Crispy Vegan “Chicken” (Made With Tofu), Delicious Vegan Dish

Crispy vegan fried “chicken” (tofu) is a delicious vegan dish.

The simple double breading is wonderfully seasoned, and marinated tofu produces a juicy, delicious “meat” that tastes exactly like chicken.

Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?

• This vegan fried “chicken” is a fantastic meatless take on conventional fried chicken that I’m sure you’ll love. It has the same soft, juicy “meat” enclosed in a crunchy, golden, seasoned breading as the real thing. For a completely vegan comfort supper, serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans.
• A double-dip in the batter results in a lovely breading that crisps up nicely. It is not overly thick and does not flake. Perfect!
• Because of the freezing and thawing procedure, it takes a little longer, but I assure you it’s well worth it. To get the perfect chicken texture, freeze and thaw the tofu twice.

Important Ingredients

Firm Tofu – Press the tofu between two cutting boards to eliminate as much moisture as possible after freezing and thawing it twice.

Then, using a kitchen towel, press on it to remove a little more. Make sure not to apply too much pressure.

All-Purpose Flour and Cornstarch — For crispy fried chicken breading, combine all-purpose flour and cornstarch. If you’re gluten-free, use gluten-free all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio instead.

Seasonings – You may make your vegan fried “chicken” breading with whatever seasoning combination you choose.

Substitute a Cajun seasoning blend for the Italian seasoning, and add red pepper flakes instead of cayenne. Whatever fried chicken flavors you prefer!

Chef’s Advice

• It’s critical to squeeze out all of the liquid from the tofu. That is to say, as much as you possibly can. If you don’t, your vegan fried “chicken” will be too crumbly and won’t fry up properly
• Drain fried “chicken” on a wire cooling rack over a layer of paper towels for extra crispiness. If you place them on a paper towel-lined plate, the tofu will soak up the oil as it drains, preventing it from being as crispy as possible.
• Use a deep-frying thermometer to determine when your oil is ready to begin frying. The breading will burn if the temperature is too high. It’ll just soak up the oil if it’s too cold. Test the oil before dropping the battered tofu in it if you don’t have a thermometer. Dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil and see if it quickly bubbles. However, if the bubbles are forceful, the temperature is too high.
• This recipe can be fully prepared ahead of time, then frozen after cooling completely. You’ll be glad you did, believe me. Reheat the fried “chicken” in the oven at 400°F until thoroughly warmed. It also works if you have leftover vegan fried “chicken” that you just want to chill overnight. Allow it to cool completely before placing it in an airtight container. For the greatest texture, reheat it in the oven.

Crispy Vegan “Chicken” (Tofu)

Crispy vegan fried “chicken” is a delicious vegan dish. The simple double breading is wonderfully seasoned, and marinated tofu produces a juicy, delicious “meat” that tastes exactly like chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce package of firm tofu
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• neutral oil for frying

Equipment

• Freezer
• Large bowl
• Medium bowls (2)
• Cast iron skillet
• Wire cooling rack or large plate
• Paper towels

Instructions For Crispy Vegan “Chicken” Tofu

1. Place the tofu packet in the freezer. Remove from freezer and allow to defrost completely. Rep the procedure.
2. Open the package and drain all liquid when tofu has thawed a second time. Break the tofu into bite-sized pieces after pressing to remove any leftover moisture.
3. Place tofu chunks in a large mixing basin and cover with vegetable broth. Place aside.
4. Combine milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium mixing basin. Place aside.
5. Combine flour, cornstarch, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt in a separate medium bowl. Place aside.
6. Heat 12″ of oil in a cast-iron skillet to 350°-360° Fahrenheit. To capture excess oil, place a wire cooling rack over a thick layer of paper towels. Alternatively, use paper towels to line a large plate.
7. Dredge tofu pieces in flour mixture after dipping in milk mixture. Shake off excess flour by tapping pieces against the side of the bowl, then dip in milk and dredge in flour again. Remove any extra flour with a shake.
8. Place the battered tofu in the oil and fry for 6 to 7 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes or so, until golden brown.
9. Place the fried tofu on a wire rack to cool. Continue until all of the tofu has been fried. Allow cooling before serving warm.

Notes

• Gluten-Free Option: Use all-purpose gluten-free flour.

This recipe serves around 4 people. Your desired portion sizes will determine the number of servings.

The nutritional values given are for one serving out of four using the ingredients mentioned and are approximate.

The exact macros will vary depending on the brands and types of ingredients utilized.

Prepare the recipe as directed to get the weight of one serving. Weigh the final recipe, then divide the weight (excluding the weight of the container in which the food is stored) by four. The weight of one serving will be the result.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 391kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 1443mg, Potassium: 157mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 698IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 296mg, Iron: 5mg, Net Carbs: 60g