Prepare ingredients: drain the tuna well (press gently with a fork to remove excess water) then flake it into large chunks. Drain and, if canned, rinse the chickpeas briefly and pat them dry. Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, mince the red onion and garlic, chop the parsley and halve the olives. Rinsing and drying the chickpeas and vegetables prevents a watery salad and ensures the dressing clings to the ingredients.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together the 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisking emulsifies the oil and lemon and helps marry the flavors; the acid from the lemon brightens the dish and helps season the tuna and chickpeas through.

Warm (optional) and season the chickpeas: if you prefer a slightly toasted flavor, place the chickpeas in a small skillet over medium heat with a drizzle (about 1 tsp) of olive oil and cook, stirring, for 3–5 minutes until they are just warmed and beginning to smell nutty. Warming opens their pores so they absorb more dressing; skip this step if you want a fully chilled salad.

Combine salad base: in a medium mixing bowl add the chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, minced red onion and halved olives. Toss gently to combine — tossing before adding the tuna helps distribute the dressing more evenly among the hearty vegetables and beans.

Add tuna and dressing: add the flaked tuna on top of the vegetables and pour the dressing evenly over everything. Using a fork, fold the tuna into the other ingredients in large, gentle strokes — this preserves pleasing tuna chunks rather than turning everything into a puree.

Finish with herbs and rest: sprinkle the chopped parsley over the salad and give the mixture one more gentle toss. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes (or chill for up to 1 hour) so the lemon-olive oil dressing can mellow and the flavors come together — resting is an easy step that makes a noticeable difference in flavor integration.

Taste and adjust: before serving taste for seasoning — add more salt, lemon or olive oil as needed. If you like, finish with a crack of fresh black pepper and a small drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or a scattering of crumbled feta for a creamier, tangier finish.

Serve: divide the salad between two plates or bowls. This salad works beautifully on a bed of baby greens, stuffed into pita, spooned onto crostini or alongside grilled fish or chicken for a larger meal.