Chicken Salad Chick Copycat - Elevated Plant-Based Chick’n Salad
This post may contain affiliate links.
This delicious plant based Chicken Salad Chick copycat recipe is easy to make, and versatile for any flavor with any vegan chick’n substitute.
Table of contents
Chicken salad sandwiches are an American staple, with a fast-casual chain launching that makes chicken salad exclusively. However, I wanted to make a copycat Chicken Salad Chick recipe without any chick. Not surprisingly, it’s easy to do with your own or any store-bought brand of seitan.
What Is Seitan?
Unlike bread, seitan is a food product that is made from gluten the main protein in wheat. In the home kitchen, we can start by washing the starch out of flour for gluten or just use vital wheat gluten from the store. While gluten doesn’t have a good taste itself, unlimited combinations of ingredients and seasonings can be added to make it in various forms. Gluten dough can also be kneaded until it cooks into shreds that resemble shredded chicken or beef. If you search for “chickwheat” or “seitan shreds” you will find some great recipes and instructions. Overall, these seitan shreds make the most realistic Chicken Salad Chick copycat sandwiches.
Further, starting with a base of protein rich cruelty-free seitan, you can add the same ingredient combinations that are popular in the restaurant. We’re going to start out with the Classic Carol made from just seitan, finely minced celery, plant based mayo, and seasonings. I’ll give you two more, a copycat for the Fancy Nancy (with diced Fuji apples, seedless grapes, and pecans) and the Cranberry Kelli (with dried sweetened cranberries and slivered almonds). From there you can imagine the other possibilities like; Buffalo, Jalapeño, Kickin’ (with Buffalo, ranch, plant based bacon bits, shredded plant based cheddar, jalapeños, and Sriracha), Old South (with pickle and tofu egg), Lemon Basil Pecan, BBQ and more.
Related Links
Ingredients for Vegan Chicken Salad Recipe
- seitan, home made or store-bought Gardein Chick’n Strips or Tofurkey Lightly Seasoned Chick’n both work great
- plant based mayo
- celery
- seasoning mix - garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning and salt
The Fancy Nancy and Cranberry Kelli Variations
The Fancy Nancy is another flavor that’s made by mixing the vegan chick’n substitute and plant based mayo with a few different ingredients. Similarly it uses small diced Fuji apples, halved seedless grapes, and chopped pecans.
Whereas, a Cranberry Kelli starts with the same vegan chick’n substitute and plant based mayo, but adds dried sweetened cranberries and slivered almonds for the signature variety.
How to Make This Vegan Chicken Salad Recipe (Step-by-step)
- Pull apart homemade seitan shreds or bake Gardein chick’n strips for 10 minutes at 350F, or rinse and pat dry Tofurkey lightly seasoned chick’n
- Use food processor to chop seitan if not using shreds, more surface area for the mayo makes a better sandwich
- Finely dice celery, or prep ingredients for other variations
- To a mixing bowl add the seitan, celery, mayo, seasoning and stir to combine
- Ready to eat, or chill for happiness
Pro Tips For Making this Vegan Chicken Alternative
Further, I like to bake most meat substitutes on parchment paper for best texture. Overall I find that it works best with this vegan chick’n substitute.
For a good textural result, I leave out the oil recommended on some packages. I baked these for ten minutes at 350F and allowed them to cool completely before chopping them in the food processor.
As a thickener, a bit of xanthan gum can be a game changer since vegan mayo and sour cream are slightly less stable.
How to Serve this Vegan Chicken Alternative
- Classic sandwich: Spread your vegan chicken salad between slices of your favorite bread or bun.
- Wrap or burrito: Roll it up in a tortilla or flatbread with crunchy greens.
- Lettuce wraps: Use large leaves (iceberg or butter lettuce) as a low-carb alternative to wraps.
- Stuffed bell peppers: Fill hollowed-out bell peppers with the vegan chicken salad mixture, then bake until tender.
- Pita pockets: Stuff whole wheat or gluten-free pita pockets with your salad. Great for picnics or on the go.
- Crackers or crostini: Spoon your salad onto whole-grain crackers or toasted baguette slices.
- Green salad topper: Serve it over a bed of mixed greens, spinach, or your favorite salad greens.
- Veggie dip: Use it for carrot and celery sticks, cucumber slices, or other fresh veggies.
- Rice or grain bowl: Add a scoop of vegan chicken salad to a cooked rice or quinoa bowl.
- Stuffed avocado: Halve an avocado, remove the pit, and then fill the hollow with your salad mixture.
- Roll-ups: Spread the salad onto a tortilla or lavish bread, add some fresh vegetables, and roll it up!
- Pasta salad: Mix it with cooked pasta and some veggies for a vegan pasta salad.
More Recipes To Try
Check out these other recipes for great plant-based meal ideas.
FAQs
Yes, you can. The variations of “chickwheat” or “shreds” of seitan work the best.
Typically, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. However, for the best quality and freshness, consume it within 1-2 days.
Yes, this salad is great for meal prep. Prepare a batch and divide it into portion-sized containers.
Get the Recipe Chicken Salad Chick Copycat - Elevated Plant-Based Chick’n Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients For Seitan Chick'n Salad
- 2 10 oz seitan chick'n strips, or other seitan
- 1 cup plant based mayo
- 2 medium celery ribs , finely diced
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp poultry seasoning
Equipment
Instructions
Instructions For Making Seitan Chick'n Salad
- Bake Gardein chick'n strips for 10 minutes at 350F, rinse and pat dry Tofurkey lightly seasoned chick'n
- Use food processor to chop seitan, or hand tear homemade chick'n shreds
- Finely dice celery, or prep ingredients for other variations
- To a mixing bowl add the seitan, celery, mayo, seasoning and stir to combine
- Ready to eat, or chill for happiness