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This Vegan Chicken is an easy and convincing plant based alternative to real chicken! This recipe is made up of 4 simple ingredients and makes the perfect addition to any savory meal. This Vegan Chicken is a favorite dish of mine to make and does especially well amongst vegans and non-vegans around the holidays!
IN THIS POST
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- How to Make Vegan Chicken
- Recipe Notes
- Substitutions
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Freezing Instructions
- Quick Tips
- Common Questions
Plant Based Chicken
If you’re looking to try out some of the best vegan chicken recipes, then this Plant Based Chicken should be at the top of your list! This is the perfect base recipe to use when making all types of plant based homemade chicken meals. I especially love tearing or cutting the cooked seitan into small pieces and making it into or adding it to vegan chicken nuggets, vegan chicken noodle soup, vegan butter chicken, and more! Feel free to add your own spices such as onion powder, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and more to customize the flavor of the seitan chicken recipe to your liking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- So easy: This plant-based chicken consists of only 4 ingredients and simple step-by-step cooking instructions.
- Realistic: The carefully selected but minimal ingredients in this plant based chicken recipe are what make this vegan option so much like the real thing!
- Delicious: This seitan recipe is juicy, savory, and meaty, making this plant based chicken the perfect vegan version of real chicken.
- Versatile: This recipe is great for adding to other recipes and customizing to your liking! I love adding this it to stir fry dishes, pasta dishes, and more.
Ingredients Needed
- Extra Firm Tofu: This recipe uses extra firm tofu to create a meaty texture without making the seitan rubbery.
- Enoki Mushrooms: The enoki mushrooms in this seitan chicken are really the star of the entire recipe. The stringy, meat-like texture of the mushrooms adds to the overall taste and texture to make the seitan more realistic.
- Vital Wheat Gluten: Vital wheat gluten is essential for this recipe to create the chewy texture and hold everything together. Vital wheat gluten is not gluten-free and cannot be substituted by any other ingredient within this recipe.
- Salt: The salt in this recipe lightly seasons the seitan while still allowing it to be versatile and seasoned according to your use or preference.
How to Make Vegan Chicken
- Rinse the mushrooms, cut off the dirty ends, and shred them with a fork onto a cutting board.
- Cook the shredded mushrooms in a skillet then set aside.
- Blend the tofu, water, and salt together into a smooth paste.
- Add the vital wheat gluten and pulse until just combined.
- Add the cooked mushrooms and blend to fully incorporate.
- Remove the seitan dough from the blender or food processor and knead into a smooth loaf.
- Wrap the seitan loaf in aluminum foil and steam in a stovetop pot or pressure cooker.
- Allow the seitan to cool in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight before using.
Recipe Notes
- For this recipe, I used half of a 16 oz. package of extra firm tofu.
- 8 oz. of extra firm tofu is also equivalent to approximately 1 1/8 cup small cubed.
- You can place the aluminum foil wrapped seitan loaves in a steamer basket or directly into the pot/pressure cooker to cook.
Substitutions
- You can substitute the tofu with 1 1/8 cup of canned white beans or chickpeas. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans before blending.
- If you want the seitan to taste more like a traditional savory chicken recipe, then you can substitute the salt with 1 vegetable or vegan chicken bouillon cube.
Serving Suggestions
Add this vegan chicken to:
- Stir fries
- Sandwiches
- Chili
- Soup
- Pasta
- Salads
- Rice
Make this vegan chicken into:
- Vegan nuggets
- Vegan chicken tenders
- Vegan chicken breasts or seitan cutlets
Storage Instructions
Remove the cooked seitan from the aluminum foil and allow it to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Remove the cooked seitan from the aluminum foil and allow it to cool completely before storing in a freezer-safe resealable bag for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Quick Tips
- I highly recommend using extra firm tofu for this recipe. I found that this provides the best results for texture.
- You can separate the seitan loaf into two loaves, if you prefer, and steam both or do one large seitan loaf. Either way, be sure to flip the aluminum wrapped loaf halfway through steaming to ensure thorough cooking throughout the seitan.
- The vegan chicken will expand while cooking so be sure to wrap the seitan loaf loosely in aluminum foil before cooking.
Common Questions
What is vegan chicken made of?
Most vegan meat substitute recipes or mock meats consist of some combination of vital wheat gluten, tofu, beans, and/or chickpea flour. This recipe is made using 4 ingredients: vital wheat gluten, tofu, salt, and enoki mushrooms. This recipe is unique from many other vegan chicken alternatives because the enoki mushrooms creates a much more realistic flavor and chewiness for a perfect meaty texture.
What are enoki mushrooms?
Enoki mushrooms are long, thin mushrooms primarily found in East Asia and popular in Japanese cuisine. Enoki mushrooms are perfect for this recipe because, when shredded and cooked slightly, they make an excellent addition to seitan to provide a meat-like fibrous texture and savory, meaty taste. The final product of this recipe is vastly better because of the enoki mushrooms within this vegan chicken.
Where can you buy enoki mushrooms?
Enoki mushrooms can be found in the produce section of some grocery stores or health food stores. My favorite places to find fresh enoki mushrooms for cheap are at local multi-cultural or Asian food stores.
Can I use a different type of mushroom?
No. For this recipe, only enoki mushrooms will work due to the ability to shred them into fine strands unlike other mushrooms.
What is vital wheat gluten?
Vital wheat gluten or vital wheat flour is the extracted natural protein found in wheat. It is often used to increase the elasticity in baked breads, noodles, and to make vegan and vegetarian meat alternatives. Vital wheat gluten is what holds everything together in this vegan chicken recipe and it adds to the meaty, chewy texture.
