Vegan soy curl chicken salad is easy to make in 30 minutes and packed with protein for a satisfying lunch! Shredded soy curls add great texture along with celery and red onion in this plant-based favorite.
Soy curls are key to the best vegan chicken salad recipe because they can be shredded, similar to traditional chicken salad.
This soy curl chicken salad and chickpea chicken salad have been my go-to easy lunch recipes because they are so simple to make ahead of time and store well all week long in the fridge.
If you’ve never tried cooking with soy curls, this recipe will hook you. All you have to do is rehydrate them with vegetable broth to infuse each bite with flavor. Tarragon and dill give the perfect herby kick to round out the salad.
Serve soy curl chicken salad on a toasted piece of bread, wrap it in a homemade vegan flour tortilla, or dip chickpea chips. Or you can enjoy it with a spoon!
Ingredient Notes
You will need these simple, plant-based ingredients to make vegan chicken salad:
Soy curls are the mock meat for this "chicken" salad. Once rehydrated with vegetable broth, they are like vegan chicken strips. Shred or chop them to your liking.
Vegan mayonnaise holds all the additions and flavors of the salad together. You can use store-bought vegan mayo or tofu mayo.
Lemon juice adds just the right amount of tang. You could also use apple cider vinegar or dijon mustard for a pop of flavor.
Parsley, dill, tarragon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, combine to provide the best flavor. If using fresh herbs instead of dried ones, you must use 3 times the amount! To ensure a proper conversion, finely chop the fresh herbs.
The recipe card below includes the full list of ingredients + instructions.
How to Make Soy Curl Chicken Salad
- Rehydrate soy curls and shred.
- Heat soy curls on stovetop.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl.
- Mix, taste, and adjust to your liking.
- Serve on a toasted piece of bread or over lettuce. Enjoy!
Additions
Everyone has their idea of a perfect vegan chicken salad. Treat this recipe as your starting point, and add whatever makes your heart happy!
- Raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped red grapes.
- Shredded carrots or chopped bell pepper.
- Chopped walnuts or pumpkin seeds for an extra crunch.
- Pickles or Dijon mustard for extra tang.
- Swap the herbs with 2 tablespoons of dairy-free ranch seasoning.
Ways to Serve
Make vegan chicken salad sandwiches! Scoop it onto a toasted piece of bread, pita, chickpea flour tortilla, or vegan croissant. Add sliced tomato, pickles, lettuce, or any of your favorite toppings.
Use it as a dip with chickpea chips, crackers, or pretzel chips. Or serve over a bed of lettuce or your favorite greens make a protein-packed salad.
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Vegan Soy Curl Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups soy curls
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup celery 2 ribs, finely chopped
- ½ cup red onion ½ onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- fine sea salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Rehydrate 2 cups soy curls in 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth for 7 to 10 minutes. You will know they are ready when they are soft and spongey.
- While the soy curls rehydrate, chop 2 celery ribs and ½ of a red onion.
- Use your hands or a pair of food scissors to “shred” the soy curls into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a pan to medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Then add the hydrated soy curls with the broth and cook until all the liquid evaporates and the soy curls are slightly brown—about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Place the soy curls in a large bowl with ½ cup celery, ½ cup red onion, ½ cup vegan mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes, 2 teaspoons dried dill, 2 teaspoon dried tarragon, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Thoroughly combine all ingredients. Test the chicken salad and add fine sea salt to taste. Add more lemon juice and herbs if needed.
- Serve on a toasted piece of bread or over lettuce. Enjoy!
Notes
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* The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy will vary on specific ingredients and brands used.
Catherine K. says
Hi there!
Best Soy Curl chicken-not-chicken chicken salad I’ve made to date. I used Better Than Bullion for the stock, and had to sub Oregano for the Tarragon, and it was SO delicious. I was leary about all of the broth cooking off the curls, but it did and I believe one of the secrets to the amazing texture and flavor! So much better than squeezing the daylights out of the soy curls, and leaves them tender and very tasty. I will try this method with other soy curl dishes for sure.
I absolutely recommend y’all try this recipe. Thank you for sharing it!
Sarah Pilley says
Thank you Catherine! It makes me so happy that you enjoyed it!!