Smoky Jackfruit “chicken” salad

A delicious spring or summer vegan recipe…you can make it winter too if you want to feel more like summer.

I recently started experimenting with jackfruit recipes, and I discovered that jackfruit makes a fantastic sub for chicken in a traditional chicken salad. My goodness, it’s delicious (and not only is jackfruit delicious, it’s rich in vitamin C too)! Because jackfruit has such a mild flavour, it takes on all the wonderful flavours in this dish—tangy lemon and dill, creamy eggless mayo, savoury garlic, and smoky paprika. I’ve added fresh vegetables like celery, green onion, and bell peppers to give it a great crunch and loads of fibre.

Serve this salad in pieces of Boston or Bibb lettuce, in a wrap, sandwich, or on crackers. To boost the protein, I like adding hemp hearts. You can find canned jackfruit online, in health food stores, Asian grocery stores, or in the international section of some chain grocers.

INGREDIENTS

1 (14oz/398ml) can young jackfruit (in brine)* 2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped

3 medium green onions, thinly sliced

1⁄2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

3 Tbsps store-bought vegan mayo 1 small clove garlic, minced

2–3 tsps minced fresh dill

2–3 tsps fresh lemon juice, to taste 1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika

1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Place the drained jackfruit segments onto a large cutting board. Using a knife, slice off the fibrous core of each jackfruit segment. You’ll only want to use the “stringy” parts that resemble pulled pork. Discard the core and chop the remaining pieces into small 1⁄2-inch chunks. It should look like shredded chicken and you should have about 11⁄2 cups chopped.

Add the chopped pieces to a bowl and stir in the celery, green onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.

Now, stir in the dill and season with the lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, adjusting quantities to taste af- ter mixing.

Serve in a sandwich or wrap, on top of a big salad, or with crackers. I love enjoying it with rice cakes and mashed avocado, too. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for three to four days. Stir before serving.

TIPS

*I use Native Forest Organic Young Jackfruit which comes in a 14oz (398 mL) can. Make sure to purchase canned jackfruit that says “in brine” as opposed to “in syrup” (or simply ensure that it’s unsweetened). Some brands (like Cha’s) recommend cooking it before serving to soften the jackfruit. To do this, gently boil it for 15 minutes and then drain and rinse with cold water. Native Forest brand can be used straight from the can without cooking.

Feel free to add finely chopped dill pickle to the mix, too! I like adding about 1⁄4 cup of chopped dill pickle for a tangy crunch.

Recipe Author: Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows! Is a top Canadian vegan food blogger and is featured in Optimyz magazine.

More Recipe Inspiration: As a snack or to go with this delicious recipe, try these yam and hummus bites.