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This Vegetarian Chickpea “Chicken” Salad features all the classic flavors of chicken salad but made vegetarian.

Photograph of chickpea salad in a white bowl set on a marble surface.
Inspiration for this chickpea chicken salad

This chickpea salad is a lighter and vegetarian take on chicken salad and is largely inspired by a version my sister made this summer. Her salad used just a touch of mayo for the base and had the usual suspects of chicken salad, much like this one.

For my rendition I decided to swap the mayonnaise for mashed avocado. I also add Greek yogurt for some tang along with white wine vinegar for acidity.

Tossed with a mix of tender chickpeas, crunchy celery, red onion, and fresh parsley this super-simple salad comes together in no time.

Photograph of an avocado sauce being whisked together in a large glass bowl.
Make vegan chickpea chicken salad 

To make this chickpea chicken salad vegan, simply swap the ¼ cup of Greek yogurt for cashew cream or your favorite vegan yogurt. 

Photograph of chickpea salad in a white bowl set on a marble surface.
How to serve this vegetarian “chicken” salad

Such a simple ingredient list may cause this salad to look mundane, yet it’s anything but that, striking the perfect balance between textures and flavors.

Enjoy this chickpea salad as is, or try these variations:

  • Sandwich between two pieces of toasted whole-grain bread
  • Spoon into lettuce cups 
  • Serve in tortillas with thinly sliced cabbage 
Photograph of chickpea salad in a white bowl set on a marble surface.
Photograph of chickpea salad in a white bowl set on a marble surface.

Chickpea “Chicken” Salad with Avocado Dressing

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Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 4 cups
Category Salad
Cuisine American
Author Lauren Grant

Description

This Vegetarian Chickpea "Chicken" Salad features all the classic flavors of chicken salad but with a vegetarian take.

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Ingredients

Dressing:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 0% or 2%
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Black pepper to taste

Salad:

  • 2 cans reduced-sodium chickpeas 15-ounces each, rinsed and drained
  • ¾ cup chopped celery
  • ¾ cup diced red onion
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mash avocado until smooth. Whisk in yogurt, vinegar, salt, and garlic powder; season with black pepper.
  • Add chickpeas, celery, onion, and parsley to avocado mixture. Stir to combine then chill until ready to serve.
  • Keeps up to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container.

Notes

Make it vegan: use ¼ cup cashew cream instead of Greek yogurt

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 771mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g
Like this? Leave a comment below!I love hearing from you and I want to hear how it went with this recipe! Leave a comment and rating below, then share on social media @zestfulkitchen and #zestfulkitchen!
Photograph of chickpea salad in a white bowl set on a marble surface.

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About The Author

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

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