Vegan Chicken Salad (Printer-Friendly)
Mashed chickpeas with crisp veggies in a creamy dairy-free dressing, ready in 15 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
03 - 1/2 cup red grapes, halved (or dried cranberries)
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)
06 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
08 - 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar
12 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, roughly mash the drained chickpeas using a fork or potato masher, leaving some whole beans intact for a satisfying, chunky texture.
02 - Add the finely diced celery, halved grapes, diced red onion, walnuts or almonds, diced 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, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the chickpea and vegetable mixture, stirring thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to suit your preference.
06 - Serve chilled over a bed of fresh greens, scooped into a sandwich, or wrapped in a flour tortilla.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is surprisingly convincing, thanks to partially mashed chickpeas that mimic shredded chicken without any weird processing.
- You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry and fridge right now, which makes it an ideal last minute meal.
02 -
- Overmashing the chickpeas into a paste is the most common mistake, and it turns the salad into something closer to hummus, which is delicious but not what you are going for here.
- Letting the finished salad sit in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes before serving makes a noticeable difference because the flavors marry and the dressing soaks into the chickpeas.
03 -
- Toast your nuts in a dry skillet for three to four minutes before adding them, because that one extra step takes them from background noise to the best part of every bite.
- Reserve a tablespoon of the chickpea liquid and whisk it into the dressing for extra creaminess without adding more mayo.