This Vegan Chicken Salad will blow you away and it’s perfect for picnics! Made with a handful of simple ingredients, you can have it on the table in just 15 minutes.
If you love chickpea salad recipes as much as I do, make sure to check out my Curry Chickpea Salad, Chickpea Salad Sandwich and this hearty Chickpea and Avocado Salad.
This picnic-perfect Vegan Chicken Salad is ready in 15 minutes or less and tastes incredible! It’s easy to make with whole food ingredients, like mashed chickpeas, crunchy almonds, fruit, and vegan mayo. If you can resist eating it by the spoonful, use it as a hearty filling for wraps or sandwiches! Or my favorite – in a vegan croissant!
I was inspired by my Vegan Tuna Salad to replace the meat in this vegetarian chicken salad recipe with mashed chickpeas rather than vegan meat alternatives. They’re a game changer; once mashed, they give the salad a creamy, yet hearty consistency. Plus, they don’t affect the flavor and blend cohesively with the mayo, almonds, and other ingredients.
If you want an even more realistic “chicken” salad, use rehydrated chopped soy curls. Or my vegan chicken.
It’s no wonder why this recipe has over 45 5-star reviews! Just look at what these commenters have had to say:
- Kelly says, “This was a big hit at my home – everybody loved it and couldn’t believe it was vegan. So delicious!”
- Taylore says, “I have made this multiple times now and it’s a staple at our house!”
- Bonnie says, “One of the best chickpea salads I’ve made! Delicious!”
You’re sure to be blown away by the realistic flavors and textures in this vegan chickpea salad recipe. Give it a try yourself!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Raw slivered almonds – Blending nuts into the chicken salad adds a soft crunch to every bite. Head to the Variations section for more nuts you can use and nut free options that work here.
- Chickpeas – Use canned chickpeas to keep this recipe as easy as possible.
- Celery – For crunch! Go ahead and play with the veggies in this salad as much as you like. There are plenty of options to choose from in the FAQs section below.
- Red grapes – Or use green grapes if that’s what you already have on hand.
- Dried cherries – The tart sweetness of dried cherries balances the creamy and rich dressing. Dried cranberries or raisins are a wonderful substitute if you don’t have cherries.
- Vegan mayo – I like the salad best with my Vegan Cashew Mayo, but you can use store-bought vegan mayo or my Tofu Mayo. Plant based yogurt (plain) also works well.
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
How to make vegan chicken salad
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Pulse the slivered almonds in a food processor until they turn into crumbs. Next, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and pulse again until the mixture is flaky (some beans may be left whole – that’s okay!).
Transfer the almond-chickpea mixture to a large bowl and stir in the celery, grapes, dried cherries, vegan mayo, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Place the vegan chicken salad in the fridge for 30 minutes, if you can wait that long, then serve!
Tips for success
- Try not to pulse the almonds for too long in the food processor. You want them to have a crumbly texture. If they’re blended too long, they can turn into a powder or paste that will make the chicken salad taste gritty.
- The same goes when you add the chickpeas. You don’t want to over-process the beans so they’re pasty or smooth. It’s okay if some are left whole!
- If you don’t have a food processor, chop the almonds by hand, mash the chickpeas in a large bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients.
- You can deepen the flavor by toasting the almonds before pulsing them in the food processor.
- If you’re worried about the salad being too creamy, only stir in some of the mayo at a time until the creaminess is to your liking.
Serving suggestions
One of the best ways to serve vegan chicken salad is in sandwiches! Stick with regular sandwich bread or take your vegan chicken salad sandwiches up a notch with vegan croissants, sourdough, or homemade bread.
You can also stuff the salad into lettuce cups or on top of a bed of greens for a healthy lunch.
Did you end up with leftovers? Serve the salad as a dip with crackers or veggies!
Variations
- Instead of almonds – Use any other nut you have on hand, such as peanuts, pecans, walnuts, or cashews.
- Nut free – Use pepitas or sunflower seeds instead of almonds. The nuts can also be left out of the salad entirely, but it won’t have the same soft crunch.
- Oil free – Use vegan plain yogurt, my Tofu Mayo or Vegan Cashew Mayo to keep the chicken salad oil free.
- Herbs – Stir in fresh or dried dill, scallions, or parsley.
- More spices – Add extra flavor to the salad with even more seasonings, like garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasonings, Dijon mustard, curry powder, or seasoned salt.
Frequently asked questions
Fresh veggies are a must-have in chickpea chicken salad because they add a crunchy texture and extra flavor. I love this salad with celery, but you can also stir in shredded carrots, diced red or white onions, diced apples, or avocado.
Vegan chicken salad should always be served cold! The consistency is so much better and more appetizing after it’s been left to chill in the fridge.
You can store vegan chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Want more vegan picnic recipes?
Vegan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 celery ribs, diced small
- 1/2 cup red grapes, halved
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup Vegan Mayo
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from about 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the slivered almonds a few times until crumbly, but not so much they turn into a powder or paste.
- Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to the food processor with the almonds, and pulse a few times until flaky. You can leave a few beans whole; you don't want to over process and have the mixture become pasty and smooth. Just a few pulses will do.
- Add the almond/chickpea mixture to a large bowl and mix in the celery, grapes, dried cherries, vegan mayo, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve on croissants or bread with lettuce, on a salad or even with crackers. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you do not have a food processor, you can chop the almonds up with a large knife until small. Then, in a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork until flaky, and add the rest of the ingredients. It’s just a bit easier with a food processor.
- Allergic to almonds? Omit them, or sub cashews, pepitas, or sunflower seeds. They add a nice crunch.
