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This crispy vegan chicken sandwich recipe is delicious, easy to make, and perfect for lunch or dinner! This recipe walks you through how to make these sandwiches in the air fryer or oven, how to freeze and reheat them, and so much more! If you’re looking for some homemade vegan fast food that you can make for a group of people in under an hour, then this recipe is for you.
In this post
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients to Make a Vegan Chicken Sandwich
- How to Make Vegan Chicken Sandwiches
- Enoki Mushrooms: What They Are and Where You Can Find Them
- Substitutions
- Quick Tips for Best Results
- Common Questions
- Recipe Variations
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe takes approximately 45 minutes to make and makes 8 sandwiches.
- These vegan chicken patties can be stored in the fridge or freezer and reheated in the oven, air fryer, or stovetop.
- The vegan chicken patties can be made in the air fryer or oven with minimal or no oil; no deep frying required.
- You can customize the sandwiches however you like since the main part of this recipe is making the vegan chicken patties.
Ingredients to Make a Vegan Chicken Sandwich
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Enoki Mushrooms
- Vital Wheat Gluten
- Salt
- Veggie Broth
- Lemon Juice/Vinegar
- Non-Dairy Milk
- Flour
- Onion Powder
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper
- Dried Oregano
- Cayenne Pepper
How to Make Vegan Chicken Sandwiches
Prepare the enoki mushrooms: Cut the dirty ends off of the mushrooms and discard. Rinse the mushrooms and shred them with a fork. Add the mushrooms to a skillet along with water and cook.
Make the seitan: Add the tofu, salt, and water to a food processor and blend. Add the vital wheat gluten and pulse until just combined. Add the cooked mushrooms and pulse to combine then blend to form the seitan.
Cook the seitan patties: Knead the seitan dough into a rectangular ball. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Form into individual patties. Boil the patties in broth.
Dredge the patties: Preheat your oven or air fryer. Add the non-dairy milk and lemon juice/vinegar to a bowl and mix. In another bowl, add the flour and spices and whisk to combine. Place each patty in the flour mixture then dip them in the wet mixture then back to the flour mixture. Repeat for all patties.
Cook in the oven (if not using air fryer): Place the patties onto a lined baking sheet pan. Spray the patties with oil if preferred then cook in the oven.
Cook in the air fryer (if not using oven): Place a few patties in the air fryer basket at a time. Cook until the patties are golden brown flip halfway through. Repeat until all patties are done.
Build the sandwiches: Add the chicken patties to hamburger buns and whichever toppings you prefer and enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, below are a few others that you might also like + more vegan chicken recipes!
- Tofu Veggie Sushi Rolls (Vegetarian + 10 Ingredients)
- Vegan Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Crispy Breaded Vegan Buffalo Tofu (Air Fried or Oven-Baked)
- Vegan Chicken
Enoki Mushrooms: What They Are And Where You Can Find Them
If you’ve been following this blog for a little while, then you’ll remember that when I first made vegan chicken a little while back I used a unique ingredient that gave it a meatier taste and texture. That unique ingredient was enoki mushrooms. Enoki mushrooms are long and white. For this recipe, I shredded the mushrooms with a fork to create long, hair-like strands. Then I cooked the mushrooms until they became soft. I added the cooked mushrooms to the seitan to create a texture similar to muscle fibers like the ones found in real meat.
You can find enoki mushrooms at some grocery stores but I first discovered them in a Chinese food store. If you have a local Chinese food store or multi-cultural food store, then I would recommend checking there for enoki mushrooms. Chances are, if you check out your local cultural grocery stores, you’ll be able to find enoki mushrooms and an entire world of ingredients that you never even knew existed!
