Smashed chickpeas, celery, pecans, crisp apple, and dried cranberries are smothered in a rich and creamy dressing for an unforgettable vegan chicken wrap that’s grilled to perfection. Serve this mouth-watering dish for lunch, appetizers, potlucks, and party platters.

This recipe was originally published in October 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.
These chickpea salad wraps are incredibly delicious and make a great all-year-round kind of dish.
Serve them in the summer for pool parties and picnics or bring them to work potlucks. The bright red cranberries make them festive enough for holiday appetizers too. Cut them into pinwheels for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Or try these peanutty Thai-inspired Asian slaw wraps.
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Reader Feedback:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m so happy I found this recipe! This is my lunch all week! I make it Monday and have a wrap everyday. So simple and delicious!!!!! – Cori
Why you’ll love these
- There’s no cooking required. So that makes this vegan chicken wrap perfect for a hot day or any lazy day. 😉
- Easy to make, with simple methods and mostly pantry ingredients. Plus, they’re ready in just 30 minutes.
- Versatile! Switch up any fruit or vegetable with whatever you have on hand. Serve as whole wraps, halved pockets, or cute little pinwheels.
- Delicious!! I’d never share anything with you that I didn’t find absolutely YUMMY!
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this vegan chicken wrap recipe.
For the smashed chickpea salad
- Chickpeas: Use cooked or canned chickpeas, whatever you have on hand. (Cooked chickpeas from dried taste better though, in my opinion.)
- Pecans: Roughly chopped pecans add a little crunch and extra protein. You may omit the pecans to reduce the calories and fat if needed.
- Celery: Diced celery adds a crisp and fresh flavour.
- Apple: I like granny smith for its juicy, tart flavour and crisp texture. But any variety of apples will work fine here.
- Dried cranberries: I prefer unsweetened cranberries but they are a little harder to find. If you’re avoiding sugar and oil and can’t find unsweetened oil-free cranberries, you may sub with raisins or pomegranate seeds. I find oil-free unsweetened raisins more easily.
For the wraps
- Tortilla wraps: I prefer whole grain or ancient grain wraps, but if you need gluten-free wraps, you may use your favourite gluten-free brand.
- Baby spinach: Adds greens and extra nutrients to your vegan chicken wraps.
For the dressing
- Cashews: Use raw unsalted and unroasted cashews. The cashews make the dressing very creamy and rich. You may sub with sunflower seeds or pepitas if you prefer.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a touch of acid and tang to the dressing.
- Spices: I selected what I feel is the perfect blend of seasoning for this dressing. The poultry spice enhances the “chicken” flavour in the dish.
- If you don’t have poultry spice, use ¼ teaspoon each of sage, crushed thyme, crushed rosemary, and black pepper with similar results.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
For the salad
First, blend up your dressing ingredients in a small blender and set it aside.
Then mash most (not all) of the chickpeas in a large bowl. (photo 1)
Add the celery, apple, cranberries, and pecans to the bowl. (photo 2)
Then pour the dressing on top and mix well. (photo 3)
Add the spinach and ⅙ of the salad to the center of a tortilla. (photo 4)
Fold over the top and bottom of the tortilla. (photo 5)
Then fold over the sides to create a neat pocket. (photo 6)
Optional grilling
While it is optional to grill or press the wraps, I do recommend it if you can. It not only adds a nice crunch to the wrap, but it seals them and makes them less messy to eat, preventing them from opening.
Place the wraps on a preheated panini press/grill. (photo 7)
Then grill them a few minutes to seal them and add grill lines. (photo 8)
You may serve each vegan chicken wrap whole or slice them in half for extra portions.
For pinwheels
If you want pinwheels instead of large wraps, follow this method instead.
Add the spinach and salad in a line at the bottom of a tortilla. (photo 9)
Then roll up from the bottom to make a long/skinny roll. (photo 10)
Place them on your preheated panini press. (photo 11)
Grill for a few minutes to make grill lines and seal them. (photo 12)
Once grilled, slice each vegan chicken wrap at approx. 2-inch intervals to make bite-sized pinwheels. Cute right?? 😍
You may even serve these wraps with a variety of sauces for dipping. Try any of these!
- Vegan ranch or cashew cream.
- Sriracha mayo, buffalo sauce, or hot sauce.
- Dijon mustard or “honey” mustard.
Substitutions + Variations
Here are some substitution ideas to help make this vegan chicken wrap suit your dietary needs.
- For gluten-free: Choose your favourite gluten-free tortilla wraps.
- For oil-free: Check the ingredients of the wraps as most contain oil. However, most corn tortilla wraps are oil-free, so choose accordingly.