- I like this best with my Vegan Cashew Mayo, but you can use store bought vegan mayo or my Tofu Mayo if you like. Plain vegan yogurt also works well.
This was great, I absolutely loved the addition of grapes and dried cherries
Another great recipe, Nora, thank you so much! We didn’t have dried cranberries sadly but it worked beautifully without them. We added some onion crunchies since my husband loves onions and that was delish too. We only had about a quarter cup of mayo and it worked great. Thanks again–it’s a perfect hot summer no-cook dinner.
Hi Katie. You are welcome! The onion crunchies sound so good! Thanks for sharing your great feedback and review! I’m so glad you love the chicken salad.
This was a big hit at my home – everybody loved it and couldn’t believe it was vegan. So delicious!
Nora, thank you so much for this recipe! I have made it dozens of times over the last couple of years — I just finished making another batch now — and I figured it is finally time for me to say THANKS! I always make it using your Tofu Mayo recipe, and I frequently sub diced apple for the grapes. Super easy and delicious. You are a vegan food genius — thanks for sharing your creative and delicious recipes with us!
You are so welcome, Angie! What wonderful words 🙂 Thank you for using my recipe and I’m so happy to hear how much you love the “chicken” salad!
I just looked through the comments thinking I had already left a rating and review but I guess I didn’t!!! I make this all the time! I don’t use dried cherries or grapes just the almonds. This is such a wonderful recipe!! You rock!!!!
This is one of my favorite go to lunches when I have grapes in my house! I substitute whatever nuts I have lately it’s been pecans. And I use onions in place of celery. It really is versatile enough to substitute with whatever you want and still taste excellent!
Hi Jenn. Thank you for your wonderful feedback and review. I’m so glad you love the salad! It’s a great, cool, summer dish! Happy cooking!
For the record, I didn’t believe any of this would work. I made the “chicken” salad and vegan mayo and damn, they’re really good!
LOL! I’m sure glad you tried it, Shannon! I’m really glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your fun and positive feedback!
Wow! So good, that I have to watch for portion control. Thank you Nora
Thanks Sophie! I’m glad you love the salad! Thank you for sharing!
This is so delicious! I didn’t have slivered almonds, but regular unsalted worked fine and still added a nice crunch. I also only had dried cranberries, which worked but I’ll be excited to try with cherries sometime too. Thanks for a tasty vegetarian alternative to an old favorite!
I am really glad you loved the vegan chicken salad! Thank you for your great feedback and review! Wishing you happy cooking!
I have made this multiple times now and it’s a staple at our house! Thank you for another delicious recipe!!!
Thank you for sharing your great feedback! I am glad that your family loves the chicken salad recipe!
so so good! Easy to make and I can’t believe how similar it is to chicken salad. definitely going to be making this a lot from now on!
Hi Caroline! I’m thrilled you love the chicken salad! Thank you for taking time share your great review and comments. Happy cooking!
This is just scrumptious, thank you! Easy to make. Had it for my book club and the non vegans not only loved it but strangely some were surprised it wasn’t chicken salad. In any case it was a hit. Thanks again.
I’m so glad the chicken salad was a hit! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
I’m obsessed with this!! Just made my third batch and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite lunches. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Like all Nora’s recipes this one is delicious and so quick to make.
I like to eat this wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves.
Super amazing !
Thank you so much!
I’m impressed! I just made this for lunch and was surprised how spot on it tasted. It only took me a couple minutes to whip up!
Only changes I made/would make:
– did not add cherries, added a full cup of sliced grapes (personal preference)
– I wish I hadn’t food processed the almonds as much, they got a bit gritty and the fuller pieces would add more crunch
– Next time, I’ll add the Mayo more gradually. Mine ended up a bit more moist than I prefer
– You could add spices if you like more flavor
Overall, I’m very impressed and was able to make this recipe with what I already had at home. Definitely adding this to my meal rotation!
Hi Maddie. I’m glad you enjoyed the chicken salad! Thanks for sharing your comments, and for taking your time to share your review!
My wife and I love this! Tastes just like chicken salad .
This is excellent! Thank you!
You are welcome! Thank you for sharing!
This was AMAZING! Tasted just like a regular chicken salad sandwich. This is a new favorite.
I did not include the cherries because the ones they sell at my grocery store are pumped with added sugars. I didn’t feel like it was lacking anything. I used Nora’s tofu mayo recipe.
I am glad that you loved the chicken salad! Thank you for sharing your great review, Liz!
Super yummy! I used a store bought vegan mayo. But I’d like to try it with the cashew mayo recipe next time.
Thank you for sharing your review, Camille! I’m glad you loved the chicken salad!
Easy and delicious! I rinse and towel dry the chick peas for a firmer consistency. Nora thank you for all your recipes, every one delicious!
Thank you, Margaret, for using my recipes! I’m glad you love them. I appreciate you taking your time to share your wonderful review. Thank you!
I have made this recipe for my husband and I a few times now. So good! Better than any chicken salad I ever had.
Thank you, Mary! I’m glad you both are enjoying the recipe!
Yummy! Based on what I had I did make a few substitutions. I did sunflower/pumpkinseed/mixed nut combo instead of the almonds. I had no dried cherries so I used dried cranberries instead. I had no lettuce for my sandwich so I shredded some carrots to use as “lettuce” Now that I am working from home, having some good healthy sandwich fillings will be great!
I love chicken salad and found out my cholesterol is much too high for my liking. So, I’m going to try more plant based foods and much less meat. I gave this recipe a try, but was somewhat skeptical of the cashew mayo. Let me say, I was pleasantly surprised. It is so good!! Thank you so much, now I can eat a much healthier chix. salad.
This is amazingly delicious. Love it!