Substitutions
- Enoki Mushrooms: For this recipe I highly highly recommend that you use enoki mushrooms if you can. If, for some reason, you’re unable to find them in a store near you, then you can always use canned jackfruit. For this recipe, substitute 1 (20 oz.) can of young green jackfruit in place of the enoki mushrooms. Drain the liquid from the can, remove all seeds from the jackfruit, and cut the tough ends off of the jackfruit pieces. Place the jackfruit in a small pot along with approximately 1 cup of water and boil for 10 minutes to soften. Drain the liquid and add the cooked jackfruit to the food processor in the same order as you would with the enoki mushrooms in the recipe below.
- Veggie Broth: You can use vegan chicken broth in this recipe if you prefer.
- Vegan Buttermilk: For this recipe, I used non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar to make vegan buttermilk. You can use non-dairy milk and lemon juice or white vinegar if you prefer. I recommend using plain unsweetened soy milk or almond milk for this recipe. I tried using macadamia milk and it didn’t thicken as I would have wanted.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- For better texture on the vegan chicken patties, I recommend adding 1 – 2 tablespoons of the vegan buttermilk to the flour and spice blend and stirring with a fork to create small clumps. This will create bigger, crispy breading chunks on the outside of the patties.
- For crispier patties, I recommend using a spray oil on the patties before cooking in the oven or air fryer. This will ensure that minimal oil is used and that the outside will still be golden brown and crunchy.
- Use enoki mushrooms. In this blog post I outlined how you can use canned jackfruit as a substitute for enoki mushrooms. Although it will have a similar texture, I truly believe that the enoki mushrooms are far better for this recipe.
Common Questions
- What is a vegan/plant-based chicken sandwich made of? Vegan chicken sandwiches can be made from several different types of ingredients, but for this recipe you can make this chicken sandwich vegan using the following main ingredients: enoki mushrooms, tofu, and vital wheat gluten.
- Can I freeze and reheat the extra vegan chicken patties? Yes! Place any leftover patties in an airtight container or resealable bag and freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, add the frozen vegan chicken patty to the air fryer or oven using the same temperature settings included in the recipe. Additionally, you can dethaw the patties in the fridge and cook them in a skillet on the stovetop until crispy.
- Is vegan chicken vegetarian? Yes! Anything that is considered vegan is also considered vegetarian. However, the reverse is not always true. Any food that is considered vegetarian is not always considered vegan since many vegetarian foods still contain animal products such as dairy, eggs, etc.
- Do I have to use enoki mushrooms for this recipe? No. As I mentioned earlier in this blog post, you don’t have to use enoki mushrooms if you are unable to find them. A suitable substitute would be canned jackfruit. Please see the substitutions section above for more information.
- Is a vegan chicken sandwich the same as a vegan chicken burger? Yes. You can make vegan chicken sandwiches/vegan chicken burgers with or without the breading on the outside, but they’re basically the same.
- Can this recipe be made gluten-free? Unfortunately, no. This recipe uses vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten gives the vegan chicken a meaty texture. As you’ve probably guessed, vital wheat gluten is not gluten-free. Since I have yet to find a suitable substitute, this recipe cannot be made gluten-free.
Recipe Variations
- Vegan Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Brush the fried patties with hot sauce or spicy buffalo sauce. These go great with ranch or mayo, pickles, and lettuce or coleslaw.
- Summer BBQ Vegan Chicken Sliders: Add coleslaw and barbeque sauce for a tangy, smoky flavor that’s perfect for summer!
- Spicy Southwest Vegan Chicken Sandwich: Add mashed avocado, jalapeno slices, sautéed onion, and spicy corn salsa for a fun twist!
- Simple Vegan Fried Chicken Sandwich: Add mashed or sliced avocado, sliced tomato, and mayo to the chicken sandwich for a simple and delicious combination!
