I have a confession to make….
I love(d) Chick-fil-A. I know, I know! It’s not healthy, it’s not good for the environment, and it’s definitely not good for our social climate. But there’s something about it I crave–often intensely–until I sate what could’ve been a brisk but shameful dip into, let’s face it, some hateful junk food.
Except when I say brisk, I actually mean we’d be sitting in line, out in the middle of one our city’s busiest streets, behind 40 other cars doing the same thing. O and I at one time, pre-gay-hatred-exposure, considered franchising one of those places and putting it downtown (packed full of 9-to-5ers rushing to work, no other Chick-fil-A around for miles), sheer dreams of diving into a sea of coins, Scrooge McDuck-style.
But these days, we’re pretty conscious of where and what we eat, trying to avoid a lot of meat–especially highly processed, factory farmed meat with more injections than Heidi Montag–and spend our money only with companies whose values don’t.. totally clash with what we think is right and acceptable in this life. Sometimes we falter, but most of the time we stay pretty true to that. So what to do when the Chick-fil-A craving strikes?
Chick-fil-A tofu nuggets, people. Chick-fil-A tofu nuggets. With vegan “honey” mustard dipping sauce.
I took a few Chick-fil-A nugget copycat recipes and essentially converted it into a fried tofu recipe, complete with a powered sugary breading and pickle juice marinade. We were both amazed at how well these turned out, how similar to the addictive little nuggets we so guiltily crave! The breading is crunchy and flavorful without being too heavy, the torn tofu is equally flavorful and packed with seasoning thanks to the pickle brine, and the tearing leaves little nuggets that are not so perfectly cubed that they seem immediately “chickenless”.
The honey mustard sauce is just like I remember honey mustard sauce, subbing really only vegan mayo for the mayonnaise and agave nectar for the honey. Because really, what’s a chicken nugget without a sauce in which to dunk your little bites?
I even made a from-scratch lemonade to go with these Chick-fil-A Tofu Nuggets!
Even better, these come together quickly and without much oil, making them much healthier than the originals. And guess what, none of your money is going towards the “questionable giving” that made Chick-fil-A known for more than its unfortunately delicious bites. About that, you can feel even better about swapping chicken for tofu and a quick jaunt to that infamous locale for a delicious fast-food-inspired spread at home.
Chick-fil-A Tofu Nuggets
Ingredients
- Tofu:
- 1- pound block firm or extra-firm tofu
- about 3/4 - 1 cup dill pickle juice (you want the old-school, bright green kind, not the deli-pickle kind)
- Breading:
- 1 cup corn starch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- vegetable or canola oil , for frying
- Honey mustard sauce:
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
-
Marinate the tofu: tear into bite-size nuggets and place in a medium bowl. Pour pickle juice over and let marinate 25 minutes.
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Meanwhile, make your breading. Whisk together all breading ingredients, except oil.
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Meanwhile, make your honey mustard. Stir together all ingredients, taste & adjust seasonings, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Once tofu has marinated, drain well and then toss in breading to coat. Pour a thin layer of oil into a large sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Fry "nuggets" in a single layer, in batches if needed--don't crowd. Turn fairly regularly to brown on all sides. Once breading has browned, remove from sauté pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels or brown paper bags. Serve with honey mustard sauce.
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Aaaaand my mouth just filled with saliva. These. look. AMAZING. I need them in my life (and my belly) ASAP. I can’t even.
Do it! The only trouble with making these is that now my husband begs for them like…. every 18 hours. So.. make them if you dare. IF YOU DARE!
Hey guys,
for all the vegans out here wanting some honey, instead of agave you could use honee(yes i spelled it right)
Oh my, these look sooo good!! And using pickle juice to marinate the tofu… whoa. I haven’t had the fortune (?) of trying Chick-Fil-A before, since I was already vegetarian when I first moved to this side of the country. But if they served this I would totally pay them a visit 🙂
Oh man, I hate to say it but their stuff really is painfully good. Which is unfortunate.. and in so many ways. We should lobby for them to start serving this in addition! And stop with the um, gay rehabilitation centers too. That actually might be asking for a lot from them, so might as well just keep this recipe as a regular in the repertoire, eh? Thanks Shannon 🙂 I’m so impressed with your long-time vegetarianism!
I’ve never had tofu nuggets!!! I must try this recipe because I love tofu. Thanks for sharing 😉
Leave it to me to take something sort of healthy and make it definitely less healthy! But so totally worth it. Hope you try and like them, Olivia! 🙂
NO WAY! Whaaaa is THIS? Cheryl, you’ve done it again! I used to love CF too, but those days are gone. But THIS! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I spied your tofu chkn’ nuggets with that dipping sauce! OMG! They look like the real deal and I love tofu, so this will suite me just fine. Good on ya for staying true… not always an easy thing to do. Thank you, Cheryl!
