Vegan Chicken Salad

Creamy chickpeas contrast with crisp celery, while a sprinkle of citrusy dill and the deep warmth of savory poultry seasoning pull big flavors in this vegan chicken salad recipe.

Whether enjoyed on a sandwich with leaves of crisp romaine lettuce, or eaten straight from the bowl with nothing more than a spoon, this vegan chicken salad recipe is a satisfying swap for the original. 

I’ve tried a lot of vegan meat alternatives over the years, from tasting as many of the Best Vegan Chicken Nuggets as I could find to rounding up Vegan Chicken Substitutes like tofu, soy curls, and jackfruit. And while so many of them are great, I always come back to a simple can of chickpeas when I’m making my classic vegan chicken salad. 

They have the perfect chunky yet creamy texture, and their savory flavor is the ideal canvas for my secret chicken salad ingredient: poultry seasoning! This woodsy, warm herb blend gives your salad the flavor of roasted chicken, without any of the meat of course. A dollop of vegan mayo acts as the silky sauce that pulls it all together. 

Ingredient Notes

• Canned chickpeas – Chickpeas have a firm yet creamy texture and savory, nutty taste that make a wonderful base for your vegan chicken salad recipe. Canned chickpeas make this recipe quick and easy; just be sure to drain and rinse them before using. If you prefer to make your own, you can cook dried garbanzo beans according to package directions, then let them cool before mashing. 
• Celery – For me, celery is a non-negotiable when making any type of vegan mayo-based salad! Its fresh flavor and juicy crunch give this salad loads of depth and texture.
• Red onion – Its sharp flavor can be divisive, but just a bit of chopped red onion will flavor your entire vegan chicken salad with sweet, savory flavor. Plus, the pop of purple breaks up the monotony of the pale colored ingredients nicely.  
• Spices – I use a combination of poultry seasoning, garlic powder, dried dill, salt, and black pepper to give this salad maximum flavor. Most poultry seasonings are a blend of herbs like sage, marjoram, thyme, and celery seed and sometimes other ingredients like mustard powder or paprika. There tends to be a lot of variation between brands and blends, but I have yet to try one I haven’t liked! 
• Apple cider vinegar – A dash of acidity balances the fat content of the vegan mayonnaise, lifting the flavor of your vegan chicken salad with a subtly sweet brightness. You could also use lemon juice or red wine vinegar instead. 
• Vegan mayonnaise – This is the all-important ingredient that brings all of your chicken salad components together into a creamy, savory salad. I once tried using unsweetened vegan yogurt instead of mayo, but it really turned out too tangy and not rich enough. Mayo is the way to go! 

Tips From Ligia

Mash your chickpeas by hand.

I have tried mashing them in my mini food processor, but no matter how careful I am, they lose their unique texture. The irregular consistency and larger pieces left by hand mashing them produces the best, meatiest texture for this plant-based chicken salad recipe.

Save the chickpea liquid! 

You can use it in recipes like Vegan Marshmallows, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, and Vegan Pop Tarts among others.

Vegan Chicken Salad

Ligia Lugo

4.3400 from 3 votes

Creamy chickpeas, crisp celery, citrusy dill, and savory poultry seasoning bring big flavors to this vegan chicken salad recipe.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Inactive time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 2

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Ingredients

  

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• 12 oz. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning blend
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried dill (or use 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Use a fork or potato masher to gently mash the chickpeas in a mixing bowl. Take care not to over-mash, as leaving some texture here will give you a better chicken salad consistency at the end.
• Add your chopped celery, chopped red onion, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, dill, black pepper cider vinegar, and vegan mayonnaise. Once the spices combine with the other ingredients, their aroma will bloom and you’ll know this one is going to be good!
• Gently stir until the spices are distributed and the salad ingredients are evenly coated in the rich mayo mixture. Let your salad rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes, then taste it and season with salt. I use about 1 teaspoon, but the amount your salad needs will depend on how salty your mayo is. You can also adjust the consistency here as you like, adding more mayo if you want a creamier salad.
• Serve your vegan chicken salad however you like, with crackers, in a wrap, or as a sandwich. My personal favorite: on a slice of toasted sourdough topped with fresh tomato and cucumber. Yum!

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Nutrition

Calories:723kcal, Carbohydrates:36g, Protein:10g, Fat:58g, Saturated Fat:6g, Polyunsaturated Fat:2g, Monounsaturated Fat:1g, Sodium:2140mg, Potassium:429mg, Fiber:9g, Sugar:2g, Vitamin A:201IU, Vitamin C:4mg, Calcium:105mg, Iron:3mg

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