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    Home » Main Courses

    Vegan “Chicken” Salad

    Published: Apr 2, 2020 · Modified: Sep 15, 2022 by Larisha Bernard · This post may contain affiliate links · 34 Comments

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    This easy vegan “chicken” salad is super easy to make, just one bowl! Less than 10 ingredients and can be Top 8 Free.

    Easy chicken salad sandwich with lettuce and red onions halved and stacked on top of another.

    Some people may find it “odd” that people that give up meat, whether for dietary needs or preferences that would want to find a mock option for a meal.  However, I’ll tell you that no matter what you have to give up (again, for allergies or choice) you always want to have things that remind you of what you remember before those choices.  This Vegan Chicken Salad is one of those things for many. 

    This vegan chickpea salad is made with under 10 ingredients and comes together in about 15 minutes.  It’s perfect for meal prep, one needs one bowl, and can be free of all major allergens. 

    Prefect for the summer when you don’t feel like cooking, to take on trips, or have a picnic, this vegan chicken salad sandwich recipe will be one to make over and over again. 

    A chickpea salad sandwich on a cutting board.

    What ingredients do you need for this vegan chicken salad?

    Some of the best recipes are those that you don’t need many ingredients for, this is one of them.  What’s even better is that about half the ingredients are spices, which is even easier for you to make.  The ingredients that you need for this vegan chickpea salad sandwich are: 

    • chickpeas
    • celery
    • vegan mayo
    • lemon juice
    • dried dill 
    • garlic powder
    • Italian seasoning
    • salt
    • pepper
    • walnuts (optional)
    Uncut vegan chickpea chicken salad on a board.

    How do you make vegan chicken salad?

    To start, you want to drain and rinse your chickpeas.  Then, mash them well with the back of a fork.  To make this easier, you could also use a food processor, but you want flaky chickpeas and nothing close to resembling hummus, so pulsing is best. 

    Once you have your chickpeas ready, add in the chopped celery, with mayo, lemon juice, and all the seasoning. If adding chopped walnuts, also add that in now.  

    Combine everything really well. Taste the mixture and adjust any seasonings.  It can be eaten right away, but we love letting it set overnight and let the flavors come together more. 

    Serve as desired (ideas below). 

    *Another option that a lot of people like are quartered red grapes, we didn’t show that in the photos, but you could absolutely add some in to this vegan chicken salad sandwich recipe. 

    vegan chicken salad sandwich with red onions and parsley.

    What do you serve vegan chicken salad on?

    The most common way to eat this is a vegan chicken salad sandwich.  Put the mixture in between two slices of bread or toast.  

    Other ideas are: 

    • on crackers 
    • on top on a salad 
    • put on top of cucumbers
    • inside a pita 
    • roll up into a flour or corn soft taco shell 

    Get creative! 

    What are sides that go with this vegan chickpea salad?

    There are endless possibilities to serve with this vegan sandwich recipe.  We often love to just serve it with potato chips, like these crunchy kale chips, or a light salad. Even some raw veggies would be perfect with our dairy free ranch dressing. 

    Other ideas are: 

    • Vegan Potato Salad
    • Cucumber and Tomato Salad
    • Italian Vegan Pasta Salad
    • Spicy Corn on the Cob
    • Cucumber Salad
    • Tomato Quinoa Salad 
    A chickpea salad sandwich on a cutting board.

    Can I make this Top 8 Allergen friendly?

    This recipe is allergen friendly and can be made Top 8 Free.  Because our recipes are written as vegan, they are already egg and dairy free. 

    You need to ensure that the mayo that you use is soy free (or you can make your own top 8 free mayo). Also, just omit the walnuts or replace with sunflower seeds.  

    These two swaps will make this a Top 8 Allergen free meal. 

    Can I meal prep this vegan chicken salad ahead of time?

    Yes!  This vegan chickpea salad sandwich recipe is actually better prepared a day in advanced at least.  It will also keep for at least 5 days in the fridge (if you can hold out on eating it that long!)

    What are other vegan sandwiches to try?

    If you are in the mood for breakfast – this bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit is perfect (yes, completely vegan!). The ultimate summer grilling recipe has to be our Classic Vegan Black Bean Burger (It’s the BEST!) Or, try this Vegan Masala Sandwich.

    Pin this vegan chicken salad for later:

    Easy chicken salad sandwich with lettuce and red onions halved and stacked on top of another.
    Print Recipe
    4.92 from 23 votes

    Vegan Chicken Salad

    This easy vegan “chicken” salad is super easy to make, just one bowl! Less than 10 ingredients and can be Top 8 Free.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time0 minutes mins
    Total Time15 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6 ½ cup servings
    Calories: 293kcal
    Author: Larisha Bernard

    Ingredients

    • 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
    • ½ cup vegan mayo
    • ¼ cup walnuts, chopped (OPTIONAL)
    • 1 juice of a lemon
    • ½ tsp dried dill
    • ½ tsp pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Mash chickpeas well with the back of a fork.

      *To make this easier, you could also use a food processor, but you want flaky chickpeas and nothing close to resembling hummus, so pulsing is best.
    • Add in chopped celery, mayo, lemon juice, and all the seasonings. If adding chopped walnuts, also add that in now.
    • Combine everything really well.
    •  Taste the mixture and adjust any seasonings.
    • Serve or let chill in fridge in air tight container for up to 5 days. 

    Video

    Notes

    **Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 
    **See post for ideas on how to serve and other tips.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 7g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 10.3mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2.1mg

    Let’s see your creations!
    Share to Instagram and tag us @makeitdairyfree so we can see and share it!

    Collage of A vegan chickpea chicken salad.

    This post was originally published on 5/8/2019 and updated on 4/2/2020.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rainbow Vegan17

      January 06, 2023 at 1:39 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy to make! I’ve made other vegan chicken salad in the past and the taste is always off. This one is delicious!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        January 10, 2023 at 9:29 pm

        Love to hear that so much

        Reply
    2. Jasmine

      June 15, 2022 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      This is absolutely my FAVORITE “chicken” salad to make now! Larisha is a genius! This is flavorful, savory, filling, super easy to make and versatile. I’ve put on crackers, croissants, lettuce, toast, and even tortillas— nothing is off limits for me with this recipe! You have GOT to make this one.

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        June 22, 2022 at 9:31 pm

        ahhh love this so much! Thank you for sharing

        Reply
    3. Tara

      June 14, 2022 at 5:50 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely perfect make ahead lunch or summer dinner recipe. We had it scooped onto salad and took it to work and school in wraps with baby spinach and a slice of avocado. Your recipes are my family’s favorite every time.

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        June 22, 2022 at 9:34 pm

        We love to hear that ! Thank you

        Reply
    4. Deb

      May 26, 2022 at 1:47 pm

      This is so delicious! OMG!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        May 27, 2022 at 11:10 am

        So happy to hear that!

        Reply
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