Chickpea Chicken Salad Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)

This chickpea chicken salad sandwich makes a fantastic and flavorful lunch or dinner! A hearty and plant-based alternative to chicken salad.  This plant-protein sandwich is packed with flavor, and has quite a crunch from fresh celery & bell pepper and a creamy plant-based dressing.

This vegan chicken salad sandwich with garbanzo beans is a fantastic lunch – and easy to meal prep or make ahead. Serve with chips,  crispy oven baked fries, or a simple vinegar & oil coleslaw for a fantastic meal.

This creamy chickpea chicken salad is a fantastic plant-based filling lunch or dinner!  I absolutely love smashed chickpea salad, and wanted to give this recipe an update by using classic chicken salad veggies (celery & red pepper) for a bright and fresh crunch. It gives this sandwich an extra pop of flavor.

I used to love chicken salad sandwiches growing up. We used to get the best chicken salad ever at a small grocery store named Kramer’s in my town. And now, making a delicious vegan version with chickpeas is a great substitute. It’s high in protein, high in fiber, and loaded with a creamy dressing just like traditional chicken salad… but meatless!

This Chickpea Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe Is

• Bright
• Flavorful
• Sweet & Savory
• Loaded with Vegetables
• A Great Make Ahead Lunch or Dinner
• Creamy
• Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy Free!

Make Chicken Salad Vegan for a Plant-Based Version

This vegan chicken salad with chickpeas is a simple way to get extra veggies in your diet. I’m all about making recipes plant-based when I can. Vegan cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around vegan pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make better meals for you and your family.

I made a list of my 125 favorite vegan pantry ingredients that we use on a weekly basis, and check out all my vegan recipes here that are on The Herbeevore. These easy recipes are fantastic meatless and dairy free meals for your table.

What’s In This Plant Based Chickpea Salad Sandwich?

I cook with fresh produce from my garden and from Misfits Market– they sell fantastic fruit, vegetables, & pantry staples at a discounted price. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out favorite produce for delivery. Get $10 off your first box here!

• Bell Pepper, Celery, & Any Sandwich Toppings (Lettuce, Tomato, Microgreens, etc.)
• No Salt Added Chickpeas: one of my favorite pantry staple ingredients! You can use canned chickpeas (I’d highly recommend a low sodium or no salt version), or you can make your own chickpeas from scratch in the Instant Pot.
• Vegan Mayonnaise: I like to use this dairy free mayo to keep this recipe plant-based, but you can use whatever mayo that you would normally use in recipes. If you don’t normally like mayo, try my dairy free recipe... it’s creamy but still plant based.
• Whole Grain or Dijon Mustard – for a really nice flavor and texture, you can use either whole grain mustard, stone ground, or Dijon I’d stay clear from yellow prepared mustard for this recipe.
• Sweet Relish – to give this dish a little extra sweetness. I love this classic sweet relish which has a nice crunch and a sweet and tangy flavor. It’s great in this salad (like a secret ingredient!) and also great to have on the table for burgers or veggie dogs.
• Sandwich Bread, if eating this chickpea salad as a sandwich. Make sure to use a certified gluten free bread if you cannot eat wheat.

Meal Prep Garbanzo Bean Chicken Salad For the Win!

This chicken salad with garbanzo beans is the perfect recipe for homemade meal prep.  I am a huge fan of meal prepping, batch cooking, and making recipes ahead.  I love the convenience of cooking once and being able to enjoy easy homemade meals during the week when I don’t have time.

There’s a whole section of TheHerbeevore.com dedicated to my favorite tried & true meal prep recipes.  With just a little planning and prep, you can have a week’s worth of recipes ready in the time it would take to make one portion.  Just batch cook, divide into individual containers, and place in the fridge or freezer for later!  I also made a list of my favorite meal prep products on Amazon that I use weekly. They make cooking easy.

This recipe makes enough chickpea salad for about 4 sandwiches – just add 2 generous scoops to a slice of your favorite bread, top with sprouts/tomato/lettuce, and lunch is ready. Or just eat on top of a salad, your choice!

Easy Chickpea Recipes Anytime

This recipe calls for chickpeas aka garbanzo beans. This are one of my favorite beans – packed with plant-based protein, and are high in fiber and nutrients! I’d recommend using a no-salt-added variety to keep the overall sodium content down, so you can control how much sodium is in the dish. Canned chickpeas taste great, so if you are using canned chickpeas, just watch the sodium or added salt content.

I make dried beans in my Instant Pot every week, it’s a great way to save on cost. If you’re a bean fan, then I’d recommend an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker as a way to take your recipes to the next level!

More Vegan Pantry Staple Recipes You’ll Love!

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon (Vegan, Gluten Free, Pantry Staple)

Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

The Best TVP Chili Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, High Protein)

4-Ingredient No Knead Bread Recipe (Vegan, Pantry Staple Recipe)

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Sweet Potato (Vegan, GF, Whole30)

Share This Garbanzo Bean Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe!

As always if you make this chickpea chicken salad sandwich be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you.  I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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