Vegan Chicken Salad (Printable Version)
Plant-based chicken salad with mashed chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a creamy dairy-free dressing. Ready in 15 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
03 - ½ cup red grapes, halved (or dried cranberries)
04 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
05 - ¼ cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)
06 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
08 - ⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar
12 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, roughly mash the drained chickpeas using a fork or potato masher, leaving some whole beans intact for varied texture.
02 - Add the diced celery, halved grapes, red onion, walnuts or almonds, cucumber, and chopped parsley to the mashed chickpeas. Toss gently to combine.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
04 - Pour the dressing over the chickpea and vegetable mixture, stirring thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to suit your preference.
06 - Serve chilled over fresh greens, scooped into a sandwich, or rolled inside a flour tortilla wrap.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The creamy dressing is so convincing that even my mayo-loyal uncle asked for seconds before realizing it was entirely plant-based.
- It comes together in fifteen minutes with zero cooking, which means you can make it while your coffee is still brewing.
02 -
- Do not skip draining and rinsing the chickpeas, because the canned liquid will make your dressing taste metallic and bitter.
- Mashing too aggressively creates a paste, so stop while you still have visible chunks for the best mouthfeel.
03 -
- Lightly toast the walnuts or almonds in a dry pan for three minutes before adding them, because that one extra step makes the entire salad taste richer.
- Let the finished salad rest in the fridge for at least thirty minutes before eating, as the dressing needs time to soak into the chickpeas.