• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
This Healthy Kitchen
  • RECIPES
  • WINTER
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • JOIN/LOGIN
  • ACCOUNT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • WINTER
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • JOIN/LOGIN
  • ACCOUNT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • WINTER
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • JOIN/LOGIN
    • ACCOUNT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads & Dressings

    Vegan Chicken Salad [GF + Oil Free]

    Published: May 2, 2020 · Modified: Jul 20, 2020 by Rosa · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    1.3K shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This mouth watering vegan chicken salad is loaded with big, bold flavour, a little crunch, a little sweetness and a lot of deliciousness! Smothered in a rich and creamy, oil free dressing that is as delicious as it is easy to make!

    vegan chicken salad in white serving bowl with creamy dressing

    Roasted jackfruit, walnuts and chickpeas make the base of your vegan chicken salad. Then added to it is some crunchy celery, sweet grapes and green onion, all dressed in a creamy, tangy, dill-icious cashew based sauce that is TO DIE FOR!

    vegan chicken salad without dressing on top

    Why I love this salad

    While there are plenty of vegan chicken salad recipes out there, I think you’ll find this version a little unique.

    • Roasting the jackfruit, walnuts and chickpeas really add to the depth of flavour. But if you’re in a hurry or want something raw, try my oil free chickpea salad sandwich version instead.
    • There are so many wonderful textures and distinct flavours, yet they all work well together in perfect, delicious harmony.
    • The dressing is homemade, using wholesome ingredients, as opposed to dousing this salad in mayo.
    • This “chicken” salad is not only vegetarian and vegan friendly, but also gluten free, soy free and oil free, making it suitable for most eaters.

    creamy dressing being poured over vegan chicken salad

    How to make it

    (This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    Gather your ingredients.

    Make sure to use Young Green Jackfruit that is canned in brine or water, NOT syrup. You do not want sweet jackfruit, as it won’t work well for this savoury dish.

    can of chickpeas, can of jackfruit, bowl of cashews and walnuts, celery, green onion, lemon, grapes and bowl of seasoning

    Drain and rinse the chickpeas and jackfruit, and chop your celery, green onion and slice your grapes.

    Once your jackfruit is rinsed very well, shred the pieces using your hands, or two forks. (photos 1-2)

    I typically use my hands, and have no trouble pulling it apart.

    hand holding up jackfruit chunk and then pulling apart on cutting board

    Place the shredded jackfruit, along with your chickpeas and walnut pieces on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes and then remove from the oven and set aside. (photos 3-4)

    The edges of the jackfruit will get a little cripsy, the walnuts and chickpeas should look nicely golden.

    baking tray with shredded jackfruit, chickpeas and walnuts

    While the jackfruit, chickpeas and walnuts are in the oven, prepare the dressing for your vegan chicken salad.

    Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and process until smooth and creamy and set aside. (photos 5-6)

    NOTE: If you do not have a high speed blender, soak your cashews first.

    cashews and seasoning with water in blender to make salad dressing

    Add the roasted jackfruit, chickpeas and walnuts along with all remaining salad ingredients to a bowl. (photo 7)

    Then pour the dressing you just made over top and mix well. (photo 8)

    pouring dressing over vegan chicken salad

    Then you may serve your salad straight away or refrigerate for one hour or longer to chill.

    jackfruit, walnuts, grapes, celery and green onion salad with creamy dressing

    Can I make it ahead of time?

    Yes!

    In fact, this salad tastes even better once the flavours have had a chance to meld together.

    Just refrigerate until ready to serve and enjoy cold.

    How to serve

    1. As is, from the bowl. Seriously, it’s that good.
    2. Make it a sandwich. Grab two slices of your favourite bread, gluten free if needed. Add some lettuce and load it up with your salad.
    3. Use it as a topper. Spoon it on crackers, cucumber slices, or pita.

    How long does it keep?

    Your dressed salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days before getting a little soggy.

    If you make the dressing ahead of time, the dressing may be kept separately for 4-5 days.

    Expert Tips

    • Use young green jackfruit canned in brine or water, only. Do not use fresh jackfruit, and do not use jackfruit that is canned in syrup as it will be very sweet.
    • Don’t skip the roasting! This is really what makes this dish so special and flavoursome.
    • If you do not have a high speed blender, soak your cashews in cool water overnight, or soak in boiling hot water for 15-30 minutes, then drain. The soaking time allows your cashews to swell and soften, making them easier to break down in your blender.
    • This vegan chicken salad tastes great when freshly made, but tastes even better once chilled in the fridge. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more to get all the flavours to meld nicely.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • No walnuts? Use pecan pieces, slivered almonds, pine nuts or macadamia nuts.
    • For nut free: Skip the walnuts, and replace the raw cashews with sunflower seeds instead with slightly different results.
    • You may sub the grapes for dried fruit if you don’t have fresh on hand. Dried cherries, cranberries or raisins all work well.
    • For a mayo style dressing, sub for my oil and nut free pepita mayo instead. Although. I truly recommend trying it this way first.

    More vegan chicken recipes I think you’ll love!

    1. Vegan Orange Chicken – it’s sweet and tangy, made using soy curls and the most incredible, from scratch orange sauce!
    2. Vegan Chicken Soup – this one is so hearty and flavourful, and incredibly comforting. Jackfruit acts as the shredded chicken component, combined with tons of veggies and chunky potatoes.
    3. Vegan Chicken Burgers – these burgers are very near and dear to my heart. One of the first burgers to make it to my blog. They’re crispy, delicious, and satisfying!

    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

    vegan chicken salad in white serving bowl with creamy dressing

    Vegan Chicken Salad [GF + Oil Free]

    This mouth watering vegan chicken salad is loaded big, bold flavour, a little crunch, sweetness and a lot of delicious! Smothered in a rich and creamy, oil free dressing.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American, Canadian
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 225kcal
    Author: Rosa

    Equipment

    Picture of blender on white background.
    Vitamix Blender

    Ingredients

    For the Salad

    • 20 oz can young green jackfruit in brine or water, NOT syrup, drained & rinsed
    • 15 oz can chickpeas drained & rinsed (or 1.5 cups)
    • ½ cup walnut pieces or pecans
    • ½ cup celery diced (approx 1 rib)
    • ½ cup red grapes halved
    • ¼ cup green onion thinly sliced (approx 1 green onion)

    For the Dressing

    • ¾ cup raw cashews
    • ¾ cup + 2 tablespoon water
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice approx half a large lemon
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
    • Rinse your jackfruit very well to remove the brine and shred all the pieces. Add them to your baking tray along with your drained and rinsed chickpeas and walnut pieces. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from the oven.
    • Meanwhile, add all the dressing ingredients, starting with ¾ cup of water to a high speed blender and process on high until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining two tablespoons of water if needed, to thin out your dressing.
    • Arrange your jackfruit, chickpeas, walnuts, celery, grapes, and green onion in a bowl. Pour the dressing on top and mix well.
    • Serve straight away, or refrigerate for an hour or more to chill and serve cold.

    Notes

    Use young green jackfruit canned in brine or water, only. Do not use fresh jackfruit, and do not use jackfruit that is canned in syrup.
    If you do not have a high speed blender, soak your cashews in cool water overnight, or soak in boiling hot water for 15-30 minutes, then drain. The soaking time allows your cashews to swell and soften, making them easier to break down in your blender.
    This salad tastes great when freshly made, but tastes even better once chilled in the fridge. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more to get all the flavours to meld nicely.
    For nut free: Skip the walnuts, and replace the raw cashews with sunflower seeds instead with slightly different results.
    For a mayo style dressing, sub for my oil and nut free pepita mayo instead. Although. I truly recommend trying it this way first.
    Leftovers keep refrigerated for 2-3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg
    DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?Mention @this.healthy.kitchen on IG and tag #thishealthykitchen!
    *Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
    1.3K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment & Star Rating Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Nancy W.

      February 02, 2023 at 12:22 am

      5 stars
      Yet another stellar THK recipe!! Only adjustment I made was: I only had a 14.5-oz can of jackfruit, so I added some rehydrated soy curls. Cut them into small bites and roasted them along with the jackfruit, walnuts and chickpeas. Turned out GREAT! 😍

      Reply
      • Rosa

        February 03, 2023 at 8:45 am

        Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed the salad, Nancy. Thanks very much for the review. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kristan

      October 07, 2022 at 2:16 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! Great combo of unique flavours and textures that came together really nicely and was so easy to make.

