If you’re looking for a delicious recipe for lunch, you just have to try this vegan chicken salad with celery and grapes. It’s a plant-based twist on a classic favorite that is just as hearty and satisfying while being completely meat-free!
Why This Recipe Works
This vegan chicken salad makes the perfect lunch! Instead of traditional chicken, the recipe calls for mashed chickpeas that provide a meaty texture and a protein boost. The addition of celery, grapes, and chopped almonds creates a delicious crunch and sweetness that will remind you so much of the original.
Trust me, this recipe is a real game-changer and you absolutely need to give it a try!
Cooked chickpeas are the secret ingredient in this recipe. Roughly mashed with a fork, they have the perfect meaty texture. Plus, they are an amazing source of plant-based protein and they will leave you feeling satisfied and energized for hours.
The combination of crispy celery, juicy grapes, and crunchy almonds creates the perfect contrast to the creamy chickpea-mayo base. The sweetness of the grapes perfectly goes with the savory flavor of the chickpeas.
Making this recipe is a real breeze. All you need is 10 minutes. Plus, it’s super versatile and you can serve it in many different ways. Serve it as a sandwich, wrap it up, or simply enjoy it on a bed of fresh greens—the options are endless.
Overall, it’s a delicious and satisfying salad that is ready in no time. It’s perfect for lunch, a light dinner, or to bring to picnics and potlucks.
So grab those chickpeas, chop up the celery, grapes, and almonds, and give this vegan chicken salad a try!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chickpeas – I used canned chickpeas.
- Celery
- Grapes – red grapes work best.
- Fresh Parsley – you could also replace it with fresh dill for a change.
- Spices – dried tarragon, salt, and pepper.
- Vegan Mayo – either use store-bought or homemade vegan mayo.
- Mustard – Dijon mustard.
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice.
- Green Onions – you could also replace them with a small red onion or shallot.
- Almonds – roughly chopped.
How To Make This Recipe
1. Step: Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in a large bowl and mash them with a fork. Leave some partially intact.
2. Step: Finely chop the celery. Cut the grapes into halves and the green onions into rings.
3. Step: Finely chop the parsley.
4. Step: Juice the lemon.
5. Step: Add the vegan mayo, celery, green onion, and parsley to the mashed chickpeas.
6. Step: Stir well.
7. Step: Roughly chop the almonds with a large knife.
8. Step: Add the almonds and grapes to the vegan chicken salad and carefully stir.
9. Step: Serve on a sandwich, in a wrap, on lettuce, or with roasted bread or crackers.
Tips & Tricks
- I used canned chickpeas for this recipe. But you could also use dried chickpeas and cook them in your Instant Pot.
- For a fruiter version, you could also add 1/2 thinly diced apple (Granny Smith apples work best).
Storing
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the vegan chicken salad will last up to 4 days.
Freezing
You can freeze this vegan chicken salad, but the consistency will change a bit. Freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
The vegan mayo will most likely separate when being frozen and thawed, so give the salad a good stir. Additionally, the grapes will become a bit mushy after being thawed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it on a sandwich with romaine lettuce and sprinkle it with freshly chopped parsley. Or roll it up in a tortilla wrap.
It’s also great on a base of lettuce or baby spinach. Or just enjoy it on its own or with crispy bread or crackers. And sometimes we just eat it straight out of the bowl because it’s just so delicious!
Related Recipes
I Love To Hear From You!
I hope you like this vegan chicken salad as much as we do around here.
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!
You like my recipes and want to see more? Then follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Vegan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas
- 3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup red grapes
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 green onions
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup almonds
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in a large bowl and mash them with a fork. Leave some partially intact.
- Finely chop the celery. Cut the grapes into halves and the green onions into rings. Finely chop the parsley.
- Juice the lemon.
- Add the vegan mayo, celery, green onion, and parsley to the mashed chickpeas. Stir well.
- Roughly chop the almonds with a large knife.
- Add the almonds and grapes to the vegan chicken salad and carefully stir.
- Serve on a sandwich, in a wrap, on lettuce, or with roasted bread or crackers.
Notes
- I used canned chickpeas for this recipe. But you could also use dried chickpeas and cook them in your Instant Pot.
- For a fruiter version, you could also add 1/2 thinly diced apple (Granny Smith apples work best).
- Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the vegan chicken salad will last up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply