This chickpea salad is so simple, and it comes together in something like 10 minutes.  It's well balanced in flavor and acidity.  It can be left unrefrigerated, making it perfect for a packed lunch or a picnic, and it's hearty enough to be a main course.  It could be a side dish, served maybe with some grilled chicken or fish, but I've never even bothered with that.  You could also serve it with some spinach or mixed greens to add even more salad-y goodness.  If you like chickpeas, you will love this.  They're practically made for lemon, herbs, and olive oil.

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs
from Bon Appetit

makes 2 servings

The beauty of this basic recipe is that it can be tweaked in numerous ways. For a spicy version, add some sriracha sauce. Try swapping out the lemon juice for lime juice and use feta cheese instead of Parmesan and mix in some chopped fresh cilantro and chopped red onion or shallot. For a curried chickpea salad, leave out the Parmesan and add curry powder to taste, dried currants, sliced green onions, and shredded carrots.

1 15-to 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse kosher salt


Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD: Chickpea salad can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

• I'll often use chickpeas that I have prepared from dried beans, both for the cost effectiveness and the other awesome things I can do with chickpeas, such as hummus or roasting them for a snack (more on that later).  I think a pound would yield something like 4-5 cans' worth of chickpeas.  
• This last time I didn't have any fresh garlic, but found out that granulated garlic works well too- 1/4-1/2 tsp, depending on how garlicky you like things.  

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