Seitan Fried "Chicken" Tenders
Homemade seitan, a vegan buttermilk, and a breading that friess up beautifully come together for the most delicious seitan fried "chicken" tenders you've ever had.
Yield: servings
Equipment
- Large bowl
- whisk or rubber spatula
- flat surface, plastic wrap optional
- Large pot with lid
- large bowl or plate
- 2 shallow bowls for dredging "chicken"
- 2 whisks
- medium pot for frying "chicken"
- deep frying thermometer, optional but recommended
- Large plate or wire cooling rack
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- neutral oil as needed for frying
For the Seitan
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 7 cups vegetable broth divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Vegan Buttermilk
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
For the Breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Add vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to large bowl. Mix well to thoroughly distribute ingredients.
- Slowly add 2 cups vegetable broth and 2 tablespoons olive oil to bowl, stirring constantly until all ingredients are fully combined to create dough.
- Transfer dough from bowl to flat surface covered in plastic wrap. Knead dough to form ball, then divide ball of dough into two equal pieces.
- Add 5 cups vegetable broth to large pot over medium-high heat. Bring broth to boil, then reduce heat to low and let broth simmer. Once broth is no longer boiling, add seitan to pot and cover with lid. Simmer covered 25 minutes, then transfer cooked seitan to large bowl or plate to cool.
- In one shallow bowl, whisk together all vegan buttermilk ingredients until mixture is fully incorporated. Set aside.
- In other shallow bowl, whisk together all ingredients for breading until ingredients are fully incorporated. Set aside.
- Add enough oil to submerge seitan tenders in medium pot. Heat uncovered over medium-high heat until oil temperature reads 350° Fahrenheit.
- Once seitan is completely cooled, break seitan into pieces resembling chicken tenders. Dip seitan tenders first in vegan buttermilk, coating both sides well. Let excess buttermilk drip back into bowl, then dredge seitan through flour mixture. Shake excess flour mixture back into bowl.
- Drop breaded seitan tenders in hot oil. Fry seitan until golden brown, then transfer to plate lined with paper towels or wire cooling rack. Repeat process until all seitan tenders have been breaded and fried. Serve fried tenders warm with desired dipping sauces and sides.
Notes
- Make sure the vegetable broth is simmering, not boiling, when you add the seitan.
- You may need to press the breading into the seitan a little to get it to really stick.
- Let the "chicken" tenders rest on a wire cooling rack (not a plate lined with paper towels) for the crispiest breading possible.
- The longer you knead the seitan, the chewier and more meat-like it will be! The less you knead it, the spongier it'll be.
Nutrition
Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 367cal | Protein: 35g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1708mg | Potassium: 185mg | Total Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 40g | Vitamin A: 757IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 4mg