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overhead shot of orange, fennal and crispy chickpea salad with feta

Orange, Fennel & Chickpea Salad with Feta

A bright winter salad of juicy oranges, shaved fennel, smoky crispy chickpeas, fresh herbs and salty feta, finished with a sharp citrus dressing.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: Modern Mediterranean
Keyword: chickpea salad with feta, citrus salad, crispy chickpea salad, fennel salad, feta salad, healthy salad recipe, light lunch recipe, make ahead salad, mediterranean salad, orange fennel chickpea salad, orange fennel salad, roasted chickpeas, salad with oranges, vegetarian lunch, vegetarian salad, winter salad
Servings: 4
Calories: 638kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 6 –8 regular oranges or clementines or a mix
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs
  • 1 small red onion or 2 shallots very thinly sliced
  • 200 g feta crumbled or torn into small chunks
  • Small bunch fresh dill roughly chopped
  • Small bunch flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
  • Fennel fronds reserved from the bulbs, if you have them
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For the crispy chickpeas

  • 2 x 400g tins chickpeas drained, rinsed and dried well
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika or ground cumin
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes optional
  • ½ tsp salt

For the citrus dressing

  • Juice of 2 oranges about 100ml
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Pinch of chilli flakes optional

Instructions

Roast the chickpeas

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Pat the drained chickpeas very dry with a clean tea towel — this helps them crisp properly.

Season the chickpeas

  • Toss the chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika or cumin, chilli flakes if using, and salt until well coated.

Crisp in the oven

  • Spread the chickpeas on a baking tray in a single layer and roast for 20–25 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and crisp. Leave them to cool on the tray while you prepare the salad.

Prepare the citrus

  • Slice the oranges or clementines into rounds about ½cm thick, or segment them into chunky pieces. Reserve any juice that pools on the board for the dressing.

Shave the fennel

  • Trim the fennel bulbs, removing any tough outer layers. Reserve the fronds for garnish, then slice the fennel very thinly using a mandoline or sharp knife.

Slice the onion

  • Very thinly slice the red onion or shallots.

Make the dressing

  • Whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey or maple syrup until combined. Add the olive oil and whisk again until emulsified. Season with salt, black pepper and chilli flakes if using, then taste and adjust.

Assemble the salad

  • In a large bowl or on a serving platter, layer the shaved fennel, onion, orange slices and most of the herbs, reserving some herbs to finish.

Dress gently

  • Drizzle generously with the citrus dressing and toss gently so everything is lightly coated without breaking up the oranges.

Finish and serve

  • Scatter the crispy chickpeas over the top just before serving, then add the feta, reserved herbs, fennel fronds, black pepper and a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt.

Notes

Hey Lolly's Kitchen Tips
  • Dry the chickpeas properly before roasting. Any extra moisture will stop them crisping.
  • Add the chickpeas just before serving so they keep their crunch.
  • Slice the fennel as thinly as you can; it should feel crisp and delicate rather than chunky.
  • The salad components can be prepped ahead, but keep the dressing, chickpeas and feta separate until serving.
  • Blood oranges, clementines, regular oranges or even grapefruit all work — just adjust the dressing to taste.
  • If making it vegan, skip the feta and add tahini dollops, toasted seeds or extra crispy chickpeas for richness.

Nutrition

Calories: 638kcal
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