This classic vegan chicken salad is made with shredded young jackfruit, chickpeas and a creamy, tangy dressing. It's ready in about 15 minutes and makes an easy filling for sandwiches, wraps or lettuce cups.
I created this jackfruit and chickpea salad while working for Nourish magazine to create plant-based versions of classic recipes. This is one of my favourites - quick and easy to pull together, savoury and satisfying, and, because we aren't relying on soy curls or faux meats, budget-friendly.
Need more salad ideas? Try a simple and fresh tomato and lightly pickled onion salad, or a classic coleslaw made vegan. If you're looking for something more substantial, try a kale and quinoa salad with lentils or kimchi salad with noodles.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Chicken Salad
Ingredients & Substitutions
Young jackfruit in brine. Canned young jackfruit works beautifully to recreate a shredded chicken texture. Use the canned variety in brine, not fresh jackfruit - it can be found in Asian grocers and increasingly in supermarket chains. Drain and rinse it well before using.
Chickpeas. Chickpeas add body, texture and protein to the salad. You can swap them for white beans if you prefer. I like adding beans here because they make the salad more substantial while keeping it budget-friendly.
Yoghurt and mayonnaise. I like to use yoghurt in the dressing to lighten it a little and add a touch of tang. If you don't have it, you could swap out the yoghurt portion for more mayo. I always use my vegan mayonnaise but store-bought is totally fine.
Celery, shallots and parsley. These three ingredients - combined with the jackfruit texture - give the salad the familiar flavours and textures of traditional chicken salad.
Nutritional yeast adds savoury umami flavour, making the salad more deeply flavoured and satisfying.
How to Make Vegan Chicken Salad
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Steps 1 & 2. Prepare the jackfruit
Drain the young jackfruit from the can, give it a good rinse under running water and then pop it into a clean cloth or nut-milk bag and give it a good squeeze to get rid of the extra moisture. Now slice it thinly lengthways.
Step 3. Combine and cook
Combine the sliced jackfruit in a bowl with the chickpeas, nutritional yeast, soy sauce and sugar and stir well. Heat a little oil in a large pan and add the jackfruit mixture. Cook for around 5 minutes, breaking the jackfruit up as you go to resemble shredded chicken. Remove from the heat to cool.
Step 4 & 5. Make the dressing
Combine the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until creamy.
Step 6. Combine salad and dressing
Add the cooled jackfruit/chickpea mixture and stir well.
FAQs
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this vegan chicken salad will keep for up to 4 days. The dressing may loosen slightly over time, so give it a good stir before serving.
Totally. Sliced red grapes and chopped walnuts are delicious in this salad and add a lovely combination of sweetness and crunch.
You can swap the soy sauce for tamari for a gluten-free version. If you are making it into a sandwich, use gluten-free bread or wraps.
How to Serve Your Vegan Chicken Salad
This vegan chicken salad is really versatile.
More Jackfruit and Chickpea Recipes
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Make This Recipe
Vegan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the "Chicken"
- 550 grams young canned jackfruit approx 2 x 565g cans, drained
- 250 grams cooked chickpeas 1 x 400g can (drained)
- 2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 1 tbsp neutral flavoured oil
For the Dressing
- 1 French shallot peeled and finely diced
- ¼ cup capers drained and chopped
- ¼ cup vegan yoghurt
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ cup celery finely diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the "Chicken"
- To prepare the jackfruit, drain the young jackfruit from the can, give it a good rinse under running water and then pop it into a clean cloth or nut-milk bag and give it a good squeeze to get rid of the extra moisture. We don't want the brine-y flavour here. Now, thinly slice each triangle lengthways and pop the pieces in a large bowl. Add the chickpeas, nutritional yeast, soy sauce and sugar and stir well to combine.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot add the jackfruit and chickpea mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. While cooking, break up the jackfruit with a fork to resemble shredded chicken. Remove from the heat to cool.
For the Dressing
- To a large bowl add the French shallot, capers, yoghurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, parsley, and celery. Stir to combine well
- Add the cooled jackfruit/chickpea mixture and mix well to combine before seasoning with salt and pepper.
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer
The nutritional information is an estimate only and is automatically calculated using online tools. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