- For nut-free: The pecans in the salad can be omitted or you may use sunflower seeds in its place. For the cashews, you may substitute with raw sunflower seeds or pepitas with similar results.
- For low-fat: Omit the pecans in the salad and swap the cashews in the dressing with white cannellini beans. However, make sure to reduce the water since the beans already contain more moisture. Start with ⅓ cup of water and add more as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
- For low calories: Enjoy this recipe as a vegan chicken salad and skip the wrap entirely. OR use large romaine lettuce or swiss chard as your wrap. You may also use the salad to stuff grilled zucchini boats or portobello mushrooms.
- Make it a sandwich: If you prefer a sandwich, use your favourite bread with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a spread of vegan mayo or ranch dressing.
Or check out our Asian slaw wraps for another wrap option. It features cauliflower rice and peanutty coleslaw to deliver big flavour.
For more vegan “chicken” inspiration, try this soy curl orange “chicken“, jackfruit “chicken” salad, chickpea potato “chicken” patties, or these delicious chickpea nuggets.
Equipment
I use this Cusinart Griddler (affiliate link) to grill these wraps. It’s nonstick and works perfectly well without oil.
I like this particular model because it’s an all-in-one appliance that I can use as a panini press, to make pancakes, grill veggies, AND make waffles.
Storage
Leftover wraps can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, but note that these taste best when freshly made.
If you don’t plan to consume all the wraps in one sitting, you may store the chickpea salad separately in the fridge for 3 days in a sealed container. Then assemble and grill the wraps just before enjoying.
I don’t recommend freezing these.
Expert Tips
- A small blender works best to make this salad dressing since the quantities are small. A large blender will not blend as smoothly because there won’t be enough ingredients for the blades to catch.
- If you don’t have a small blender, double up the dressing ingredients and freeze half for later use.
- If you don’t have a powerful blender (I used a Ninja single serve), soak the cashews in hot water for 20-30 minutes first to soften them. Then drain and blend with the remaining dressing ingredients.
- Cut the apples last to prevent them from browning. Once mixed with the dressing, they will not brown.
- You may prepare the salad and dressing in advance. Mix the salad with the dressing and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Different brands of tortilla wraps vary greatly in calories, fat, and ingredients. Choose wraps that fit your dietary needs.
More delicious wraps + sandwiches
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1.5 cups chickpeas cooked or canned (approx. 15oz can)
- 1 cup granny smith apple diced, approx. 1 small apple
- ½ cup celery diced, approx. 1 medium rib
- ⅓ cup pecans roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
For the Dressing
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ¼ cup +1-2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Wrap
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 6 ten-inch whole grain tortilla wraps gluten-free if needed
Optional for Dipping
Instructions
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a small blender and process until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper, add some if needed, and then set aside. NOTE: A small blender works best since the quantities are small. A large blender will not blend as smoothly.
- Place the chickpeas in a medium mixing bowl and use a potato masher or large fork to smash most of the chickpeas. (Don't worry about getting every single one.) Then add the remaining salad ingredients and the dressing you just made and mix well.
- Lay out the six tortilla wraps, and divide the baby spinach and salad between them. Start with the spinach in the center of your wrap, followed by ⅙ of your salad on top. Fold the top and bottom, and then fold the remaining opposite sides to create a neat pocket so the filling won't fall out.
- Optional: Use a panini press to grill your wraps, folded side down to seal them. This adds a little crunch and beautiful grill lines. Plus, it keeps the wraps neatly sealed. You may then cut each wrap in half and serve.
- Alternatively, you may cut your wraps into pinwheels. For this method, add the spinach and salad to the bottom side of the tortilla. Then tightly roll it from the bottom up. Grill it seal side down to secure. Then slice it in approximately 2-inch intervals.
Becky
Wonderful!!! Thank you so much. This is a keeper – although I will add a bit of something to give it a bit more flavor because we like a little bite 😂. That’s with any recipe – you can make it your own.
Rosa
Thanks Becky, so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Cori Satti
I’m so happy I found this recipe! This is my lunch all week! I make it Monday and have a wrap everyday. So simple and delicious!!!!! The only thing I do different is put the chick peas in the food processor as my smasher was not up to the task 🤣
rosa
Aw thanks Cori! I’m glad you found it too! Thanks for the feedback.
Suzie
With the cranberries, and cut into pinwheels, they even sound like they’d make a nice appetizer for Thanksgiving 😉
Your recipe sounds so easy and delicious and I’d love to give these a try on gluten-free wraps.
rosa
Thanks Suzie, they’d be perfect Thanksgiving appetizers. Hope you enjoy.