This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
The first time you try these Vegan Chicken Nuggets, you’ll never think of tofu the same way again! They’re golden and crispy on the outside, and juicy and tender on the inside. And, they mimic the taste of real chicken nuggets so much, your mind will be blown!
With this recipe, you’ll make the best vegan chicken nuggets you ever thought possible, and maybe even impress your non-vegan friends and family while you’re at it. Win-win.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE These Vegan Chicken Nuggets:
- They’re insanely crispy, with a big CRUNCH in each bite, yet juicy and moist on the inside.
- They’re versatile! Enjoy as a main dish, appetizer, or snack. Eat as-is with a dipping sauce like this Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce, or add to wraps, salads, or our favorite- spaghetti (similar to “Chicken Parmesan”).
- You have options for cooking up these vegan nuggets. You can bake, fry, or even air fry them.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
INGREDIENTS LIST:
- Dill Pickle Juice– this unexpected ingredient gives these nuggets a unique flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand, no problem. Sub with vegetable broth and double up on the spices.
- Oil Spray– the amount you need will depend on how crispy you want them. We’d recommend starting with a full can, so you don’t run out midway through! Or, you can add oil (from a jar) using a basting brush.
- Panko breadcrumbs– these Japanese-style breadcrumbs will give you a crunchy texture. But you can also use regular breadcrumbs, or crushed-up rice crisp cereal.
- Flour– you can successfully use a few different types of flour for this recipe; we’ve tried all-purpose, chickpea flour, and a gluten-free flour and all worked very well.
STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Freeze, Thaw and press tofu.
To begin, make sure you’ve frozen the tofu block once. And then, thaw the next day in the fridge, or on your counter.
Once thawed, press the tofu by using a tofu press (shown below) OR by putting a few paper towels (or a kitchen towel) under/on top of the tofu, then adding something heavy on top, such as a cast iron skillet/cutting board. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, until the moisture is removed.
2. Prepare the marinade.
Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by mixing together the marinade ingredients. Stir well to blend.
3. Break tofu Into Pieces and Add to the marinade.
When the tofu is fully pressed, first cut in half lengthwise, then using your hands, break into 1-inch pieces (note: the texture will be more similar to chicken, if you tear off rather than cut).
We usually end up with roughly 40 nuggets total. Transfer the tofu into the marinade (so they are all covered in liquid) and let soak for at least 30 minutes.
4. Prepare the batter.
Meanwhile, prepare the batter. In a medium bowl, combine all of the batter ingredients. Stir until smooth.
5. Prepare the breadcrumb mix.
Then in another medium bowl, add the breadcrumbs and black pepper. Stir.
6. Prepare The baking sheet & preheat oven.
Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat your oven to 425 F.
7. Add the tofu to the batter.
When ready, drain the liquid, leaving only the tofu. Then transfer ALL of the tofu pieces to the batter to coat. Carefully stir with a spoon to fully coat the tofu with the batter.
8. Coat tofu with batter & breadcrumbs.
One by one, transfer each piece of tofu (shaking off the batter) into the breadcrumb mixture, and roll around to fully coat. Press down so the bread crumbs stick to the tofu as much as possible. Then, transfer each nugget to the baking sheet in an even layer.
9. Spray nuggets with oil.
When all pieces are breaded and on the baking sheet, spray each piece, one by one, generously with baking spray.
Then flip the tofu pieces over (using tongs) and spray generously again with oil.
10. Bake nuggets and serve.
Bake at 425 F for 28-32 minutes, to desired crispiness, turning halfway through (using tongs) to ensure even browning.
When ready, remove from oven. Serve immediately. This recipe makes roughly 40 chicken nuggets.
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container in the fridge, for 2-3 days. To reheat, bake at 425 F for 5-6 minutes.
EXPERT TIPS & FAQ’S:
Yep! To do this, heat oil (a high temp oil like grapeseed or sunflower oils work best) in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a thermometer to make sure it is between 350 F and 370 F.
When ready, add a layer of tofu nuggets. Fry 4-5 minutes, and once golden brown on the bottom, flip and cook a few minutes on the other side, until golden to slightly dark golden brown. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels to soak up any drippings. Repeat until all are fried.
These cook amazingly well in an air fryer. Use the ‘Air Fry’ setting, at 390 F for roughly 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through (until golden and crispy).
While they are best when fresh, you can prepare these tofu nuggets ahead of time for baking later that day, or even the next day.
To do this, prepare the tofu nuggets as directed (with batter/breading) and add them to a large airtight container (use parchment paper to separate levels/rows). When ready to bake, place the tofu nuggets onto a baking sheet with parchment, spray with oil and bake as directed.
