This Chickpea “Chicken” Salad calls for just a few simple ingredients and comes together in 10 minutes or less. It’s packed with plant-based protein and is perfect for meal prep. This recipe is completely customizable too–you get to choose which add-ins you like best!

What are the health benefits of chickpeas?

Chickpeas are very healthy for us and provide a great amount of plant based protein. A single cup of this legume provides 10 grams of fiber and over 10 grams of protein, helping to keep us fuller longer. I love using them for roasted chickpeas, hummus, or in customizable power bowls.

I also love using other meatless protein sources in my recipes such as eggs, lentils, greek yogurt, nuts, seeds, nutritional yeast, tofu, and peanut butter.

How do I make chickpea “chicken” salad?

This recipe is as easy as combine, mash, and serve. First, add your chickpeas and avocado and mash until mostly broken up. I like to leave some chickpea chunks remaining to mimic the texture of traditional chicken salad. Then, add the rest of your ingredients and mix until combined. 

Customize it your way

The great part about chickpea salad and chicken salad is there are so many different ways to prepare it. For this recipe, you get to decide what you like best and choose your own add-ins. Just make sure the add-ins are chopped into smaller pieces so they combine easily. Here are some ideas for what you might add into your chickpea salad:

• Celery
• Red Onion
• Red Pepper
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Grapes
• Apples
• Sliced Almonds
• Pecans Pieces
• Dried Cranberries
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Green Onions

You can add 1 cup of a single ingredient or a mixture of several. For example, I like to fill my cup with ¼ cup sliced almonds, ¼ cup cranberries, ¼ cup chopped celery, and ¼ cup halved grapes to equal 1 cup. What ingredients do you like to mix in your meatless chickpea salad?

If you want to make this recipe dairy-free and vegan friendly, replace the light mayonnaise with vegan mayonnaise. 

How do I serve this avocado chickpea salad?

There are so many different ways to serve this avocado chickpea salad. Make a sandwich and spoon the creamy salad over crusty whole grain bread or pile into a tortilla to make a healthy wrap. It also goes great over mixed greens or lettuce wraps. Want it for a snack instead? Serve over tortilla chips, crackers, sweet pepper halves, celery sticks, or cucumber slices. Or simply enjoy by itself! 

How do I store leftovers?

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it perfect for meal prep! There may be some browning that occurs from the avocado but it’s totally safe to eat. You can also just scrap this part back to reveal more bright green underneath.

To prevent some of this browning from occurring, try pressing down plastic wrap until it touches the salad. This helps keep extra air out and slows down the oxidation (browning) process. You can also try drizzling a little extra lemon or lime juice over top to slow down the browning.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing this recipe as it can change the texture once thawed.

Chickpea “Chicken” Salad

Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

This meatless Chickpea “Chicken” Salad calls for just a few simple ingredients and comes together in 10 minutes or less. It’s completely customizable too–you get to choose which add-ins you like best!

4.80 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 217 kcal

Recommended Products

• Chickpeas
• Light Mayonnaise
• Lemon Juice

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 – 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small ripe avocado or 1/2 large ripe avocado, seeded and peeled
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
• 1 cup add-ins of your choice, chopped into small pea-sized pieces (celery, red onion, red pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, grapes, apples, sliced almonds, pecans, dried cranberries, cilantro, dill, green onions, or a combination)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• In a medium sized bowl, mash together chickpeas and avocado until mostly broken down with some larger pieces left.
• Stir in mayonnaise, add-ins of your choice, lime or lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix until combined. Taste and adjust spices to your liking.
• Serve chickpea salad over mixed greens, toast, tortilla chips, crackers, or enjoy by itself.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cupCalories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 600mgFiber: 7gSugar: 4g

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Check out these other healthy chickpea recipes:

• No Tahini Needed Hummus
• Chickpea and Lentil Curry
• Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies
• Chickpea Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce