A flavorful vegan summer salad with crispy chicken and mushroom bacon, tomatoes, avocado, and a creamy, rich tahini dressing.
It’s summertime so that means more fresh salads. I am not usually a salad fiend and would much rather dig into a bowl of pasta…BUT sometimes you need to venture out. I am glad I did, because this salad might be one of my new favorite summer meals.
This salad is filled with all the right ingredients: crispy vegan chicken, avocado, tomatoes, crispy mushroom bacon (that actually tastes like bacon) paired with a creamy, rich tahini dressing.
All these flavors mend together to obtain a delicious taste with each bite. That being said, don’t skip out on any part of this salad. It all matters!
This mushroom bacon is out of this world good and it’s made with a few simple ingredients: shiitake mushrooms, tamari, liquid smoke, maple syrup, pepper, smoked paprika, and olive oil.
All “bacon” ingredients are tossed in a bowl then spread out in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. They are popped into the oven to bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees then cooled for 10 minute to crisp up. Viola…addicting and delicious mushroom “bacon.”
The tahini dressing has to be my all time favorite dressing now, so I highly recommend to double the batch if you want it to last longer (trust me it wont).
It’s made by whisking together tahini, whole grain mustard, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and a bit of water to thin. It’s creamy, slighly tangy, slightly sweet, and has a delicious mouthfeel.
Drench it on everything why don’t ya?
This Vegan Tahini Chicken Salad is…
- Filled with crispy chicken and mushroom bacon
- Extremely flavorful
- Topped with a creamy, rich tahini dressing
- Vegan and healthy
A flavorful vegan summer salad with crispy chicken and mushroom bacon, fresh vegetables, and a creamy, rich tahini dressing.
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, torn into small pieces
- 2 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 2 vegan chicken patties
- 5-6 cups greens such as romaine or butter lettuce
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ avocado, sliced
- 3 tbsp chopped chives
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
To a small bowl, add all mushroom bacon ingredients. Carefully stir to completely coat mushrooms in sauce. Spread out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Reserve a bit of space on one side of the baking sheet to place the two chicken patties. Bake for 15 minutes. Let mushrooms cool for 10 minutes to crisp up. Slice chicken patties into strips.
-
While mushroom and chicken patties are baking, prepare the dressing. Whisk together all ingredients until creamy, adding water to thin out to desired consistency.
-
Assemble salad by adding a bed of greens to a large bowl. Add 3 tbsp of dressing and toss to coat greens. Top with cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, vegan chicken, mushroom bacon, and a sprinkle of chives. Drizzle with dressing to serve.
