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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?
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
Equipment
- medium bowl with lid or plastic wrap to cover
- 2 small bowls
- Large skillet
- Large plate or wire cooling rack
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- oil for frying; vegetable, canola, or peanut oil preferred
For the Tofu Nuggets
- 1 pound tofu firm or extra-firm
- ¾ – 1 cup dill pickle juice (you want the old-school, bright green juice; not the deli-pickle kind)
For the Tofu Nugget Breading
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon powdered mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Honey Mustard
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- ¾ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Tear tofu block into nugget-sized pieces and place pieces in medium bowl. Pour pickle juice over tofu and cover bowl. Let tofu marinate in pickle juice 25 minutes.
- While tofu marinates, whisk together breading ingredients in small bowl until mixture is fully combined. Set aside.
- In third small bowl, mix together all honey mustard ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- After tofu has marinated 25 minutes, drain all liquid and transfer tofu to breading mixture. Toss or stir well to thoroughly coat tofu pieces in breading.
- Pour thin layer of oil (approximately 1 tablespoon) in skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot and shimmering, add breaded tofu to skillet in one even layer, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding. Turn pieces over regularly to brown on all sides.
- Transfer browned tofu pieces to plate lined with paper towels or wire cooling rack over paper towels. Let excess oil drain and repeat process with any remaining breaded tofu, until all tofu has been fried. Serve warm with chilled honey mustard sauce.
- For crispier breading, drain the tofu on a wire cooling rack rather than a plate lined with paper towels.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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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!!
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!! 😀
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!
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!
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!
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 🙂
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 🙂
Is it dill pickle juice or bread & butter? Thanks
It’s dill! I will clarify in the recipe 🙂
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.
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!