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–+ servings
stacked halves of a tofu "chicken" salad sandwich on a purple plate

Vegan "Chicken" Salad with Chewy Shredded Tofu

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This chewy, satisfying vegan chicken salad is made with shredded + baked tofu, tossed with creamy mayo, sliced grapes and crunchy sunflower seeds for a protein-packed, classic sandwich filling that works SO well for picnics or meal prep.
Course Lunch, sandwich
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword high protein vegan sandwiches, picnic sandwich ideas, tofu sandwich, vegan protein meal prep, vegan sandwich
Dietary Preference vegan, vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Desiree Nielsen, RD

Ingredients

Shredded Tofu "Chicken"

  • 12 ounce package extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon your favourite oil
  • 1 teaspoon better than bouillon vegetarian "chicken" concentrate optional but definitely recommended! See substitution notes below
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • freshly cracked black pepper

Chicken Salad Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup vegan mayo can sub unsweetened yogurt if you prefer
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 rib celery finely diced
  • 1 cup red grapes halved, quartered if large
  • 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
Imperial - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉ (205℃) and prep a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Grate the tofu directly onto the baking sheet. Drizzle over the oil, sprinkle the garlic powder and dried thyme on the tofu.
  • Add the bouillon concentrate to your hands and spread it to coat your palms. Sounds weird, but it works! Massage the tofu with your hands so it's evenly coated in seasonings, then pop into the oven and bake until the tofu at the centre of the pan is still tender, while chewy and dehydrated at the edges of the pan, 14-16 minutes.
  • While the tofu is baking, prep the salad base: whisk mayo, salt, pepper and dijon in bottom of a salad bowl. Prep the veggies if you haven't already.
  • Let the tofu cool for 5 minutes, and then add it to the chicken salad ingredients and mix.
  • Serve as a sandwich, wrap, with crackers or lettuce cups!

Notes

If you need a gluten free option, or just don't have Better than Bouillon, you can substitute!
It adds a very "chicken-y" flavour, so I would recommend adding maybe 1/2 teaspoon of a chicken flavoured bouillon powder....OR...for no special ingredients, do 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 tsp garlic powder total for umami.