Oven-Baked Salmon with Tomato Rice & Chickpea Salad

This wholesome dinner is as simple as it is satisfying. Start with salmon that’s lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika before being first seared in a pan, then gently baked until tender—just 7 minutes in a hot oven. Alongside it, you’ll enjoy fluffy rice cooked with bay leaf, then tossed with a punch of tomato paste and sautéed onion for savory depth. The side? A vibrant chickpea salad made with red onion, juicy tomato, parsley, rosemary, lemon juice and zest.

Bright, filling, and packed with flavor, this meal balances protein, grains, and vegetables—all in one balanced plate. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s your new go-to weeknight favorite.

• Prepare the salmon. Sprinkle the salmon with pepper, salt, and paprika. First, the salmon should be lightly browned in a pan. Then put it in a preheated oven to 190-200 degrees and bake (about 7 minutes) until cooked.
• Prepare the salad. Rinse the chickpeas. Chop the red onion and add to the chickpeas. Add dried vegetables, parsley, and rosemary, and mix well. Squeeze the juice of a lemon and add to the salad. Add the lemon zest. Add pepper and salt. Mix well.
• Prepare the garnish. Wash the rice well. Cook for 10 minutes along with the bay leaf. It has to be added so that the rice has a good flavor. Remove the water from the rice. Then add tomato paste and onion, which will need to be sliced in advance.

It’s done! You can substitute some ingredients with others, try experimenting.