      Reply
      • Rosa

        October 07, 2022 at 8:49 am

        Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks very much for taking the time to leave a review.

        Reply
    3. MARY

      April 03, 2022 at 9:13 pm

      5 stars
      It’s very good but the quantities are a lot for one person. Can this freeze well?

      Reply
      • Rosa

        April 04, 2022 at 9:22 am

        Hi Mary, I haven’t tried freezing this one, but I believe it will alter/soften the texture from the roasting.

        Reply
        • MARY

          April 04, 2022 at 5:43 pm

          Thank you. It’s going faster than I thought anyway. Nice recipe💖

          Reply
    4. Lor

      January 19, 2022 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      The BEST WFPB no oil recipe that I have made in a year. It’s absolutely delicious! I love it. Thank you so much!!!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        January 20, 2022 at 12:24 pm

        You’re very welcome Lor. Absolutely thrilled you loved it so much! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jennifer

      January 15, 2022 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      Double the recipe! Sooo good!
      Put it on crackers, in a wrap or by itself.

      Reply
      • Rosa

        January 17, 2022 at 8:29 am

        Thrilled you enjoyed Jennifer! Thanks for the review. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Caryn

      August 22, 2021 at 4:38 pm

      5 stars
      So yummy! The dressing is simple and creamy. Love the texture. Added to my favorites!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        August 23, 2021 at 9:47 am

        So happy you enjoyed Caryn. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Grace

      November 18, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      Hi, would this recipe taste good using white beans instead of cashews?

      Reply
      • Rosa

        November 18, 2020 at 1:45 pm

        Hi Grace, I haven’t tried this with white beans. I think the flavour would be great, but perhaps a little less rich tasting. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out.

        Reply
    8. Marcus

      November 16, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      This Salad is definitely a Keeper!!! Tastes just like chipotle salad to me. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        November 17, 2020 at 8:10 am

        Thrilled you enjoyed Marcus. Thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Colleen

      May 16, 2020 at 8:07 am

      5 stars
      This salad is a winner! I couldn’t stop eating it. I’ll definitely add this to my repertoire. It’s healthful and delicious.

      Reply
      • Rosa

        May 16, 2020 at 10:40 am

        Thanks very much Colleen! Thrilled you enjoyed. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Alex

      May 05, 2020 at 4:11 am

      5 stars
      This is so delicious – and you would never know it was vegan. I love the use of the jack fruit here – so clever!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        May 05, 2020 at 9:58 am

        Thanks very much Alex. Glad you liked it. 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    About Me Pic

    Hi, I'm Rosa! Welcome to This Healthy Kitchen where you'll find tasty and nutritious, plant based recipes with tons of gluten free and oil free options too! Always made using wholesome ingredients, and under 400 calories per serving. Occasional cheat days included. 😉

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash [Healthy+Low Cal]
    • Air Fryer Hash Browns From Scratch [Oil Free Option]
    • Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings – Oven or Air Fryer
    • Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies [Gluten Free]
    • Air Fryer Baked Apples [Tastes like apple pie!]
    • Air Fryer Pineapple (Tastes Like Grilled)
    • Overnight Chia Pudding – Plus 10 Flavours!
    • The Fluffiest Vegan Pancakes Ever [and SO easy!]

    list of websites where This Healthy Kitchen has been featured

    Happy Veganuary! 🥳

    • Vegan Polenta Pizza [Oil Free]
    • Healthy Mushroom and Lentil Pie with Gravy [Oil Free]
    • Vegan Pasta e Fagioli w/ Instant Pot Option
    • Quick + Easy Jackfruit Fajitas
    • Asian Sticky Tofu [Oil Free]
    • Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry
    • Vegan Chicken Burgers [GF + Oil Free]
    • Vegan Jalapeno Popper Soup

    Privacy Policy
    Terms & Conditions

    5 SECRETS TO VEGAN COOKING!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimers
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on our site are affiliate links. If you purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only promote products we use and love. Thanks for your support!

    Copyright © 2023 ThisHealthyKitchen

    1.3K shares