This easy recipe for warm chicken and green bean salad can be customized all kinds of delicious ways! Hearty grains and cheese round out this perfect lunch or light supper.

This recipe for warm chicken and green bean salad was born one day when I had a bowl of leftover green beans in my fridge, and since I have a strict No Ingredient Left Behind rule in my house, I was pondering what I could do with them other than serve them on the side of something else.
Then I spied a hunk of feta cheese in my fridge as well, and the wheels started turning…what if I poached a chicken breast, shredded it up into bite-sized pieces, and then tossed it with the beans and the feta? And maybe some grains for extra heartiness?
And a little olive oil and a big dash of oregano?
And a little while later I had a bowl of warm chicken salad deliciousness.
Now, if you also have leftover chicken in your fridge you can absolutely use that as well, either cold, room temperature or warmed up in a little chicken broth if you want to keep true to the warm vibe of this recipe.
I’ve put directions in the recipe below for my tried and true way to poach a chicken breast, which is the way I make this salad most of the time. It always yields the most tender chicken, which is key to a top-rate chicken salad.
Here’s how you make this recipe
Pop a boneless chicken breast in a pot and cover it with water. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper – if I am feeling especially fancy, I also toss in a carrot and/or a piece of celery and onion.
Bring it to a boil, let it simmer for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat and let the chicken stay in the water until the water is just barely warm.
Now scoop out the chicken and shred it into bite sized piece.
Next, toss it in a bowl with some cooked green beans, a handful of feta cheese, and your grain of choice. My grain of choice is almost always farro, which I continue to have a major crush on, but you can also use brown rice or barley – this recipe is all kinds of flexible.
You can also sub in goat cheese for the feta, and I bet this would also be good with cherry tomatoes tossed in there. It’s freeform! You be you!
Once you have tossed the main ingredients together, drizzle on a teeny bit of olive oil, a generous pinch of oregano, season to taste with salt and pepper, and voila! Supper is ready.
You just never know where gazing into your fridge at containers of leftovers can lead…
Warm Chicken and Green Bean Salad
This easy recipe for warm chicken and green bean salad can be customized so many ways! Hearty grains and cheese round out this lunch or light supper.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half
- 2 cups cooked green beans
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 2 cups cooked farro, barley or brown rice – your choice!
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast in a pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and then let the chicken cool in the water until the water is just barely warm. Remove and shred into pieces.
- Combine the chicken with the beans, feta and grains in a bowl and toss.
- Drizzle with a little olive oil (a tablespoon or two will be enough) and the oregano and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
If you already have cooked chicken in your fridge, this is a great way to use it up! Shred and it either use it at room temp, or warm it up in a little chicken broth.
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying!
Theresa Murphy says
We love farro in our house, too! And you had me at feta! But your goat cheese suggestion works for me, too. Looking forward to more re-runs of the oldies but goodies recipes as you feed the family!
Cindy Meador says
Once again I am compelled to write to you. We just moved from our home of 22 years. We are currently living in a tiny one bedroom apartment until our home is completed. Moving was one of the most difficult and exhausting things we have ever done. Our home is not going to be ready until late October or early November. We are enjoying exploring and fixing up our bikes to take a ride. Truthfully we need this time to recover from the move. Cooking has been more fun since I am not distracted by packing and heart breaking goodbyes. Thanks for sharing your recipes. They are such a comfort for me.
Oh Cindy, I know just how you feel, all of it – including being grateful for the time in between getting here and moving in to the new house, just to get my bearings. I’m so glad you are finding comfort in cooking – me, too. xoxo
Martha in KS says
Glad you made it to NC safely. This recipe looks like something I’ll try as soon as local green beans hit the stores. Enjoy your new title – Head Chef!
Thank you and I definitely am! :)