Vegan Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets

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Vegan gluten free chicken nuggets takes comfort food to the next level! With the perfect crispy outside and a meaty texture on the inside, these chickpea nuggets are a delicious plant based version of a classic favorite. This recipe is perfect for a healthy snack, lunch or dinner option that the whole family will love. 

This plant-based take on chicken nuggets will win over even your non-vegan friends! These meatless nuggets are much healthier than store-bought meat alternatives, and taste like the real deal! The best part? This is a great recipe to make in advance and freeze to have on hand for a super easy meal.

When paired with your favorite sauce like this mustard bbq sauce or vegan bbq sauce you’ll be doing a happy dance and smiling ear to ear. There is nothing quite like biting into that crunchy outer layer and experiencing the burst of flavor and perfect texture.

If you have been looking for the best vegan chicken nuggets, I truly think this is it! This recipe is super versatile and can be paired with so many yummy dishes. Keep on reading to see just how easy it is to make these gluten-free nuggets.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthier Option: Making your own vegan gf chicken nuggets is much healthier than ordering nuggets from a fast food restaurant. 
• Versatile: With the simple and classic flavor of these chik’n nuggets, you’ll have something that can work with a variety of meals. Get creative and see what you can add these nuggets to for the ultimate dish.
• Protein Packed: You don’t need meat based nuggets to get protein! Each serving of these plant based chicken nuggets has 12 grams of protein!
• Tasty: You will not miss out on the classic chicken nuggets taste at all thanks to the delicious array of spices and seasonings!
• Gluten-Free: While meat substitutes have become increasingly popular, there still aren’t very many gluten-free options available when it comes to nuggets. Most nuggets are coated with bread crumbs or wheat flour. The fact that these are vegan AND gluten free chicken nuggets is a big win!

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🥘 Ingredients

This vegan gluten free chicken nuggets recipe calls for simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact measurements.

• Oil: You can use any oil or cooking oil spray in this recipe! I suggest olive oil or avocado oil, as canola oil and other generic vegetable oils are not the healthiest choice. 
• Cauliflower & Chickpeas: The main ingredients for this vegan chicken nugget recipe will be cauliflower and chickpeas, which give great texture and protein.
• Aquafaba: The leftover water from the chickpea can will be used to coat the nuggets and help the crumb mixture stick.
• Oat Flour: You will use oat flour for both the nugget mixture and the coating. 
• Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: You will also use garlic and onion powder for both the nugget mixture and the coating to add delicious flavor!
• Salt & Pepper: Black pepper and sea salt are the easiest seasonings to use and they add the best boost of flavor!
• Poultry Seasoning: To provide a familiar taste to what you might be used to with many white meat chicken recipes, you can add poultry seasoning.
• Nutritional Yeast: Not only does nutritional yeast add flavor, but it also provides so many beneficial nutrients to this recipe!
• Paprika & Parsley: Both add a great flavor to the crumb coating for the easy vegan chicken nuggets!

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Peas: You can swap the chickpeas for green peas in this recipe. The pea protein is a great way to get in your daily protein needs.
• Flour: Instead of oat flour, you can use other gluten-free flour options like almond flour or coconut flour to make these gluten free vegetarian chicken nuggets.
• Corn Flakes: Corn flakes can be broken up into crumbs for an alternative option to breading your chicken nuggets.
• Seasoning: Play around with different spices and herbs in this gluten free vegan chicken nuggets recipe. Options include smoked paprika, white pepper, basil, ground celery powder, or even lemon juice.
• Milk: Instead of aquafaba, you can also use soy milk or almond milk to coat the nuggets.

🔪 How To Make Vegan Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets

Homemade vegan chicken nuggets might seem daunting, especially if this is your first time trying it out. But there is no need to worry – I’ll show you the best way to make this recipe! Easily follow along with these step by step instructions for perfectly crispy and tasty nuggets every time. Here is how to make chicken nuggets without chicken:

Steam Cauliflower, Prep Crumb Mixture: Place the cauliflower florets into a steaming basket and steam until tender. Allow the cauliflower to cool completely and pat dry any excess moisture. Prepare the crumb coating by adding all of the coating ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Drain: Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid (aquafaba) for later in the recipe.

