With more and more vegan fried chicken options popping up at restaurants (like the Beyond fried chicken at KFC), I wanted to try making my own copycat recipe at home. With a perfectly crispy, golden brown breading and a tender and meaty inside, this Vegan Fried Chicken is a real winner! Most homemade fried chicken starts the same way: breading the chicken in flour and spices before it’s fried in vegetable oil. In this recipe, the chicken is replaced with hearty vegan seitan that’s been dredged in a rich vegan buttermilk and seasoned breading. The irresistible crunch and juicy, meaty inside is so satisfying and even better than the real thing. This vegan chicken is the BEST because it’s:
Moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.Perfectly seasoned- no bland vegan alternative here!Got best craggly, crunchy outside. Seriously, the best part!Delicious on a sandwich, with potato wedges, or dipped in sauce.
You’ve gotta make these strips as part of the spread at your next party. Along with my Cauliflower Wings and Buffalo Chicken Dip, your guests will be clamoring for more!
What is it made of?
Seitan! This miracle vegan meat alternative is made by combining vital wheat gluten, seasonings, and veggie broth together. After it’s done boiling in veggie broth, the finished seitan is moist and tender, just like meat. Seitan is usually my go-to choice when I want to make meaty-tasting and perfectly tender vegan chicken, “turkey” roast, and vegan pepperoni. It might sound a little intimidating at first, but it’s really quite simple to make at home. I keep the process as simple as possible.
How to make vegan fried chicken
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Air fryer instructions
Prepare the seitan and dredge the “chicken” pieces as normal. Place them in an even layer in your air fryer basket (working in batches if needed) and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Air fry the “chicken” at 375ºF for 15 minutes, flipping each piece halfway through. While air frying might work, the outcome will not taste nearly as good as frying.
Baking instructions
Again, prepare the “chicken” pieces as normal. Lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spray well with oil and bake in a 425°F oven for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes or until the pieces are golden brown and crispy. Again, if you can possibly fry these on the stovetop the outcome will be much better than baking.
Tips and substitutions
For less mess, designate one hand for the wet dredge and one for the dry.Don’t skip the cornstarch! It’s the secret to the crispiest fried “chicken”.Best oil for frying – Use vegetable oil or an alternative with a high smoke point, like peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil.Boiling seitan in broth as opposed to baking or steaming it (like in my vegan chicken recipe) allows it to absorb as much moisture and flavor as possible.Instead of seitan – Make this with pressed extra firm tofu, osyter mushrooms or cauliflower florets.Gluten free – I recommend using the tofu method above (as seitan isn’t gluten-free) and replace the flour with cornstarch, chickpea flour, or a gluten free 1:1 blend.
What to serve with fried “chicken”?
To make your meal or backyard party complete, serve alongside any of these delicious side dishes:
Southern-Style Vegan Buttermilk BiscuitsThe Best Vegan Mac and CheeseClassic Vegan ColeslawVegan Baked BeansThe Best Vegan CornbreadBest Dang Vegan Mashed PotatoesCorn on the cob
More fun vegan foods
BBQ Tempeh RibsCrispy Tofu NuggetsVegan Mozzarella SticksVegan Jalapeno Poppers
