Dinner
“Chicken” Fried Tofu Sandwich at Home
These Vegan “Chicken” Sandwiches are unfussy to make and completely satisfying! Great for BBQs, get togethers, or even simple
- 4 servings
- Prep 30 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
These Vegan “Chicken” Sandwiches are straightforward to make and certainly savory! Great for BBQs, get togethers, or even simple after-work meals.
A couple of years ago when I posted these STANDOUT Tofu nuggets, I knew that I wanted to adapt the recipe to make “chicken” sandwiches out of it. It took me 2 years but we’re finally here; and the results are DEEPLY GOOD OMG!
I tried this dish a few different ways. But, in the end, I kept it pretty similar to the original.
Ingredients in this “Chicken” Fried Tofu:
- Extra firm tofu
- Simple marinade for the tofu
- Kitchen-made vegan buttermilk
- Breading: a simple flour and spice mixture
Of course, the full ingredient list is down below in the recipe card!
I tried the tofu a few different ways by brushing the fillets with BBQ sauce and another with hot sauce! Both were so flavor-packed and HIGHLY recommended!
You could also serve the “chicken” on a salad or any other way that you would traditionally enjoy fried chicken (only without the meat!).
For this method, I highly recommend freezing your tofu first. I talk a lot about freezing tofu (and how to do it) in this blog post.
Freezing your tofu is as simple as throwing your whole package of tofu in the freezer (no draining or anything) and then letting it thaw in the fridge 24 hours before you want to use it.
This process results in a spongier, kind of meatier texture that is reliable for this “chicken”. I highly recommend giving it a try!
The recipe
“Chicken” Fried Tofu Sandwich at Home
These Vegan Chicken Sandwiches are simple to make and certainly savory!
- 4 servings
- Prep 30 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 15 oz tofu (block, pressed*)
- Vegetable oil for frying
MARINADE:
- ⅔ cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
BUTTERMILK:
- 1 cup plant based milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal
- Optional 2-4 tablespoons of hot sauce
BREADING:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
For serving:
- hamburger buns
- ketchup (mustard, etc)
- lettuce (tomato, etc)
Method
- 1
Drain and press tofu according to these DIRECTIONS. Once pressed, cut the tofu into 4 large pieces (see video for reference).
- 2
In a shallow dish, whisk together marinade ingredients. Add in the tofu and let marinate for 15 minute or even overnight.
- 3
In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the buttermilk and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the tofu from the marinade (squeezing quite lightly to release excess liquid- a little is completely fine and you don’t need to remove all of it) and add it into the buttermilk mixture (you can do this in stages as desired). Let sit for a few minutes while you make the breading.
- 4
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat enough oil so that it will come up roughly halfway up your pieces of tofu (about 1/2 an inch of oil).
- 5
In a shallow dish, whisk together all of the breading ingredients. Dip a piece of the buttermilk soaked tofu into the breading, covering on all sides. Dip it back in the buttermilk and then again cover it in the breading.
- 6
Place the breaded tofu directly into the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes so that the pieces are a nice golden brown color all around. Once done, place on a paper towel lined plate to soak up excess oil.
- 7
Serve on bread as a sandwich or cut into thin strips and serve on a salad! ENJOY!
Cook notes
*You can also freeze your tofu prior to making this dish to enhance the meaty texture. Read more about freezing tofu HERE. *Once the tofu pieces are completely cooked, you can freeze them for short and straightforward meals later! Only freeze in an air tight container. When ready to eat, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. *Nutritional info is for the cooked tofu + hamburger buns but no toppings
Per serving
- Calories294 kcal
- Carbohydrates39 g
- Protein17 g
- Fat8 g
- Saturated Fat2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat2 g
- Cholesterol7 mg
- Sodium1020 mg
- Potassium238 mg
- Fiber3 g
- Sugar4 g
- Vitamin A680 IU
- Vitamin C2 mg
- Calcium231 mg
- Iron4 mg
