Curried chickpea salad sandwich

Of all the things we miss in our quest to cut back on animal proteins, chicken salad definitely ranks in the top 10. It’s cool, creamy, perfect for summer, and, if you buy a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, effortless. Our GOAT variation is spiced with curry powder and mango chutney, and studded with diced apricots and sliced almonds—a preparation dubbed “coronation chicken salad,” as it was created to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s ascending the throne in 1953. 

Heidi Swanson’s chickpea salad sandwich has long been our base for a plant-based take on a cold chicken sammie, but lately we've been giving the chickpeas the coronation treatment. The filling itself is a protein-packed standalone salad, but it’s most importantly the perfect consistency for packing into a sandwich. Chickpeas are the least creamy canned bean, so they stay chunky when you mash them. The liquid garbanzos come in is also a key ingredient in a simple DIY mayo—but you can of course use store-bought smear to make the recipe even speedier. As for the bread, skip the sliced sandwich loaf, which isn’t sturdy enough to stand up to the filling. Baguettes, ciabatta, or focaccia are our chosen carbs here.

Our new go-to sando requires little more than opening cans and mashing ingredients together. It gets yummier as it sits (very important if you want to pack it for a picnic) and the flavors really get going on days two and three, so it’s make-ahead friendly. Enough talking, let’s go eat a sammich!

Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Yield: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, aquafaba reserved
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, made with reserved aquafaba or store-bought
  • ¼ cup aquafaba
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup neutral oil, like canola or avocado 
• 2 tablespoons mango chutney*  
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon 
• ¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped* 
• ¼ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 2 ciabatta rolls, ½ crusty baguette, or 2 large pieces focaccia bread 

Procedure:

1. If you’re DIYing your mayo, add the aquafaba, white vinegar, and salt to a liquid measuring cup or Mason jar. Use an immersion blender to blend until frothy, about 1 minute. Slowly stream in the oil while blending for 3 to 4 minutes, or until silky and thickened. 
2. In a medium bowl, use a fork to mash chickpeas, mayonnaise, mango chutney, curry powder, salt, and lemon zest and juice until combined but still chunky. Taste and add more salt if desired.
3. Stir in apricots, cilantro, almonds, and red onion. Divide mixture between sandwiches.

Notes and Substitutions:

• If you don’t have mango chutney, you can sub an equal amount of apricot jam with ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste). 
• For apricots, you can swap in 2 tablespoons of golden raisins.
• Aquafaba mayo will keep in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks; toss it if it starts to get moldy.