Chickpea “chicken” salad uses a few ingredients to make a quick and healthy vegetarian lunch. Made from chickpeas, cucumbers, greek yogurt, and some seasonings, this “chicken” salad is packed with protein and flavor. You’ll be surprised at how delicious and filling this vegetarian recipe is!
I’m definitely not a vegetarian. However, my sister is, and because of that, we’re always looking for plant sources of protein. So far, beans, particularly garbanzo beans or chickpeas, have been the favorite, and for good reason. Chickpeas have lots of protein and fiber, and they pair well with all sorts of different foods. You can toast them, make hummus with them, serve over rice, or in this case, make a vegetarian version of chicken salad.
This recipe comes together in minutes, perfect for when you need a quick snack or lunch on the go. You can also easily change the seasonings or add-ins to make fun variations of this recipe. Naturally, this recipe is gluten-free, but you can also make it dairy-free by using coconut or almond milk yogurt.
Even if like me you’re not a vegetarian, I bet you’ll still enjoy this easy and delicious salad! Read on to make some for yourself!
Ways to eat Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
You can enjoy this salad in so many different ways. Here are a few ideas for inspiration:
- With sourdough discard crackers and cucumbers.
- Over a bed of lettuce or spinach with your favorite vegetables and croutons.
- As a sandwich made from sourdough sandwich bread (ok it doesn’t have to be sourdough, but homemade sandwich bread just tastes sooooooo good!)
- Wrapped in sourdough naan or a sourdough tortilla with chopped lettuce, bell peppers, and cucumbers.
- On toasted overnight sourdough bread with sliced avocado and tomatoes.
As you can tell, you can pretty much eat this with whatever you want. Let me know how you enjoy your chickpea “chicken” salad in the comments section!
Flavor Variations
Want to mix it up? Try using these add-ins and seasoning combinations to make this recipe your own!
- Dill Delight: Switch out the cucumber and basil for a pickle and dill.
- Chili Lime: Omit the basil and lemon juice. Add in the juice and zest of 1 lime, 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro, and 1/2 tsp chili powder.
- Waldorf: Omit the basil, garlic, and cucumber. Add in 1 chopped stick of celery, 5 chopped grapes, 1/2 of a chopped apple, and 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts.
- Cranberry Crunch: Omit the cucumber, basil, and garlic. Add in 1/4 cup of chopped dried cranberries, 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, and 1 stick of chopped celery.
Tips for making Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
- Make sure to drain and rinse your chickpeas well. Extra aquafaba (liquid the chickpeas are canned in) will make the salad too runny. You can even pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel before you mash them to ensure all the water is drained and dried off.
- Feel free to add other vegetables to this salad if you like! Chopped bell peppers and shredded carrots would also taste yummy in this recipe.
- To make this salad dairy-free, you can substitute unsweetened coconut or almond milk yogurt for the greek yogurt. You could also use mayo as a substitute.
- Store this salad in the fridge in an air-tight container. It will stay fresh for about 5 days – perfect for a quick lunch or snack on the go.
Tools you will need
To make chickpea “chicken” salad, you’ll need two bowls, a knife, fork, spoon, and cutting board.
Ingredients you will need
- 1 (15oz) can of chickpeas – they may also be called “garbanzo” beans at the store
- 1/2 a cucumber – Persian or English will work best.
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt – Make sure to use plain Greek yogurt (vanilla flavored yogurt won’t taste great with garlic 🙂 )
- 1 tsp salt – Kosher or Himalyan
- 2 tsp dried basil – You can also substitute fresh chopped basil for this if you have it on hand.
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder – Again, you can also substitute 1 minced clove of garlic if you have it.
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp mustard – I used dijon. You could also substitute mustard powder.
How to make Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and then cut each section in half lengthwise again. Dice the cucumebrs into small quarters and set aside.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place them in a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the chickpeas. You can leave a few whole chickpeas if you like, but most should be smashed.
In another bowl, put the greek yogurt, mustard, salt, basil, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Stir together to combine.
Fold the cucumbers and chickpeas into the yogurt mixture and enjoy.
Store the chickpea salad in the fridge in an air-tight container and enjoy within 5 days.
Hungry for more vegetarian recipes?
If so, make sure to check out the Kitchen Counter for yummy meal ideas! Here are some recipes you might enjoy:
- Carrot Hummus Dip
- Simple Mushroom Galette with Goat Cheese
- Hearts of Palm Salad
- Tomato Galette with Ricotta
If you make these this recipe and enjoy it, let me know in the comments section below! You can also tag me on instagram @oldfashionedinspiration with a picture of your creation.
Chickpea Chicken Salad
Chickpea Chicken Salad uses a few ingredients to make a quick and yummy vegetarian lunch!
Ingredients
- 1 (15oz) can chickpeas
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1/2 Persian cucumber
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and then cut each section in half lengthwise again. Dice the cucumebrs into small quarters and set aside.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place them in a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the chickpeas. You can leave a few whole chickpeas if you like, but most should be smashed.
- In another bowl, put the greek yogurt, mustard, salt, basil, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Stir together to combine.
- Fold the cucumbers and chickpeas into the yogurt mixture and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 93Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 1mgSodium 596mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 4gSugar 4gProtein 7g
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