Cranberry Tarragon “Chicken” Salad

Vegan protein salads invite you to be as complicated as you wish. While it is possible (and possibly desirable) to make your own “chicken”, “tuna”, or “egg” base as well as your own “mayonnaise” dressing, this recipe is one of three that preserves the simplicity of mixing which makes its animal-based equivalent so attractive. Even eyeballing ingredients is presented as an option for you!

More Vegan Protein Salads

• “Tuna” Salad
• “Egg” Salad

Consequently, you’re not going to fool anyone into thinking they’re eating chicken, tuna, or egg with these recipes. But you will have an equally easy and satisfying lunch that offers all the flavors – and most of the textures – you know and love!

So, why call them chicken, tuna, and egg salads?

Because that’s how I search! I’ve seen chick’n and chikun; toona and tuno; eggz and veggs, but such wordplay I almost always discover when searching “vegan chicken”, etc. I suspect many others operate similarly.

And so I give you my Cranberry Tarragon Chickpea Salad loosely based on an old memory of the Cranberry Tarragon Chicken Salad I used to buy at Starbucks c. 2005.

Print Recipe

Cranberry Tarragon “Chicken” Salad

Author: Does It Vegan? Cooking Method: Blending, Chopping, Dicing, Food Processing, Mincing, Mixing Cuisine: Georgian, Ukrainian Category: Savory Meals

Description

Loosely based on an old memory of the Cranberry Tarragon Chicken Salad I used to buy at Starbucks c. 2005, this recipe is one of three that preserves the simplicity of mixing which makes its animal-based equivalent so attractive.

Ingredients

Protein

• 2 15.5-oz/439-g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1/2 lb/226 g dried chickpeas, cooked)

Produce

• 1 shallot, finely diced (or 1/4 red onion)
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced

Dressing

• ¹⁄₂ cup (125 mL/113 g) vegan mayonnaise (I recommend Hellmann's or Chosen Foods.)
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL/30 g) Dijon mustard

Add-ins

• ¹⁄₂ cup (125 mL/80 g) dried cranberries
• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) minced fresh tarragon (or 1 Tbsp/15 mL dried)

Optional Garnish

• toasted walnuts or pecans
• cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Manually or motorically breakdown chickpeas until only a few remain whole.

   I generally grab my potato masher, but a food processor or blender also work for this step. Pulse, then transfer to a mixing bowl before proceeding.
   Mark as complete

2. Add remaining ingredients using measurements above or reference picture below. Mix thoroughly.

   
   Clockwise from Top Left: celery, dried cranberries, vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, shallot/onion; Center: fresh tarragon
   Mark as complete

3. If available, refrigerate 1 hour.

   Though not critical, this step allows flavors to meld. Your meal will still be delicious if you skip it, but your shallot or onion may be potent.
   Mark as complete

4. Serve and garnish as desired.

   Mark as complete

Note

Try my "Tuna" Salad and "Egg" Salad as well.

Whichever you make, peruse my vegan mayonnaise review to learn why I recommend Hellmann's and Chosen Foods!

Keywords: chicken salad, vegan chicken, chickpea, cranberry, tarragon, mayonnaise, vegan mayonnaise