Step 1 — Rinse and Drain the Chickpeas Open both cans of chickpeas and pour them into a colander. Rinse very thoroughly under cold running water for a full minute, tossing gently, until the water runs completely clear. Shake off excess water and let them drain well. For extra-creamy chickpeas, pat them dry with a paper towel and remove the thin outer skins by gently pinching each one — this is optional but makes a beautiful textural difference.

Step 2 — Prep the Vegetables Dice the cucumber into uniform ½-inch pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the red bell pepper. Finely dice or thinly slice the red onion. If the raw onion flavor is very sharp, soak the pieces in cold water for 10 minutes while you prep everything else, then drain and pat dry.

Step 3 — Make the Lemon Oregano Dressing In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Whisk vigorously or seal and shake until fully combined and slightly emulsified. Taste and adjust — add more lemon for brightness, more olive oil for richness, or more oregano for depth.

Step 4 — Combine the Salad In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, red onion, and halved Kalamata olives. Pour the lemon oregano dressing over everything and toss well to coat all the ingredients evenly.

Step 5 — Add Herbs and Feta Add the chopped fresh parsley and mint and toss once more gently. Crumble the feta cheese generously over the top — add it last and fold it in gently or scatter it on top so it stays in visible, creamy chunks rather than breaking down completely into the salad.

Step 6 — Rest and Serve Let the salad rest for at least 15–20 minutes before serving to allow the chickpeas and vegetables to absorb the dressing and the flavors to develop and meld beautifully. Taste once more and adjust seasoning before serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled directly from the refrigerator.