This vegan chicken salad recipe is super easy to make and high in protein! Soy curls are rehydrated then seasoned with vegan mayonnaise, fresh dill and seasonings. Celery is added for a nice crunch and grapes are added for a little bit of sweetness.
If you'd like more delicious sandwich ideas, make sure to check out this Tempeh Vegan Reuben, Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich, Crispy Tofu Wrap, Smashed Chickpea Sandwich next.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Cholesterol free
- Vegan, vegetarian and dairy free
- Gluten free - if you use gluten free bread
- High in plant-based protein
- A quick, easy and affordable lunch
🍇 Ingredients
This easy meal is made with whole foods and simple, wholesome ingredients.
- Soy curls - the main ingredient in this easy vegan chicken salad. They are minimally processed, high in protein and contain no saturated fat or cholesterol. They make for a chewy and delicious meat alternative. You can easily buy soy curls online.
- Vegan mayonnaise - It's easy to find vegan mayo in your favorite grocery store. JUST brand has a great dairy free mayonnaise as well as Hellman's and Follow Your Heart.
- Celery - this adds a nice crunchy texture to the mock chicken salad.
- Dijon mustard - spicy brown mustard also adds lots of flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh dill
- Seasonings - garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Poultry seasoning also tastes delicious.
- Nuts - I love using walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds for an added bit of crunch or omega 3's and healthy fats.
- Red grapes - this is optional but adds a nice bit of sweetness. You can also use raisins instead
- Onion - I love using red onion, but use whatever you have on hand. Green onions also work well.
- Seasonings - a blend of garlic powder, onion powder and poultry seasoning give this vegetarian chicken salad sandwich so much flavor.
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full list of ingredients.
👩🍳 Recipe tips
Don't skip rehydrating the soy curls in vegan no chicken broth. This adds a nice depth of flavor to the soy curls.
This recipe is easily adjustable. Feel free to add in any of your favorite items like raisins, capers, bell pepper, slivered almonds or fresh herbs and seasonings.
🔪 Directions
Step one: Heat vegan chicken broth on the stove. Rehydrate the soy curls in a large bowl for 10-15 minutes, by pouring the vegetable broth over the soy curls. Vegan chicken broth will make this taste really good.
Step two: Squeeze out the excess water in a strainer after soaking the soy curls to ensure that the salad doesn't turn out mushy. Chop up the soy curls.
Step three: Heat olive oil in a skillet on the stove on medium heat. Add the rehydrated soy curls and sauté until they become slightly crispy and begin to brown.
Step four: Chop up the veggies and add the cooked soy curls and remaining ingredients to a medium bowl. Stir well, until the creamy sauce is incorporated.
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.
🌯 How to serve
You can serve this like you would traditional chicken salad.
- Sandwiches: This tastes amazing on toasted bread, especially our Homemade 3 ingredient bread or a baguette. Add your preferred sandwich toppings, such as lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dill pickles, vegan mayo, and mustard.
- Salads: Lighten up your meal by serving this mock chicken salad over a bed of lettuce, extra veggies, and drizzle with a creamy dressing like my Vegan Ranch Dressing.
- Dip: Pair this vegetarian chicken salad with crackers or veggie sticks such as carrots, bell pepper, or celery. Pita chips also taste amazing dipped in this. Makes a great party appetizer.
- Wraps: This vegan chicken salad sandwich tastes amazing wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla! Makes sure to grill the tortilla once you wrap it up for even more flavor. Include lettuce, tomato, and a slice of dairy-free cheese for a delicious lunch. If you want to make this even lighter, wrap it up in a lettuce wrap.
❄️ Storing and making ahead
Fridge - This soy curl chicken salad will last in an airtight container for about 5 days. Store this separately from any bread or crackers that you end up eating this with, since it will make the bread soggy.
Freezer - This freezes well. Just store it in a freezer safe container and let it thaw out completely.
Making ahead - This is a great dish to meal prep ahead of time for a busy week. It tastes even better the next day when you give the flavors a chance to mix.
❓ Recipe FAQs
If you don't want to use soy curls, you can use other meat substitutes such as:
chickpeas - just mash them up a bit with a potato masher.
extra firm tofu - just press the tofu first to get rid of excess water.
Homemade seitan chicken - super affordable and high in protein.
raw sunflower seeds - grind them a little bit in a food processor.
vegan chicken strips - Gardein or Beyond Meat make delicious plant based chicken. Sauté them in a pan first.
Yes! Soy curls are surprisingly healthy. They are low in fat, high in protein and minimally processed. They only contain one ingredient: whole soy beans!
Soy curls are made from the remainder of the soy bean when the oil has been pressed out to make soybean oil. What's left is then dehydrated and formed into soy curls. Soy curls are great to use in place of chicken in any recipe.
Yes, soy curls are generally gluten free. Butler's brand is certified gluten free. But to be safe, make sure you check the ingredients list of the brand that you end up buying.
Vegan chicken salad is made with a base of rehydrated soy curls (or extra firm tofu), then vegan mayo, dijon mustard, seasonings, celery, onion, walnuts, fresh dill, lemon juice, and grapes are added in.
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If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cups soy curls
- 3 cups vegan chicken broth
- 2 celery ribs (diced)
- ¼ red onion (diced)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut)
- ½ cup red grapes (sliced in half)
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ lemon (juiced)
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Dissolve the vegan chicken bouillon paste into three cups of water on the stove. Bring it to a low simmer. Add the soy curls to a large mixing bowl and cover with broth. Let them soak and rehydrate for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, strain them and squeeze the excess water out and chop them up a little bit.2 cups soy curls, 3 cups vegan chicken broth
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of oil to a skillet and heat the skillet on the stove for 1-2 minutes. Add the rehydrated soy curls and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the soy curls start to become brown and slightly crispy.
- Add the soy curls to a large mixing bowl and add in the rest of the ingredients. Stir well. Serve on top of bread or baguette to make a sandwich. Add some fresh tomatoes and lettuce leaves.2 cups soy curls, 2 celery ribs, ¼ red onion, ½ cup chopped walnuts, ½ cup vegan mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ lemon, 2 teaspoons fresh dill, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup red grapes, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Colette J
Yum, and yummy!! My new favorite summer recipe!