Vegan Chicken Salad with Chickpeas
Chicken salad is a classic comfort food. However if you are vegetarian or vegan, making traditional chicken salad is out of the question. Luckily, there's a delicious substitution you can make to this popular recipe so you can enjoy your own salad without meat. This vegan chicken salad with chickpeas recipe is a delicious way to enjoy a chicken salad sandwich without the need for chicken at all.
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What Do I Need to Make Vegan Chicken Salad?
This delicious recipe is packed with flavor and protein, making it a great lunch option. In addition to being vegan, this faux chicken salad is also gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and soy free! Here's what you need to make vegan chicken salad:
- Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Halved grapes
- Chopped celery
- Diced yellow onion
- Chopped pecans
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic powder
- Poppy seeds
- Salt
Looking for more great vegan recipes? Give these reader favorites a try:
Curried Chickpea Vegan Wraps | One Pot Vegan Chili Mac | Easy to Make Vegan Bolognese
How Do I Make this Vegan Chicken Salad Recipe?
After gathering up all your ingredients, this no-bake recipe is simple to make. Just mix up the dressing, combine all the salad ingredients, and enjoy.
Step One: Combine Salad Ingredients
Start by combining all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chickpeas, grapes, celery, yellow onion, and pecans to the bowl, then stir to combine.
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Step Two: Prepare the Dressing
In a separate bowl, add the vegan mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, poppy seeds, and salt. Whisk the ingredients together until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
Step Three: Dress the Chickpea Salad
Pour the dressing over the top of the salad ingredients and stir or toss to coat. If you don't plan on eating the chickpea salad right away, cover the bowl and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat.
Vegan Chicken Salad Substitutions
The beauty of this simple recipe is that you can change it up to suit your tastes and dietary needs! Try these additions and substitutions for even more options:
- Leave out the pecans: To make this dish completely nut-free, simply leave the pecans out of the recipe. They add a nice crunch to your salad, but aren't necessary for the recipe to work.
- Add other nuts or seeds: Alternately, you can opt to use different nuts or seeds in this chickpea salad recipe for even more flavor! Try adding pepitas or sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, or walnuts to your salad for more protein and added flavor.
- Mix in dried fruit: To give your salad some sweetness, stir in a handful of dried fruit. Using dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins is a great way to add more texture and sweetness to the chicken salad.
How to Serve Vegan Chicken Salad
Now that you have your chicken salad prepared, you may be wondering what's the best way to serve it. Just like traditional chicken salad, there are tons of delicious ways to eat your chickpea salad!
- As a sandwich: The most popular option for serving chicken salad is as a sandwich. Use your favorite vegan or gluten free bread and spread the salad over the top. Add some lettuce, microgreens, or bean sprouts to the top for even more flavor and crunch.
- On crackers: Another delicious way to enjoy your chicken salad is on top of your favorite vegan crackers. Grab a cracker, spread a little bit of salad on top, and pop it in your mouth.
- In a pita: Cut a whole wheat pita in half and stuff the chicken salad inside. Add some lettuce, bean sprouts, tomato, or microgreens and enjoy like a sandwich.
- In a wrap: Scoop a small amount of the chickpea salad in the center of a whole wheat tortilla. Add your favorite toppings, then wrap the filling up inside the tortilla to create a delicious faux chicken salad wrap.
- Make a salad. Fill a bowl with lettuce, then top the greens with the chickpea mixture. Stir it up and enjoy a vegan salad for lunch.
- Lettuce boats: Or use leaves of roman lettuce to create chicken salad lettuce boats. Fill the center of your lettuce leaves with salad and enjoy it as a healthy meal.
How long does vegan chicken salad last?
Once made, this vegan chicken salad can last three to five days in the refrigerator. To ensure all the ingredients stay fresh, store the leftover salad in an airtight container until you're ready to eat it again.
What is the best vegan mayonnaise?
Since traditional mayonnaise is made with eggs, you'll need to find a good substitution for this vegan chicken salad recipe. Luckily, there are a few different vegan mayonnaise options to choose from. These vegan substitutes are typically made with nuts and oils instead of eggs, making them the perfect option for this salad recipe. Traditional mayonnaise brands, like Hellman's, offer a vegan option. Or you can use Earth Balance Mindful Dressing and Sandwich Spread, Follow Your Heart Veganaise, or JUST Mayo.
Vegan Chicken Salad with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup seedless red grapes halved
- 3 tablespoons celery chopped
- 3 tablespoons yellow onion diced
- 3 tablespoons pecans coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine chickpeas, grapes, celery, onion and pecans in a medium bowl.
- Prepare dressing for salad in a small bowl by combining vegan mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder and poppy seeds.
- Add dressing to salad. Toss to coat all of the ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
