No-Chicken Chickpea Salad

This easy Chickpea Salad (aka Vegan Chicken Salad) is packed with flavor, and it is oil-free! It has all of the flavors of classic chicken salad, just with garbanzo beans instead of meat.

This easy dish is perfect for when you want no-prep lunches. It is so light and refreshing but filling at the same time.

It can be thrown on top of a salad, wrapped in a tortilla or lettuce to make lettuce wraps, or smushed between two slices of bread like this homemade Vegan Rye or Vegan Italian Bread for delicious “chicken” salad sandwiches. OR – cut to the chase – it’s delicious all on its own, straight from the bowl.

For more delicious vegan chickpea dishes try these Crunchy Baked Chickpeas, Roasted Chickpea and Lemon Pasta, or Buffalo Chickpea Dip. 

Why You’ll Love This “Chicken” Salad

• Good to go – Making a big batch of this vegan chicken salad is one of my favorite ways to make a healthy grab-and-go option for meal prep that doesn’t need to be reheated. There’s no egg or mayo so you don’t need to worry about it getting warm in your lunchbox either!
• No Mayo – So many vegan chicken salad recipes include vegan mayonnaise – which is fine… but I wanted a whole foods and oil-free option for when I want something a little lighter or don’t have vegan mayonnaise in the fridge.
• Mix it up – You can easily mix up the spices or veggies in this easy recipe to make it your own. Try poultry seasoning or fresh herbs!

Vegan Chicken Salad Ingredient Notes

• Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) – The main ingredient! I used canned chickpeas for ease. You could also make this with a different white bean, like cannellini without much change in flavor.
• Celery – Crunchy celery is a must-have in this recipe – a throw back to traditional chicken salad.
• Pickles – It’s gotta be dill! You could replace it with pickle relish in a pinch.
• Shallot – I prefer the milder flavor of the shallot here, but a red onion will work fine as well. You can also swap for sliced green onions if you prefer. 
• Dijon mustard & maple syrup – This combo replaces the mayo traditionally found in chicken salad. The maple syrup may seem out of place, but it is necessary to round out the vinegary taste of the mustard as well as the spices.
• Garlic powder – Swap for minced garlic for a stronger flavor.
• Onion powder – Add extra diced shallot if you don’t have onion powder on hand. 
• Celery salt – If you only have one spice to use let it be celery salt. This adds lots of flavor and that traditional taste of chicken salad to this recipe
• Salt & pepper – You can use either white or black pepper for this recipe. I prefer the milder flavor of white pepper here, but use what you have! And you can feel free to omit the extra salt if desired.
• Optional: Red grapes – I have never been a grapes-in-chicken-salad gal, but you do you.
• Optional: Lemon juice and fresh dill – I use pickles to add the dill flavor, but feel free to add some extra flavor with this lemon + dill combo!

Helpful Equipment

• Large bowl
• Potato masher or food processor

How to Make Chickpea Salad

​This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Mash the Chickpeas

Start by rinsing and draining your chickpeas. Pat them dry with a towel and place them into a large bowl. You do not need to remove the skins for this recipe. 

Use a potato masher to mash the chickpeas to your desired consistency. I usually mash until I have mostly small pieces and just a few whole chickpeas. Set the mashed chickpeas aside.

You can also toss the chickpeas into a food processor, but I find this to be an unnecessary step that creates another dish to clean. It is less labor intensive though, so if that is important to you, go for it!

Add the Fresh Vegetables & Mix

Dice the celery, shallot, and pickles then add them to the bowl and mix. Next add the rest of the ingredients: Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and spices. Mix until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

That’s it! It is seriously so easy. Serve this solo, in a sandwich or wrap, or with a side of crackers as a hearty dip!

How to Store

• Fridge: This salad will keep up to 1 week in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. It is delicious when eaten cold or at room temperature if you’ve packed it in a lunch! This is a great recipe for meal prep and school lunches.

More Tips

• Not Vegan? This recipe also works with canned or rotisserie chicken. Add real mayo for a creamier texture.
• Want less salt? Feel free to omit the regular salt in this recipe, but keep the celery salt for that traditional flavor!
• Want a creamy dressing? Add 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise to this recipe.