Blend Ingredients: Next, add the cooked cauliflower and remaining nugget ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend for 2-3 minutes, scrape down the sides and blend again if you prefer a smoother texture.

Refrigerate: Transfer the nugget mixture to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours. The mixture will begin to thicken as it rests in the fridge.

Prepare Tray, Coat & Shape: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Scoop 1½ tbsp of nugget mixture into the crumb coating. Lightly coat in crumbs while shaping into a nugget shape, place on a baking tray.

Repeat until all nuggets have been formed and coated. Mixture makes about 24 nuggets.

Second Coating: Next, dip each nugget into the aquafaba and then into the crumb coating for a second time.

Repeat with remaining nuggets. 

Arrange & Bake: Arrange the coated nuggets on the prepared cookie sheet in a single layer without touching each other. Lightly brush with oil or spray with spray oil before baking in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

Serve: When the gf vegan chick’n nuggets are cooked to golden brown, serve immediately with your favorite sauce.

💭 Expert Tips

• Remove Excess Water: Pat dry the cauliflower with paper towels to remove excess water or alternatively place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze the water out. The less water in the cauliflower the better.
• Nugget Texture: Blend the nugget mixture to suit your tastes. If you prefer more texture, pulse a few times to break down the chickpeas and bring the mixture together. Or blend until completely smooth. The nugget filling is softer when blended completely smooth.
• Don’t Skip The Chill Time: Chilling the mixture before coating in the crumb coating allows the oat flour to absorb some of the moisture, therefore helping to thicken the mixture and making it easier to shape into nuggets.
• Crispy Coating: Double coating the nuggets in the crumb coating gives the nuggets a lovely crunchy outer layer.
• Cooking Options: Nuggets can be oven baked, cooked in an airfryer or cooked in a frying pan with a little oil over medium heat. Avoid high heat so that the middle can cook enough before the outside gets burnt. For Airfryer Cooking: Arrange the vegan nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 15-20 minutes at 350F /180C. Cooking time may vary based on the machine used.

📖 Variations 

• Vegan Tofu Nuggets: Instead of having cauliflower based nuggets, you can also use extra firm tofu. It is important to press tofu before using it in this recipe to ensure that all excess water has been removed. Blend the piece of tofu with all the other ingredients, following the same instructions. 
• Make It Spicy: Turn up the heat with these gluten free meatless chicken nuggets by adding in some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the crumb mixture!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

For a simple snack, serve these vegan gluten free nuggets on a plate with a side of ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. If you are looking to elevate these nuggets for a heartier meal, pair them with a leafy green salad or this tomato avocado cucumber salad, healthy mashed potatoes, vegan healthy macaroni and cheese, or even make a vegan chicken sandwich with them!

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

These vegan gluten free chicken nuggets will already accommodate many dietary needs. On top of being gluten free and vegan, this recipe is also nut-free, soy-free, and refined-sugar free! 

🫙 Storage Directions

Here is how to store and keep these gluten free plant based chicken nuggets:

• To Store In The Fridge: Store leftover cooked nuggets in the fridge in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Reheat in the oven when ready to eat.
• To Freeze: Nuggets can be frozen once coated in crumbs. Ensure they are completely covered before freezing.
• To Reheat: Allow the nuggets to defrost on the tray in the fridge for up to 12 hours. You may need to toss the nuggets in the crumb coating again if they have absorbed some extra moisture from the freezer. Bake in the oven at 350 F until thoroughly cooked, warm, and crisp.

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🥣 More Vegan Recipes To Try!

• Vegan Egg Rolls
• Vegan Turkey
• Vegan Baked Beans
• Vegan Arepas
• Vegan Chicken Sandwich
• Vegan Schnitzel
• Vegan Reuben
• Vegan Philly Cheesesteak
• Vegan Chorizo
• Vegan Taquitos

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