Vegan Chicken Salad Twist

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Crunch

01 - 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds

02 - 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 2 celery ribs, diced small

04 - 1/2 cup red grapes, halved

05 - 1/4 cup dried cherries

→ Dressing

06 - 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

07 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

08 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Pulse slivered almonds in food processor several times until crumbly, avoiding powder or paste consistency.

02 - Add drained chickpeas to processor with almonds and pulse until mixture is flaky with some whole beans remaining. Do not over-process.

03 - Transfer almond-chickpea mixture to large bowl. Add celery, grapes, dried cherries, vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Combine thoroughly.

04 - Refrigerate until ready to serve.

05 - Serve chilled on croissants, bread with lettuce, over salad, or with crackers.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

It tastes hearty enough to satisfy meat-eaters, which means no cooking separate meals for different diets.
Fifteen minutes from start to finish, and most of that time is just chopping vegetables.
The leftovers actually taste better the next day when flavors have time to get cozy together.
It works everywhere—stuffed in a sandwich, piled on crackers, or spooned over greens for a quick lunch.

02 -

Over-processing the almonds and chickpeas is the most common mistake, and it turns your salad into a paste that tastes heavy instead of light and flaky.
Rinsing the chickpeas removes the starchy liquid that can make everything gummy, and it's the difference between a fresh-tasting salad and one that feels heavy the longer it sits.

03 -