Vegan Chicken Salad Twist (Print View)

Vibrant salad with chickpeas, almonds, grapes, and creamy dressing, packed with texture and bright flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Protein & Crunch

01 - 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
02 - 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 2 celery ribs, diced small
04 - 1/2 cup red grapes, halved
05 - 1/4 cup dried cherries

→ Dressing

06 - 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - In a food processor, pulse slivered almonds several times until crumbly, avoiding fine powder or paste consistency.
02 - Add drained chickpeas to the processor with almonds. Pulse several times until mixture is flaky with some beans remaining whole. Do not over-process.
03 - Transfer almond-chickpea mixture to a large bowl. Add celery, grapes, dried cherries, vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
04 - Refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Serve chilled on croissants, bread with lettuce, over mixed greens, or with crackers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking, meaning you can make it while your coffee is still warm.
  • The chickpeas give you real protein and heartiness, so it actually fills you up instead of leaving you hungry an hour later.
  • Every bite has different textures—the almonds crunch, the grapes burst, the celery snaps—which keeps things interesting.
02 -
  • The biggest mistake is over-processing—if you make it too smooth, it becomes a paste that tastes nothing like chicken salad and feels heavy instead of fresh.
  • Always drain and rinse your canned chickpeas thoroughly; that starchy liquid is what turns this bright salad into something drab and wet by the next day.
03 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step on canned chickpeas—it removes the thin starch coating that keeps them from holding together properly and tastes faintly of tin.
  • Toast your almonds in a dry skillet for two minutes before pulsing them if you want extra depth, which I only suggest if you have an extra five minutes because honestly the recipe is already perfect as written.
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