Vegan Fried "Chicken" (Made with Tofu)

Vegan Fried "Chicken" (Made with Tofu)

Crispy vegan fried "chicken" is a perfect plant-based recipe. The easy double breading is seasoned perfectly, and marinated tofu creates a juicy, flavorful "meat" that really does taste just like chicken.

Yield:4 servings

Equipment

freezer
large mixing bowl
2 medium mixing bowls
cast-iron skillet
wire cooling rack or large plate
Paper towels

Ingredients

For the Tofu "Chicken"

1 16-ounce package firm tofu
1 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon hot sauce
neutral oil for frying

For the Breading

1 ½ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper more or less to taste
1 ½ teaspoons salt more or less to taste

Instructions

For the Tofu "Chicken"

Place 1 16-ounce package firm tofu in freezer. Once frozen, remove from freezer and defrost fully. Repeat process.
When tofu is fully thawed a second time, open package and drain all liquid. Press tofu to remove any remaining liquid, then break tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Place tofu pieces in large bowl and cover with 1 ½ cups vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Set aside.

For the Breading

In one medium bowl, mix together 1 ½ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk and 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
In separate medium bowl, mix together 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon onion powder, ½ tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Set aside.
Dip tofu pieces into milk mixture, then dredge in flour blend. Tap pieces on side of bowl to shake off excess flour.
Dip in milk and dredge in flour a second time. Shake off any excess flour and place breaded tofu on large plate. Set aside. Repeat process with remaining tofu pieces.

To Fry the Breaded Tofu "Chicken"

In cast-iron skillet, heat approximately ½-inch of neutral oil to 350°-360° Fahrenheit. Set up wire cooling rack over thick layer of paper towels to catch excess oil. Alternately, line large plate with paper towels.
Place battered tofu in oil and fry until golden brown, approximately 6 to 7 minutes, turning every 2 minutes or so.
Transfer fried tofu to wire cooling rack. Repeat until all tofu has been fried. Let cool and serve warm.

Notes

Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Jasmine Comer