Vegan Fried Chicken
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Vegan Fried Chicken is a delicious alternative to traditional fried chicken. Now you can enjoy the tastiness of fried chicken without the meat!
Fried chicken is one of those recipes that just can’t be argued with, it’s simply delicious. However, if you don’t eat meat that could be a problem. I’ve created an amazing Vegan Fried Chicken recipe that everyone will want to try!
The only way you can truly describe this chicken is that it’s moist and super flavorful! Even though we don’t eat meat, we still like our food to be tasty!
I also have to brag about this recipe because there is no fake meat taste to it! This Vegan Fried Chicken recipe is as close as it gets to the real thing, without eating actual meat.
Instead of fried chicken, this is a recipe for fried chicken seitan.
Why You’ll Love Vegan Fried Chicken Recipe
- Spices: If you LOVE food with flavor, then you’re going to love the spices that are on this Vegan Fried Chicken recipe! Garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika are just the beginning.
- Easy To Make: Who wants to spend a ton of time making dinner? I don’t! I’ve perfected this recipe, so you don’t have to. This recipe is quick, so pair it with an easy slaw like Kale Apple Slaw.
- Beyond Tasty: In my opinion, if you’re going to have vegan chicken, then it needs to taste amazing! You’ll love this fried chicken “vegan” style because it is so tasty!
Ingredients and Substitutions
While it did take me a while to perfect this recipe, I am proud of the simple ingredients needed to make this chicken! It can be hard sometimes to formulate a vegan recipe that tastes just like the real thing, but this recipe tastes divine!
Chicken Seitan – You’ll need chicken seitan, formed into 6-7 pieces.
Nondairy Milk – For this recipe, full-fat oat milk works best, but you can use what you have on hand!
Apple Cider Vinegar – For this fried chicken recipe, you’ll need a little bit of apple cider vinegar.
Flour – All-purpose flour works best, but you can use any type of flour that you have on hand.
Spices – This recipe calls for several spices that you’ll need to complete this recipe!
You’ll also need rice cereal and vegetable oil for making the fried vegan recipe.
Step-by-Step Ingredients for Making Vegan Fried Chicken
Step 1 – In a shallow dish, pour in the milk and apple cider vinegar. Leave to sit for 5 minutes (this creates buttermilk).
Step 2 – In another shallow dish whisk together the flour and spices. Set up a breading station.
Step 3 – Dip the seitan into the buttermilk, then into the flour mixture, coating it well. Place on a plate. Continue this for all of the seitan pieces.
Step 4 – Next add the crushed rice cereal to the flour mixture and stir it well. Dip the seitan in the buttermilk again, and then into the flour/cereal mixture.
Step 5 – Once all of the seitan pieces are breaded TWICE you can begin to heat your oil.
Step 6 –Heat your oil in a shallow frying pan (cast iron works amazing) to 375°F/190°C degrees.
Step 7 –Fry half of the seitan pieces (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan) for about 4-5 minutes per side.
Step 8 – Remove the seitan pieces and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Feel free to add extra salt if needed. Serve!
Tips and Tricks for Making Vegan Fried Chicken
Well-Coated Chicken: Make sure your chicken seitan is well-coated in the flour mixture. You want a thick layer of flour so that it gets nice and crispy when fried.
Full-Fat Milk: If you’re using a different type of milk, make sure it’s a full-fat variety. This will help the coating to stick to the seitan and get nice and crispy.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Be careful not to overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. You want to make sure each piece has enough room to crisp up properly.
Add Your Favorite Dipping Sauce: Serve your vegan fried chicken with your favorite dipping sauce. We love a good honey mustard or BBQ sauce. Enjoy!
Is vegan fried chicken gluten-free?
No, seitan fried chicken is not gluten-free as it is made with wheat gluten. If you are looking for a gluten-free option, you could try vegan tofu chicken or cauliflower “chicken” instead.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can make seitan fried chicken ahead of time. Just cook the chicken according to the recipe instructions, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, just reheat in a pan over medium heat until crispy and hot.
Is vegan fried chicken healthy?
Seitan itself is a fairly calorie-dense food, so it’s best to enjoy in moderation.
More Delicious Vegan Dinner Ideas
I just found this recipe for Vegan Hamburger Helper that I HAVE to try! Talk about veganizing comfort foods, yum!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey – If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below.
Vegan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-8 pieces chicken seitan about the size of a chicken tenderloin
- 1½ cups non-dairy milk of your choice we use full-fat oat milk in this recipe
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup rice cereal crushed
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, pour in the milk and apple cider vinegar. Leave to sit for 5 minutes (this creates buttermilk).
- In another shallow dish whisk together the flour and spices. Then set up your breading station.
- Dip the seitan into the buttermilk, then into the flour mixture, coating it well. Place on a plate, and continue this for all the seitan pieces.
- Next, add the crushed rice cereal to the flour mixture and stir it well.
- Dip the seitan in the buttermilk again, and then into the flour/cereal mixture.
- Once all of the seitan pieces are breaded TWICE, heat your oil in a shallow frying pan (cast iron works amazing) to 375°F/190°C. (Turn down the heat to 350°F/175°C if the "chicken" is frying too fast or burning.
- Fry half of the seitan pieces (don’t overcrowd the pan) for about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the seitan pieces and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Feel free to add extra salt if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Full-Fat Milk: If you’re using a different type of milk, make sure it’s a full-fat variety. This will help the coating to stick to the seitan and get nice and crispy.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Be careful not to overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. You want to make sure each piece has enough room to crisp up properly.
Add Your Favorite Dipping Sauce: Serve your vegan fried chicken with your favorite dipping sauce. We love a good honey mustard or BBQ sauce. Enjoy!
I recently made the Vegan Fried Chicken recipe and it was a total hit! The texture and flavors were incredibly close to the real thing, but completely plant-based. It was crispy on the outside and tender inside. This recipe is a great option for anyone craving that classic fried chicken experience but in a vegan way. Loved it!
Thank you for your fantastic feedback, Phillip! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that the Vegan Fried Chicken was a hit for you. It’s wonderful to know that the texture and flavors met your expectations and closely mirrored the real thing, all while being completely plant-based. We’re especially pleased that you appreciated the crispy exterior and tender interior – that’s exactly what we aim for! Your endorsement of this recipe as a great option for anyone craving a vegan version of classic fried chicken is incredibly valuable. Thanks again for sharing your experience and for your enthusiasm – it means a lot to us and helps others in our community too!
Warm regards,
The HFHL Team