Vegan Chicken Sandwich
There’s nothing better than a crispy “chicken” sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and mayo! My vegan chicken sandwich makes a satisfying, flavor-packed lunch or dinner. I serve this crispy yet tender plant-based chicken sandwich made with silken tofu, wheat gluten and vegan chicken broth, with a side of French fries and vegan ranch!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 286kcal
Ingredients
"Chicken" Seitan
- ½ cup silken tofu
- 2¼ cups vegan chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup vital wheat gluten
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp vegan-friendly chicken seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
Brine
- ⅓ cup pickle juice
- 1 cup almond milk
- ½ tsp hot sauce
Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- olive oil for frying
- lettuce leaves
- tomato
- vegan mayo
- whole wheat buns
Instructions
For The “Chicken” Seitan
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the tofu, ¼ cup chicken broth and worcestershire sauce until well combined and the tofu is in small pieces.
- In a separate bowl whisk together remaining seitan ingredients.
- Gently fold the ingredients together to form a dough.
- Using your hands, bring the dough together into a ball. Do not overwork the dough otherwise it will result in chewy “chicken” patties.
- Cut the dough into 4 even pieces and shape into patties.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 176 C.
- Place the patties in a large baking dish and cover with 2 cups of vegan chicken stock (or vegetable broth). Cover and cook for 1 hour, turning the patties at the 30 minute mark and recovering to continue cooking.
- Once cooked remove from the broth and allow the patties to cool for 30 minutes.
For The Brine
- Mix all ingredients together. Place the cooled patties in the brine, refrigerate and marinate for 2 hours.
For The Coating
- Whisk all flour coating ingredients together.
- Once the patties have been marinating for 2 hours remove from the marinade.
- Dust 1 patty in the coating mixture, making sure to cover all surfaces. Dip the patty back into the marinade liquid and then into the flour coating again. Repeat with remaining patties.
- Heat oil in a large pot, fry each patty for 4-5 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel.
- Serve crispy patties on a whole wheat bun, with lettuce, sliced tomato and vegan mayo.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this Vegan Chicken Sandwich is to not overwork the dough, because if I do, the patties turn out a bit rubbery. I aim for a shaggy dough, knead gently for about one minute, and let it rest for ten minutes so the gluten relaxes.
- Let the patties rest after steaming. I place them on a plate for a few minutes so the texture settles before coating and frying. It keeps them from tearing.
- For extra flavor, I brush a little pickle brine or hot sauce on the patties right before coating. It adds a nice punch without making them soggy.
- When frying, I do it in small batches so the oil stays hot. If I crowd the pan, the coating gets soft instead of crisp.
- If I want a lighter version, I skip frying and bake the coated patties at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, flipping once. They still get a crunchy coating.
- I toast the buns while the patties cook. A warm bun makes the whole sandwich taste fresher and keeps it from getting soggy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1386mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g