Products for this recipe (Sold through Amazon)
- Vital Wheat Gluten
- Vegan Chicken Broth Powder (Optional)
Vegan Chicken Sandwich (Air Fried or Oven-Baked)
- Total Time: 40 – 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 sandwiches 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Vegan Chicken Patties:
- 8 oz. Extra Firm Tofu, drained
- 7 oz. Enoki Mushrooms
- 1 1/4 cup Vital Wheat Gluten
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
Vegan Buttermilk:
- 1 cup Plain Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice, White Vinegar, or Apple Cider Vinegar
Flour + Spice Blend:
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour, Spelt Flour, or Whole Wheat Flour
- 2 Tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 1/2 Tsp. Paprika
- 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
- 1/4 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
Other Ingredients:
- Approximately 3 1/2 cups (or 32 oz.) Veggie Broth or Vegan Chicken Broth
- Spray Oil (Optional)
- 8 Hamburger Buns
Optional Toppings:
- Vegan Mayonnaise
- Lettuce
- Tomato Slices
- Pickle Slices
- Hot Sauce
- Ketchup
- Mustard
Instructions
Prepare the enoki mushrooms:
- Cut the dirty ends off of the mushrooms and discard. Rinse the mushrooms under cold water to remove any excess dirt.
- Place the mushrooms onto a cutting board and use one hand to hold them together. Shred the mushrooms with a fork using your other hand. Continue shredding the mushrooms until all have been separated into fine hair-like strands.
- Add the mushrooms to a small frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 – 2 tbsp. of water and cook for 3 – 5 minutes or until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. The mushrooms will look slimy and stick together. Set the cooked mushrooms aside.
Form the seitan:
- Add the tofu, water, and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the inside of the food processor with a spatula and continue blending to make sure everything is well incorporated.
- Add the vital wheat gluten and pulse a few times until just mixed.
- Add the cooked enoki mushrooms and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute to fully incorporate. Give your food processor a break every 10 seconds to avoid overheating or breaking it.
- Remove the mixture from the food processor and quickly roll/knead to form a semi-rectangular shape.
- Cut the seitan dough into 8 equal pieces and press into 8 individual patties. They will grow in size during the cooking process so make them as big or small as you’d like.
Cook the patties and prepare dredge:
- Add the veggie broth to a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, carefully add all seitan patties to the broth, cover the pot with a lid, and reduce the heat to low. Cook the patties for 15 minutes. When the patties have finished boiling, remove them from the broth and place on a plate, wire rack, or sheet pan to cool.
- While the patties are cooking, add the flour and spice mixture in a bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the non-dairy milk and lemon juice/vinegar to a bowl and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Optional Step: If you would like more texture to the breading on the patties, add 1 – 2 tbsp. of the vegan buttermilk mixture to the flour and spice mixture and stir. The flour and spice blend will have some clumps of breading; which will add more texture.
Batter and fry the patties:
- One at a time, place a patty in the flour blend and flip to evenly coat. Place the coated patty in the vegan buttermilk mixture and flip to evenly coat. Place the patty back in the flour blend and flip to evenly coat. Repeat until all patties have been fully coated.
- For oven-baked patties: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the patties onto a baking sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Spray both sides of the patties with spray oil if desired (oil is not required for this recipe, you can cook the patties without it). Cook for approximately 15 minutes, flipping the patties halfway through.
- For air fried patties: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Spray both sides of the patties with spray oil if desired (oil is not required for this recipe, you can cook the patties without it). Cook for 10 minutes, flipping the patties halfway through.
Build the sandwiches:
- Add a vegan chicken patty to a bun along with whichever toppings you prefer and enjoy! For this recipe, I really like adding mayonnaise, pickle slices, lettuce, and sometimes hot sauce.
Refrigerating, freezing, and reheating:
- If you don’t plan on using all of the vegan chicken patties at once, place them in an airtight container or resealable bag and place in the fridge or freezer. These patties will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.
- To reheat the patties, preheat the oven or air fryer to the same temperature settings as stated above. Cook the patties on a baking sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper for 5 – 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook the patties in the air fryer for approximately 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 – 15 minutes
- Method: air fried or oven-baked
We made these and both agreed that they were the best chicken sandwich ever! It doesn’t have that seitan taste, the texture is perfect, and they are actually juicy! We made the recipe exactly as posted and won’t change a thing next time. 🙂
★★★★★