Vegan chicken salad is one of my favorite fridge staples. This cooling summer salad is loaded with shredded jackfruit, protein-packed chickpeas, fresh veggies, and my homemade seasoned mayo. For a quick vegan snack or easy lunch, enjoy it on a sandwich, spread on crackers, wrapped in lettuce leaves, or straight out of the bowl! Vegan chicken salad is obsession-worthy!
You may not know this about me but, my first job as a teenager was at a small-chain sandwich shop —Togo’s.
This was, of course, in my pre-vegan days and where I fell in love with chicken salad sandwiches.
In fact, it was my ONLY experience with chicken salad. But at the time it was the best!
Needless to say, I haven’t had one in years.
A few weeks ago I made a batch of apple walnut chickpea salad and it rekindled my old love for chicken salad. I immediately knew I had to recreate a vegan version to satisfy my newly-growing craving.
So, here you have it ––Vegan Chicken Salad just as delicious as I remember.
Actually, I think this recipe is even BETTER than I remember!
What goes in vegan chicken salad?
This vegan twist on a classic cold salad is made with shredded jackfruit for a 'chicken-like’ texture and chickpeas for added protein.
Diced onion, celery, dill relish, and almond slivers round out the salad and give it a pleasant crunch.
Combine everything together with my oil-free homemade vegan mayo for an amazing flavor combination. (Of course, you can use your favorite store-bought mayo.)
How do I prepare the jackfruit and chickpeas?
Shredding, then baking the jackfruit and chickpeas will produce the most authentic shredded chicken texture. I use a food processor to pulse the jackfruit and chickpeas.
- First, pulse the chickpeas by themselves to not over process.
- Then pulse the jackfruit. This will ensure the best consistency.
- Spread the vegan "chicken" filling onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of onion powder, salt, and pepper, then slide it into the oven.
- Bake until the mixture has a dry appearance, about 20 minutes.
Now it's time to make some vegan chicken salad.
How easy is it to make vegan chicken salad?
This creamy salad comes together in 3 easy steps.
- Shred the chickpeas and jackfruit.
- Bake the vegan “chicken” mix for best texture.
- Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix.
And if you have the patience, chill for at least an hour before enjoying.
That’s it!
Enjoy this cold vegan salad...
- as a sandwich
- with crackers
- on lettuce leaves
- in a wrap
- as a salad topping
- on a croissant
- in a pita pocket
The options are almost endless!
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Vegan Chicken Salad
Vegan chicken salad is loaded with shredded jackfruit, protein-packed chickpeas, fresh veggies, and homemade seasoned mayo. For a quick vegan snack or easy lunch, enjoy it on a sandwich, spread on crackers, wrapped in a lettuce leaf, or straight out of the bowl!
Ingredients
- 1 (20oz) can young green jackfruit in water, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
- 1 cup homemade vegan mayo (or store-bought)
- 3 Tablespoons dill relish
- 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
'Chicken' seasoning
- 1/3-1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas a few times to break them up a bit. Careful not to over-process or you’ll end up with mush.
- Add the chickpeas to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Now, add the jackfruit to the emptied food processor. Pulse a few times to break up and roughly shred the jackfruit. Add the shredded jackfruit to the baking sheet with the chickpeas. Season the mix with the above “chicken" seasoning: salt, onion powder, and pepper.
- Bake the vegan “chicken” mix at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until your preferred texture.
- In the meantime, chop the veggies.
- Remove the baked jackfruit and chickpeas from the oven. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.
- To the bowl, add in the remaining ingredients: celery, onion, mayo, relish, and maple syrup.
- Mix everything together until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Lastly, mix in the almond slivers.
- Chill before serving if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Enjoy!
Notes
- I use and prefer the flavor of Trader Joe's canned jackfruit.
- If you’re using store-bought mayo, you may want to add extra onion and garlic powder to the mix for more flavor.
- Add up to an extra 1/2 cup vegan mayo to achieve desired consistency.
- If you’re using my homemade vegan mayo I suggest making a double batch. I’ve noticed the salad can absorb the moisture in the mayo after sitting in the fridge overnight. This can make the whole salad appear dry. If that happens simply add more mayo, then season with salt, pepper, and sweetener to taste.
- Leftover homemade vegan mayo can be used in potato salad, as a sandwich spread, or seasoned and thinned to create ranch dressing.
- To avoid turning on the oven, you can gather the jackfruit up in cheesecloth, a nut bag, or a thin kitchen towel and squeeze out the extra moisture. The chickpeas should be carefully towel-dried while they’re still whole and before adding to the food processor. This will produce a slightly different texture and taste. I definitely recommend the baking method for best results.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 182Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 414mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 7gSugar: 16gProtein: 8g
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
Teresa
I have the best chicken salad recipe I’ve missed so much since I stopped eating meat. Excited to try this one! Have you tried this without the chickpeas? My man doesn’t like them but maybe they’ll be disguised?
Marlena Luna
I haven’t tried it without the chickpeas. If he really hates chickpeas you can try replacing them with another can of jackfruit. After it is all mixed up give it a taste and adjust any seasoning if needed. Let us know how it comes out! Enjoy, Teresa!!
Elaine
This is a game changer, I am always looking for a new way to make vegan lunch box sandwiches. This "chicken" salad is the best one I have found by far. Thank you , thank you, thank you.
Where you get your protein
That’s great to hear! I’m so glad you loved the recipe! :)
Lucy
Omg growing up in California I loved Togo’s once upon a time. Obsessed with their tuna - do you have a mock tuna salad recipe? I have tried other mock chicken salad and never used jackfruit. Look forward to trying it.
Where you get your protein
I definitely ate my share of sandwiches working there! I don’t have a tuna yet, but you can alter this recipe a bit to replicate Togo’s version.
Just omit the fresh onion, celery, almonds and maple syrup. Then swap out the dill relish for sweet relish. Personally I’d enjoy it like that, but if you want a more authentic taste add some black salt, granulated kelp, or dried seaweed.