Ha, Traci, you’re the best! Ugh, even if CF didn’t have so much money pumping into less-than-savory projects (to put it um, Mother-Teresa-level nicely) I’m just not down with eating antibiotic-ridden chicken deep-fried too frequently.. you know? Just saying.. But these, these puppies are damn delicious! Fun and a bit tongue-in-cheek, especially for someone like you, whose recipes are so seasonal and elegant!
Good for you guys to live your values, I won’t go to Chick-fil-A anymore either. I’m going to have to try these guys, they look and sound addictive!
Thanks Nicole 🙂 And yes, fighting the cravings is not always easy, especially since it’s so damn convenient. But not really something I want to promote. Hope you try and like them!
I love this idea! I love tofu and just finished the last I have at home last night in a stir fry, but definitely want to try these!
These are amazing! I can’t wait to try these again!
Thanks O! You’re amazing, just saying!
Wow, that sounds like a delicious way to make tofu. I love your photography skills btw, I am still working on mine!
Thanks Raymond! I’m actually coming out with an ebook soon to help improve food photography almost instantly. I hope you read it! 🙂
This is amazing! They look just like real cf nuggets! We don’t have them near us in WI (or in France, obviously), but we were near one recently and I totally wanted to stop so badly. Luckily, Marc nicely reminded me of their political standings and we skipped it. These would be such a great way to satisfy a craving though!!
That’s awesome for you guys! And yes.. the cravings call frequently for us. Especially since they’re right down the street and O has a particular fondness for the little bites. If you wanted to try it with chicken you could try this recipe I put together – but I actually like the breading in this recipe a little better. Swaperoo! Do they have yellowy pickles in France? I know you are up to your eyeballs in cornichons!
oh my gawd, so intrigued by the pickle juice?! I love this and have to try this! Pinned!
You mean you don’t use pickle juice in every recipe you make? Ha 🙂 It really does add that Chick-fil-A-y flavor and is so kitschy I feel I might burst with smugness every time I buy a jar. And I totally don’t eat the pickles late at night for no reason (yes I do). Thanks Alice! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes! I love it. More powers to your blog! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
May I make a comment that I hate your recipe. I ate 1/2 a block of tofu in 2 days because of this recipe by myself. I’ve been a vegetarian for years and recently mostly vegan, but I could not ever really get used to the tofu taste/texture. I’ve also hated cooking, was more of a dessert person. Half a block, gone. Thanks a lot.
I made minor changes: I did originally bake them in the oven for 15min at 350 degrees, then I crisped them on a pan with some vegan butter (I really try to avoid oil frying). No corn starch, just used regular breadcrumbs. (I will try them with corn starch next). Love it.
I still hate this recipe. I actually like tofu now, and want to cook more. Who knew pickle juice was the way into my heart.
You’re so unwelcome! I mean.. welcome. I mean.. I’m glad you liked it so much you hated it, er.. and so glad I converted you to the tofu-lovers club 😀
Oh my goodness, this looks delicious! I’m definitely making this! thanks for sharing! A healthier option for a family favorite.
Definitely! Thanks Ihjaz!
Holy…these are AMAZING. Thank you..you are now in my top 10 of favorite people.
So happy to be there 🙂
I make a lot of recipes that I find online and never take the time to go back and comment. But these are SO GOOD. I became a vegetarian two years ago and the food I knew I’d miss the most was going to be chicken nuggets and bacon. I make a good tempeh bacon now, so this recipe now completes me!
What do you think about freezing these after I make them and baking them to reheat? I’d love to make double batches and keep some on hand. Not sure if it would be weird since it’s tofu and I always freeze my tofu when I first get it.
Thank you so much for this great recipe!!
I am so, so glad you like the recipe! You’re prompting a bit of a craving over here.. Anyway, I think since you already freeze your tofu when you get it, these should freeze pretty well. I’d just cook them totally then freeze them spread out on a cookie sheet and then toss them in a bag. These would die of freezer burn! But otherwise I think they could work.. let me know if you try it!
Thanks Cheryl, I’ll let you know when I try it! Now I want to make it again, but make it into patties with tempeh bacon and my favorite, an onion bun!
Ummmm… yes. Please do that. PLEASE!!
The only way I usually will eat tofu is in miso soup or baked from the Chinese restaurant. I really want to try these because I too am a CFA lover/hater. One beginners question. Do you press the liquid out of the tofu before you marinate it in the pickle juice? This may sound stupid but I am worried it would turn to mush.
You will love them, I promise! Yes, drain the liquid out before you marinate – you might even like to drain the liquid, freeze, then thaw and THEN marinate, which will help prevent the tofu from being mushy at all, but rather much chewier, almost like seitan or something.
