Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

I love a good chicken salad sandwich, but I always hesitate to buy the stuff at the deli.  You never know how long it’s been sitting there.  Or where the chicken came from.  Or if it even IS chicken.  Did they cut away any fat?  Oh God – what if there’s a piece of skin?  Did they wear gloves???  Can you tell I’m a little bit paranoid about deli foods?

Anyway, I had a taste for chicken salad the other day, but I really didn’t feel like cooking up any chicken to make it from scratch.  I remembered a recipe from a vegan cooking class I took a while ago, where the chef made tuna salad from chickpeas, and call me crazy, but it tasted pretty close to the real thing.  If she could make them taste like tuna, chicken salad should be a snap, right?

Luckily for me, I have about a hundred cans of chickpeas in my pantry, because you just never know when there might be a shortage.  A little experimenting and a pinch of salt, pepper and curry powder later, and voila!  I have to say, this tastes pretty much like chicken salad, and I like the texture even better.  No stringy chicken that gets stuck in your teeth (sorry if that’s gross)– just crunchy and chewy chickpeas and crisp apple.   Skeptical?   Try it – you’ll be pleasantly surprised and it’s super quick to make!

I left the apple in slices so you get some in every bite, but you can also chop it up and mix it right in if you like.

Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Who knew chickpeas were so versatile? These really do taste just like chicken.

3 from 6 votes

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Course: lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: legumes, sandwiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 101kcal

Author: Craving Something Healthy

Ingredients

• 1-16 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1/4-1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or vegan mayonnaise for vegan
• 2 tablespoons salted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 crisp apple sliced or chopped
• 8 slices whole grain bread
• baby greens if desired

Instructions

• Place chickpeas in a large mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency.
• Add 1/4 cup of the yogurt, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, curry powder and salt and pepper and mix well.
• Add additional yogurt for a creamier consistency as desired.
• If using chopped apple, mix it in, otherwise reserve apple slices to add to sandwich.
• Spoon mixture onto bread, top with sliced apple and baby greens.

Notes

Nutrition info is for the chickpea mixture only.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tell me @CravingSomethingHealthy!