Simple Chickpea Chicken Salad – Vegan

Chickpeas replace chicken in this incredible chickpea chicken salad! Made with hearty chickpeas, grapes, celery, and walnuts, mixed with a creamy Mayo Dijon dressing. All combined into this protein-packed, vegan chicken salad. Only 15 minutes to make it for the perfect vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free main meal everyone will love!

This crazy good Chickpea Chicken Salad brings back memories for me of my grandmother. I remember when she was living with my parents, I would stop by to see her at least once a week. Each visit, I would bring her a chicken salad sandwich on a buttery croissant from the local sandwich shop.

She would eat that chicken sandwich like was the best thing ever and savor every bite. So this elevated vegan chickpea chicken salad is my healthier spin that I know she also would have loved.

This chickpea chicken salad recipe could not be easier to make. Simply, prepare the chickpeas, you can boil your own or use canned chickpeas and then combine them with the rest of the salad ingredients. We love this salad served on some whole grain bread but it is also great as it or served on crackers or in a wrap.

This recipe was inspired by the famous Waldorf Chicken Salad and is a vegan version that is meat and dairy-free!

You may also want to try this veggie-loaded Vegan Sandwich that is equally as delicious.

Why you’ll love this recipe

This recipe is:

• Refreshing, light, and perfect for work lunches and meal prep.
• It has just the right amount of crunch from the chickpeas, celery and walnuts.
• An ideal texture from the chickpeas will make you never miss the chicken.
• A slightly sweet surprise from the grapes.
• A tangy endnote from the dijon mustard that is everything
• Creaminess from the vegan mayo with the best herby finish from the fresh dill and parsley.
• The perfect sandwich for any day of the week! Nobody will ever miss the meat.

Are chickpeas good for you?

Yes, they are! Chickpeas are loaded with fiber and plant-based protein as well as iron, potassium, and vitamin B-6. All key nutrients our bodies need to function and thrive.

They are also very inexpensive at around $1-$2 per 15 oz can and can be purchased at almost any grocery store. Chickpeas are great because they have a long shelf life so you can stock up on them when they are on sale and have them available at any time in your pantry.

You can make so many recipes with chickpeas like these Easy Oven Roasted Chickpeas, or this Chickpea Cauliflower Burger. As well as this insanely good Chickpea Chicken Salad.

Ingredients for chickpea chicken salad

How to Make a Vegan Chickpea Chicken Salad

1. Prep the chickpeas. Drain and rinse the chickpeas by placing them into a strainer and running them under some water for 30 seconds, then transfer them to a few clean paper towels to dry.
2. Peel the chickpeas. Now, this does involve the slightly tedious task of removing the skins from the chickpeas, which is an essential step that impacts the texture of this chickpea salad. It is effortless to do and only took me about 10 minutes. To remove the skins from the chickpeas: Place each one between your fingers and pull off the skin. You can do this a little faster by placing them between two clean towels and shifting your hands over them.
3. Mash the chickpeas. Once all of the skins are removed, discard them, then pour the chickpeas into a medium-sized mixing bowl and mash them up using the back of a fork or a potato masher.
4. Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Add the sliced parsley and dill, celery, red onion, grapes, and walnuts, to the bowl with the chickpeas and lightly toss. Stir in the vegan mayo, dijon mustard, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Fold that all together until all of the ingredients are fully combined into a chunky, creamy salad.
5. Serve. Pile this chickpea chicken salad between two slices of whole grain bread or into lettuce cups, or eat it all on its own! It would also work great with some naan bread,

This chickpea chicken salad is so creamy and packed with a crazy amount of texture and flavor. I just love that the flavors are so similar to a Waldorf chicken salad but made with hearty chickpeas in place of the chicken for a vegan version that is incredible!

Make ahead and Storage

You can make this salad ahead and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days, which is so great!

Serving suggestions

To serve this vegan chicken salad you can either grab a spoon and go to town on this chickpea chicken salad, which I may have or have not done. Or you can be a little bit more refined and pile it into crisp lettuce cups or between two slices of hearty, whole-grain bread. I eventually decided to have it on bread, which is probably the better choice.

Lettuce cups are also another perfect vessel for enjoying this salad and make for a light, quick meal, or snack any time of day!

What to serve with this Chickpea Chicken Salad

This recipe goes great with so many other recipes. Here are some of my favorites.

• No Oil Sweet Potato Wedges
• Crispy Baked Beet Chips
• Easy Baked Eggplant Fries
• Sweet and Spicy Baked Cauliflower Wings

More delicious recipes using chickpeas

• Kale Caesar Salad With Chickpeas
• 5 Minute Classic Hummus
• Air Fryer Chickpeas

Recipe tips

• Use low-sodium canned chickpeas or garbanzo beans. This allows you to control the salt more.
• Fresh veggies work best in this recipe. I used celery, red onion, and grapes. You could also use diced carrots, bell peppers or even blueberries.
• You can skip peeling the chickpeas but it will change the texture of this salad and trust me it is so worth the effort to take a few minutes to peel them.
• Canned chickpeas work the best in this recipe but you could use cooked chickpeas as well if you make your own. Just make sure they are defrosted if you store them in the freezer.
• To store this chicken salad: This salad is perfect for make-ahead lunches and meal prep. You can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days!

You may also love this tuna egg salad or check out all of my healthy salads on PMG!

Did you try this chickpea chicken salad recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!

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