heat your grill on high for at least 10 minutes.
- In a bowl or on a baking sheet, add the chicken and bell pepper slabs. Drizzle all over with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss to coat well.
- Once the grill has heated up, arrange the chicken and peppers on the grates, cover, and grill for about 4 minutes or until the meat easily releases from the grates. Flip and repeat, taking the peppers off early if they are nicely charred. Transfer everything to a cutting board to cool off a bit.
- Meanwhile, add all chimichurri ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend starting on low and increasing to high until smooth.
- Chop the chicken and the peppers into bite-sized pieces, then add to a large bowl. Add the beans, scallions, and chimichurri. Toss to coat well.
- Serve the salad on its own or with any of the serving suggestions. Top with cheese and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the chimichurri
- Cut the peppers into slabs
- Grill the chicken and peppers
- Thinly slice ½ bunch scallions
- Make the salad
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, grill or roast tofu in place of chicken or double down on the beans and bell peppers.
- Use any grilled and chopped protein in place of chicken (steak, pork, etc…)
- Sub bell peppers with any veggie that you like to grill (about 1 cup worth cooked)
- Not into beans? Use an ¾-1 pound of chicken and an extra bell pepper or other veggie.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Eat it straight out of the fridge or let it come to room temp (you can pop in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to take the chill off).
- Make it a wrap! Add a scoop along with some cheese, lettuce and avocado.
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