I made these tonight. I tried baking half and frying the other half, but frying is definitely the way to go for these babies. I fried mine in coconut oil, and they were divine. The offspring and husband both loved them. Did I mention I don’t even like chik-fil-a? I think their chicken is gross, fall a part greasy… so this is much better IMO.
The pickle juice thing… seriously so smart! I did half of them in pickled pepper juice and that was the bomb diggity.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Oh yeah.. gotta fry these puppies! So glad you liked them Shelby 🙂
Hi, I can’t find this kind of pickle juice from where I am, do you know what I could use as a substitute ?
I tried it without the marinade and it was rather tasteless, but the texture was great!
I would definitely try to use just any pickle juice, so long as it’s not bread and butter. The pickle juice adds a ton of seasoning to the tofu, so it’s pretty critical! If you can’t find pickle juice at all, try making a really salty simple brine with just water and salt and add some vinegar so it’s a bit sour–the should work as a substitute if you can’t find anything else. But pickle juice is best!
This recipe sounds so good! I want to try this but instead of pickle juice I think I will try a vinaigrette. I absolutely hate pickles and especially pickle juice, so I hope this will turn out well with a vinaigrette. Haven’t had meat in ages but I remember not killing CF nuggets but liked their strips and fries!
Good luck! I wouldn’t recommend using a vinaigrette, but I’m sure it will still be wonderful! It won’t taste just like CFA though 🙂 The nuggets definitely do not retain a pickly taste, I promise!
Hi there,
Your recipe sounds outstanding and I am eager to try this for my chicken nugget lovers at home. Can you tell me, is it implied to press the tofu before hand, or will it work without pressing?
I made it tonight, absolutely delicious!! My husband loved it!!
Yay! I’m so glad. My husband loves it too!
Tearing tofu to make little chunks, I’ve never thought about that before! Thank you–
It definitely helps with that slightly unnatural cube feeling from tofu!
Hi! Great recipe! Quick question that might be obvious – where do I find pickle juice?! Is it just the juice that comes in a jar of pickles? Thanks!!
Yep! Just get a cheap jar of pickles – the neon green juice! – and use that. Cooked pickles (shelf-stable) are better for this recipe than the fresh, refrigerated type.
Is it dill pickle juice or bread & butter? Thanks
It’s dill! I will clarify in the recipe 🙂
Help, please? This may be a stupid question, but do I use sweet pickle juice or dill/sour pickle juice? I have never had chic filet so have no idea what I am going for.
It’s dill! Sorry 🙂
Can these be baked?
Since it’s a batter and not a breading, I wouldn’t recommend it. You can try it, though! if you do, let me know how it worked 🙂
I am so on this for supper! They look just like their nuggets!
I swear they taste a lot alike! It’s one of my family’s favorites 😀 I hope you like!
Soooo delicious! I’m not a big tofu fan, my wife is and always tries to shove it down my face.
I loved them! We fried them in the air fryer and they were so crispy and delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you loved them! And that’s great to know that they work well in the air fryer. Thank you for your comment!
Thank you so much for this recipe! They were SO GOOD I almost cried. I was so sad immediately after I made them, though, because I only have pickle juice available every couple of months, so this is only ever going to be an occasional treat. I packed the leftovers for lunch with a salad and used the dip as a salad dressing, and it has become one of my favorite salad dressings. An all around win.
Here’s my effort: http://foodfordissertating.blogspot.com/2017/08/eco-lunchbox-three-in-one-58.html
Ha! Tear-inducing tofu is the best compliment ever. I’m so glad you liked it!
I had been searching for a relatively easy “chicken” nugget recipe and this one ended up being the one I cooked (because I didn’t have to go to the store to get any of the ingredients, haha). Oh my goodness. My roommate and I are in love and already planning on making more later this week. I had never made any type of nuggets and had no idea what to expect but I was not disappointed!
I’m sooooo glad you liked it so much!! 😀
These were outstanding! I was hesitant about soaking the tofu in pickle juice, but it gave it the most amazing flavor. I am hooked. I put them in the fridge for about an hour (got distracted LOL) after I breaded them and cooked them in the air fryer for 10 minutes @ 400 shaking half way. They were so crispy and delicious. Thank you and I will be making them again and again!!!!
I’m sooooo glad you loved it!!
That was a really helpful entry. Thanks, Cheryl!
<3
I decided on a whim to make this recipe, based on the reviews. I didn’t realzie how many reviewers had not actually made the recipe.
It is not complete.
How much liquid for the batter?
I went through this, assembling ingredients and now have to figure out how much liquid to add, and hope for the best. This may be the tastiest thing on the planet, but for the love of our grocery budgets please make sure when you post a recipe, that it is complete.
The recipe is not incomplete. There is no liquid in the breading.
Think arrowroot powder would work as well, instead of the cornstarch? Corn and chicken allergy have put chick-fil-a off the menu for my husband and it has always been a favorite of his. Hoping I can adapt this.
I think that would work fine!