Easy Chickpea "Chicken" Salad (Vegan)

This healthy chickpea "chicken" sandwich has all of the things I love about a chicken salad sandwich...with delicious chickpeas instead of chicken. It's naturally vegan, easily made gluten free, and so darn tasty.

Words can't really describe how surreal these past couple of weeks have been for us, and I mean "us" in the global sense. The fear, the confusion, the anxiety about the unknown is a lot for anyone.

I don't know what lies in the days and weeks ahead, but I am hoping we can all come together as a global community to use the best practices that come from the scientists, practice social distancing when possible, and not venture out any farther than we absolutely have to so that we can slow the spread of the virus. Maybe not yours...but people's lives depend on this.

With all that said, I've already made two trips to the grocery store this morning to get some essentials (after all, I really don't have anything in the house because John's been sick with what we think has been the flu). I have bread, eggs, peanut butter, flour, and a few days worth of meat to either cook or freeze. There will be a lot of ad libbing in our house for awhile.

Canned foods will also be essential...and this easy chickpea "chicken" salad is a great meal using one can of chickpeas and a few other simple ingredients.

Ingredients you'll need

• canned chickpeas
• celery
• red onion
• dill
• parsley
• tahini
• Dijon mustard
• lemon juice

The secret sauce...it's vegan!

Normally, chicken salad uses mayonnaise as the major binder. OH HEEEEECK NO. I don't do mayonnaise, so this sandwich is unapologetically vegan (although I myself am not vegan).

Instead of mayonnaise, this salad uses tahini, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard to create a delicious, hearty sauce. Even if you're a mayonnaise lover, you'll love the creamy, nuttiness and won't miss the white stuff.

How to make a chickpea "chicken" salad sandwich

This chickpea "chicken" salad is really easy peasy, and requires no cooking -- just the opening of a can and a little bit of chopping.

Combine all of the ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and give it a good mix. Use a fork to mash up some of the chickpeas. I typically try to mash up about ⅓ of the chickpeas, keeping the remaining ⅔ whole.

Tips for making this Chickpea Salad Sandwich

• Spread chickpeas out on a paper towel, drying them off and discarding any loose shells.
• Toast your bread. This keeps the bread from getting soggy and also provides a delicious crunch.
• Place a big piece of green lettuce on each side of the bread. This also keeps the bread from getting soggy, especially if you are packing this sandwich the night before you're going to eat it.

Other uses for chickpeas

A can of chickpeas are the most perfect pantry staple because you can do so much with them.

Try making homemade hummus or this homemade falafel. While not using a can of chickpeas, there's this salmon with yogurt tahini dressing that's delish if you're looking for other ways to use your tahini.

My daughter also loves roasted chickpeas. I wash, drain and dry the chickpeas on a paper towel, spread the dry chickpeas on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and roast at 425 for about 8-10 minutes. I shake the pan halfway through to ensure that all parts of the chickpeas get crispy. B pops them like popcorn, and I love it.

Stay safe and be well,

kathryn

As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!