Simply pan fried salmon is a joy to eat, and it pairs beautifully with these buttered chickpeas with rainbow chard – so easy to make (with just 5 ingredients!) and gorgeous on the plate!
Fish resting of a bed of good things is one of my favourite dishes to make and eat – see Ratatouille with Sea Bass and Goats Cheese, Baked Cod with Creamy Chorizo Beans or Pan Fried Sea Bass with Olive Linguine. It’s easy to make but looks restaurant standard!
Rainbow chard is one of those lovely vegetables that look incredible, but it can be tricky to find recipes to use it in. Well, look no further.

Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
- Olive oil – this is used to start the cooking of both the chard and the salmon.
- Rainbow chard – if you grow rainbow chard in your garden, brilliant! If not, you can get it from your local greengrocer or supermarket when it’s in season. If you can’t get hold of any, you can use kale instead.
- Chickpeas – use tinned or canned chickpeas. In the U.K., 800 grams is equivalent to two tins of chickpeas in water. If you want to use dried chickpeas, you can, but you will need to precook them.
- Butter – a small knob of butter transforms these chickpeas into a creamy delight. You’re going to be amazed!
- Salmon fillets – use boneless fillets if you can (for the joy of eating), but make sure the skin is still on. This will go beautifully crispy in the pan to add some wonderful texture.
Salmon With Buttered Chickpeas and Rainbow Chard

Crispy skinned pan fried salmon on top of simply buttered chickpeas and rainbow chard. Just 5 ingredients, and ready in less than 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 200 grams rainbow chard
- 800 grams chickpeas tinned or canned
- 20 grams butter
- 2 salmon fillets
Instructions
- Put one tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Chop the rainbow chard into 1-2 inch pieces and add to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas (if you have 2 tins, drain one. Pour the water from the other into the pan along with the chickpeas). Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the butter to the chickpeas. Stir until melted in, then taste before seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to low before cooking the salmon.
- Put the remaining tablespoon of oil into a frying pan over a medium heat. Season the salmon with salt then put them skin side down in the pan. Cook for 5 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 30 seconds.
- To serve, spoon the chickpeas into bowls then top with the salmon.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 1112kcalCarbohydrates: 113gProtein: 71gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 380mgPotassium: 2379mgFiber: 32gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 6542IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 270mgIron: 15mg
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A healthy, delicious bowl of food!