RELATED RECIPES:
In the mood for crispy/crunchy? Try one of these other recipes:
- Vegan Crab Cakes w/ Caper Mayo (+ Air Fryer Option)
- Air Fryer Eggplant (Vegan, Oil-Free)
If you make these Vegan Chicken Nuggets, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your photo with #veggie__chick on Instagram. We love to see our recipes being made in YOUR kitchen!
Vegan Chicken Nuggets (Super Crispy! + GF option)
Pin RateEquipment
- Baking Sheet
- Oven (or Air Fryer)
- Tofu Press (optional)
Ingredients
For the nuggets:
- 1 15-ounce organic extra-firm tofu block - (freeze overnight, then thaw and press)
- Oil spray - (olive oil works well)
For the marinade:
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup dill pickle juice - (including herbs in juice, if any)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For the batter:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, or gluten-free flour blend
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot starch for gluten-free)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast - optional
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
For the breading:
- 1 3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- To begin, make sure you have frozen the tofu block once, then thaw the next day in the fridge, or on your counter (faster). Once thawed, press the tofu by either using a tofu press (as shown below) or putting a few paper towels/kitchen towel under/n top of the tofu, then adding something heavy on top, such as a cast iron skillet/cutting board. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, until the moisture is removed.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by mixing together marinade ingredients. Stir well to blend.
- When the tofu is fully pressed, first cut in half lengthwise, then using your hands, break into 1-inch pieces (*note: the texture will be more similar to chicken if you tear off rather than cut). There will be about 20 pieces per half block, or 40 pieces total). Transfer the tofu pieces into the marinade (so they are covered in the liquid) and let soak for at least 30 minutes, or a few hours.
- While waiting for the tofu to marinate, prepare the batter. In a medium bowl, combine all of the batter ingredients. Stir until smooth.
- Then into another medium bowl, add the breadcrumbs and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Next, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat your oven to 425 F.
- When ready, drain the liquid, leaving only the tofu. Then transfer ALL the tofu pieces to the batter to coat. Carefully stir with a spoon to fully coat the tofu with the batter.
- Then, set up 3 stations: 1) tofu in batter, 2) breadcrumb mix and 3) baking sheet covered in parchment. From here, one by one, transfer each piece of tofu (shaking off the batter) into the breadcrumb mixture, and roll around to fully coat. Press down so the breadcrumbs stick to the tofu as much as possible. Then, transfer each nugget to the baking sheet in an even layer.
- When all pieces are breaded and on the baking sheet, spray each piece, one by one, generously with baking spray. Clean Kitchen Tip: transfer the pan to your sink (if it’s big enough) and spray, to keep the oil from getting onto your countertop. When fully sprayed, flip the tofu pieces over (using tongs) and spray generously again with oil (*the more oil you use, the crispier they will be).
- Bake at 425 F for 28-32 minutes, to desired crispiness, turning halfway through (using tongs) to ensure even browning. If your nuggets are not browning as much as you'd like, add a spray of oil halfway through and/or bake a few more minutes. When ready, remove from oven. Best served immediately as-is with a dipping sauce, or add nuggets to a wrap, on salads, OR…our favorite, mixed in with spaghetti (similar to "chicken parmesan"- yum!). This recipe makes roughly 40 nuggets.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge, for 2-3 days. To reheat, bake at 425 F for 5-6 minutes.
Notes
- The prep/cook time for this recipe does not include freezing/thawing the tofu.
- Nutrition information is a rough estimate (as some of the the marinade/batter is discarded). It’s based on a total of 40 nuggets per recipe (6 per serving).
- To fry (instead of baking)– heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a thermometer so the oil is between 350 F and 370 F. Add one layer of nuggets, fry 4-5 minutes, and once golden-brown on the bottom, flip and cook a few minutes, until golden to slightly dark golden brown. Transfer to a plate covered in plate of paper towels to catch any drippings. Repeat until all are fried.
- To make in your air fryer, use the ‘Air Fry’ setting, at 390 F for roughly 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through (until golden and crispy).
- Make-ahead instructions: You can prepare these for baking later that day, or even the next day. To do this, prepare the nuggets as directed (with batter/breading) and then add to a large airtight container (use parchment paper to separate levels, if needed). When ready to bake, place the nuggets onto a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with oil and bake as directed.
Gillie says
My granddaughter is a celiac who is allergic to chicken and eggs. Before they figured out what was causing all her health issues, chicken nuggets were her favorite thing. I can’t wait to make these for her!
Christin McKamey says
Hi Gillie, I think you will really enjoy these. They are so delicious and I believe will fix her chicken nugget craving! Let me know how your granddaughter likes them. =)
Gillie says
Why can’t I rate this greater than 5! Please remedy this ASAP! These were crazy good! Easy to make, I fried mine, less effort it felt like, and its fried!! But I can’t see the kids not liking them. A million thanks and kudos!!
Christin McKamey says
Haha thank you Gillie! The best compliment ever!!! I agree the fried version is best for sure! I’m so happy you enjoyed them. =)