Vegan Chicken Salad
Vegan chicken salad is packed with shredded jackfruit, protein-rich chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and homemade seasoned mayo. It's a quick and easy vegan snack or lunch.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 20-ounce can young green jackfruit in water drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 cup homemade vegan mayo or store-bought
- 3 Tablespoons dill relish
- 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Salt and pepper to taste
'Chicken' Seasoning
- ⅓ to ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Now, drain, rinse, and squeeze dry the jackfruit. Then drain, rinse, and pat dry the chickpeas.
- 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. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the jackfruit to the emptied food processor (no need to wipe it out). 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 mixture with the 'chicken' seasoning.⅓ to ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, ¾ teaspoon onion powder, pepper to taste
- Bake the jackfruit mix at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until your preferred texture. Keep an eye on it as it cooks and mix when the top starts looking too dry.
- 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.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, mixing the almonds in last to keep them from breaking too much.2 celery stalks, ¼ cup red onion, 1 cup homemade vegan mayo, 3 Tablespoons dill relish, 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup, ¼ cup sliced almonds, Salt and pepper to taste
- For the best taste, chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- I use and prefer 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.
- For a creamier salad, add extra mayo (up to ½ cup) and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- If you’re using my homemade vegan mayo, I suggest making a double batch so you have enough. I’ve noticed the salad can absorb the moisture in the mayo after sitting in the fridge overnight. If that happens, 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 as ranch dip.
- To avoid turning on the oven, gather the jackfruit up in cheesecloth, a nut bag, or a thin kitchen towel and squeeze out the extra moisture. For the chickpeas, they should be carefully towel-dried while they’re still whole and before adding to the food processor. However, this will produce a slightly different texture and taste. I highly recommend the baking method for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 414mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g