Vegan Chicken Salad
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Published Apr 05, 2017, Updated Sep 16, 2021
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Homestyle vegan chicken salad made with tofu, almonds, celery, onion and raisins tossed in a creamy vegan dressing. This salad is delicious, protein packed and great for sandwiches and wraps. Vegan and gluten-free.
The whole idea for this salad came from a friend. She mentioned that she LOVES the vegan chicken salad from the Whole Foods prepared foods section but that it hasn’t been there in a few months. I have a knack for recreating recipes from my favorite spots so I quickly offered to try recreating it so she could make her fav vegan chicken salad at home.
I’ve actually never had the vegan chicken salad from WF but I’m loving this version SO much. It’s loaded with flavor, has a nice crunch and works great for sandwiches and wraps. I even had two meat-eating guys try the chicken salad and they both said it was great, so boom!
Ingredients Needed for Vegan Chicken Salad
- tofu – the tofu is loaded with plant-based protein so each serving gives you 15 grams.
- celery and red onion – these add a nice crunch to the salad.
- almonds – you can swap for a different nut if you don’t like almonds or have an allergy.
- raisins – for a little sweetness.
- vegan mayonnaise – you could also test out making homemade vegan mayo. If you’re not 100% vegan, you could try using avocado mayo, which I really like as well.
- apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, turmeric, ground pepper and sea salt – we’re using these six ingredients for a lightened up dressing for the tofu mixture.
- parsley and dill – if you’ve never added fresh herbs to your chicken salad you’re missing out! I love fresh parsley, but fresh dill is also amazing!
Substitutions & Notes
Raisins – Not a fan of raisins? You could substitute for grapes instead.
Red onion – Sometimes red onions can be a bit pungent. If this is the case try soaking them in cold water after you cut them for ten minutes and then drain. Or you can swap them for yellow onion if you prefer those.
Additional mix-ins – Feel free to get creative with your mix-ins. This is just a baseline suggestion. You can always switch it up… I often do! Carrots and avocado would be great additions to this recipe.
How to Serve Vegan Chicken Salad
I love how diverse chicken salad is! Here are some serving suggestions:
- Eat as is – It’s definitely a complete meal on it’s own.
- On lettuce leaves – Make lettuce wraps with crunchy romaine or butter lettuce.
- With crackers – Enjoy with homemade crackers or crackers of your choice (I love Simple Mills crackers).
- In a wrap – Scoop into a whole grain wrap and add some greens for a little extra crunch and you have a satisfying wrap!
- On toast – Make a classic chicken salad sandwich with toast and extra greens if you’re feeling fancy
How to Store Vegan Chicken Salad
How to Store Vegan Chicken SaladChicken salad is the perfect meal prep recipe! Double or triple this recipe for healthy meals and snacks all week long. After mixing all of the ingredients together, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will keep for 3-5 days.
More Tofu Recipes
- 16 Tofu Recipes That You’ll Crave
- Asian Tofu Tacos
- Tofu Scramble
- Sofritas
- Orange Tofu
- Bok Choy Stir Fry with Tofu
- Tofu Pumpkin Curry
- Mattar Tofu
- Tofu Stir-Fry
- Baked Peanut Tofu
- Crispy Baked Tofu
More Vegan Salads
- 18 Hearty Vegan Salads
- Curried Chickpea Salad
- Curried Tempeh Salad
- Garlicky Kale Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Vegan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup silvered blanched almonds, chopped
- ¼ cup raisins
- 6 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dill
- 1 pinch turmeric
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- Prep tofu: Crumble tofu into small pieces in a medium to large size bowl.
- Combine ingredients: Mix celery, onions and almonds with tofu.
- Make dressing: In a separate bowl whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, pepper, salt, dill and turmeric. Toss fresh parsley and dill on top and give the mixture another stir to combine everything.
- Combine tofu + dressing: Add dressing to the tofu mixture and stir well to combine.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately. Leftovers should last 3-5 days in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
this has become my “go to” for months. The best recipe for a great salad.
Ah thank you SO much, Carol. I am so glad you are loving this salad and it is a hit for you. I appreciate you sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
Thank you for this awesome recipe. I loved this when I worked near a whole foods and could never imagine being able to find the recipe anywhere. When I saw it on your blog I honestly didn’t think it would be right. But oh my goodness, better than whole foods and the closest Whole foods in 3 hrs away.
You knocked this out of the park. Can not thank you enough!
Cheryl
Ahh this is seriously the best, Cheryl, I am glad you found and are loving this recipe. Thank you so much for your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
Yummy! I omitted the raisins and almonds, just personal preference. It is very good! When I make it again, which I totally will, I’m going to use half of the Apple cider vinegar. Otherwise, delicious!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kim! Thanks for the review. I appreciate it!
I wish I didn’t wait this long! This is definitely in my top 3 now!!!
I was quite skeptical making this salad as I have never had this much tofu in my food.
However, after tasting it all my friends and I were absolutely blown away.
Woo!! So glad you loved this recipe, Nadine. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
First time making it love it!! Taste great thanks
So glad you loved this recipe, Sharon! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
This was easy and it’s very good! Our herb garden is gone for the winter, so I used dry seasonings for the parsley and dill (1 tsp for each tablespoon). It’s still very tasty.Thanks.