Vegan Chicken Sandwich (Air Fried or Oven-Baked)

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
• Vegan Chicken Burgers
• Ingredients Needed
• Enoki Mushrooms: What They Are and Where You Can Find Them
• Equipment Needed
• How to Make Vegan Chicken Sandwiches
• Substitutions
• Recipe Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Make Ahead Instructions
• Storage Instructions
• Freezing Instructions
• Quick Tips for Best Results
• Common Questions

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Servings: This recipe makes 8 vegan chicken patties to serve to a group or freeze and reheat later!
• Easy freezing and reheating: Easily freeze these vegan chicken patties to make them last a long time! Reheating these patties is quick and can be done in the microwave, oven, air fryer, or on the stovetop.
• No deep fryer needed: This recipe uses minimal oil or can be made entirely oil-free depending on your preference.
• Less than an hour to make: With only 45 minutes of total prep and cook time from start to finish, this recipe is fast and simple.
• Perfect for groups: Because this vegan chicken sandwich recipe makes 8 patties, it’s the perfect dish to cook and serve for group gatherings such as pool parties, summer bbqs, picnics, and more!
• Versatile and customizable:​ Use these vegan chicken patties in a variety of dishes such as vegan chicken katsu, sliced on top of salad or pasta. You can also simply stick to making a vegan chicken sandwich and customizing the toppings differently every time.

Vegan Chicken Burgers

Although this recipe makes several vegan chicken patties for use in any suitable recipe or meal, these patties are especially great for serving on buns with your favorite toppings to make the ultimate vegan chicken burgers. Pro tip: for group events, set out a tray of toppings such as lettuce, tomato, hot sauce, red onion, vegan mayo and allow each guest to build their own burger!

Ingredients Needed

• 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

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!

Equipment Needed

• Food Processor
• Air Fryer or Oven

How to Make Vegan Chicken Sandwiches

See the full recipe instructions in the card below.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Build the sandwiches: Add the chicken patties to hamburger buns and whichever toppings you prefer and enjoy!

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.

Recipe Variations

• Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches: Brush the fried patties with hot sauce or spicy buffalo sauce. These go great with vegan ranch or mayo, a sesame seed bun, 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!
• Vegan Spicy 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!

Serving Suggestions

• A side of fries
• Side salad
• Slice the chicken patties and serve over rice like chicken katsu
• A side of potato chips
• Toppings of choice such as chipotle mayo or spicy mayo, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and more

Make Ahead Instructions

Prepare the patties and place them in a freezer bag right after dredging them. When you’re ready to cook them, place them on a sheet pan and bake in the oven or in the air fryer and cook with the same cooking settings as instructed in the recipe below.

Storage Instructions

Store cooled, cooked patties in a freezer bag or airtight food safe container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can dethaw the patties in the fridge and cook them in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven or air fryer until crispy.

Freezing Instructions

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.

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.
• 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.

The next time you’re craving a crispy chicken sandwich that tastes just like the real deal, skip the hot oil, skip the deep frying, and skip the food truck! Make these easy vegan chicken sandwiches instead! Serve this amazing vegan sandwich with a side of french fries, a side salad, or any dish of your choice.

For more delicious vegan recipes, check out the list below:

• Tofu Veggie Sushi Rolls
• Vegan Buffalo Tofu
• Eggless Mayonnaise
• Vegan Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
• Vegan Fried Pickles

Products for this recipe (Sold through Amazon)

• Vital Wheat Gluten
• Vegan Chicken Broth Powder (Optional)

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