More Similar Recipes and Vegan Chicken Options:
This Vegan Chicken is the perfect for when you need a great recipe for all types of mock chicken dishes! This recipe is so simple to make and excellent for meal prepping, freezing and adding to meals, and more!
Products for this recipe (Sold through Amazon)
- Food Processor or Blender
- Vital Wheat Gluten
- Vegan Chicken Bouillon Cubes or Vegetable Bouillon Cubes (Optional)
- Large Pot or Pressure Cooker
- Steamer Basket (Optional)
The Best 4-Ingredient Vegan “Chicken”
- Total Time: 40 minutes – 1 hour 10 minutes (depending on cooking method) + 4 – 6 hours of chilling
- Yield: 4 cups of “chicken” 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Make The Best 4-Ingredient Vegan “Chicken” as an easy meat alternative! This recipe is oil-free and makes 4 cups of vegan “chicken”!
Ingredients
- 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 or 1 Vegan Chicken/Vegetable Bouillon Cube**
Instructions
Prep and cook the 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.
Put it all together:
- 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 smooth ball.
- Wrap the mixture in aluminum foil twice around. Do not over-wrap the mixture or it will not cook properly and it will still be raw in the center.
Pressure cooker instructions:
- Add the wrapped seitan mixture to a pressure cooker along with 1 cup of water and steam for 15 minutes. Flip the wrapped seitan mixture over and steam for another 15 minutes. You can add the wrapped seitan mixture to a steam basket if your pressure cooker has one or place it on the bottom of the pressure cooker if you do not have one.
Stovetop pot instructions:
- Add approximately 10 cups of water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Add the wrapped seitan mixture to the pot and cover with a lid. Boil for 1 hour, flipping the wrapped seitan halfway.
Cooling & Freezing:
- When the “chicken” is done cooking, let it cool at room temperature before unwrapping and placing in an airtight container in the fridge. Chill for 4 – 6 hours or overnight.
- After chilling, cut or shred the chicken and use it in your favorite recipes as you would with regular chicken. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
*Tofu: 8 oz. of tofu is approximately 1 1/8 cup, small cubed.
**Bouillon Cube: I especially love the vegan chicken bouillon cube by Edward and Sons
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour (depending on cooking method)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker or Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Bonjour Maria, j’aimerais faire cette recette mais je remarque que vous n’utilisez pas d’assaisonnements dans votre recette, est-ce un oubli ou si le goût est bon sans cela ?
Salut! J’ai intentionnellement omis les épices de cette recette car elle est censée être une recette de base pour de nombreuses utilisations. J’ajoute souvent environ 1/2 cuillère à café de base de bouillon de poulet végétalien d’Orrington Farms et une quantité égale d’assaisonnement pour volaille lors du mélange du tofu, de l’eau et du sel. Cette recette a bon goût sans assaisonnement, mais si vous vouliez en ajouter, vous êtes toujours le bienvenu. Cette recette est idéale pour personnaliser avec divers repas. Merci pour la grande question! Toutes mes excuses si cela n’a que peu de sens. Le français n’est pas ma langue maternelle.
Hello there! I am really excited to try out this recipe. Wondering how in the WORLD you discovered the enoki mushrooms? And that they would work for this recipe? I have gathered all the listed ingredients and will give it a go. If it works for me like it works for you I salute you😉
Hi, Lee! 🙂 I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! I spent a few months testing a plant-based chicken recipe that had a fibrous texture similar to actual chicken. I determined that the best way to achieve that texture would be to use an ingredient that is already stringy like muscle fibers. I tested all kinds of ingredients and it got really weird. I even tested pineapple at one point but that was a disaster. 😄 Out of the 25 to 50 ingredients I tested (I lost count), enoki mushrooms provided the best texture and taste. Mushrooms already have a chewy texture and meaty, umami flavor so it worked out perfectly! I have since learned of a few other ways to get similar results with other ingredients and I will be updating this blog post in the future. Thanks for the great question! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Hi and yes I am making it today I’m so excited the only question I had is that I’m using an Insta pot pressure cooker type machine and I’m wondering on the second 15 minutes of steaming do I let it depressurize naturally or do I quickly release the pressure after 15 minutes take it out and let it cool? Would appreciate it if you could clarify that thank you! And keep up the good work 👍🏽
Hi again, Lee! My pressure cooker/rice cooker doesn’t have a release on it. It lets out steam and depressurizes naturally so you can do the same for yours. I don’t imagine it would make a massive difference since the point is to make sure the seitan is fully cooked in the center. And by the time you flip the seitan over and steam it for another 15 minutes, it should be pretty well cooked. I have made this in a Dutch oven on the stovetop with the lid on and it worked fine so I’m sure whatever you choose for your pressure cooker will be fine also. I hope this was helpful! If you’re in doubt and you want to make sure the center is fully cooked, you can leave the pressure on and just do a quick release when it’s finished. Thank you again for another great question! I hadn’t even considered this since my equipment is different. I hope all goes well and you’re able to use this recipe for many different dishes!
What can I sub for enoki mushrooms?
Hi, Yolanda. 🙂 I tested this recipe with about 25 different substitutions to see if I could get similar results that the enoki mushrooms provide. I didn’t find anything that was as good as using enoki mushrooms. In the near future, I will be re-testing this recipe using canned jackfruit and I will update the recipe if it is successful. In the meantime, I recommend you check out any local multi-cultural food stores in your area. I was often able to find enoki mushrooms at these smaller food stores for much cheaper. You may also find them at a large local grocery store. They keep them in stock at the Safeway in my city. If you know which of your local grocery stores have larger, fuller produce sections, you could look there. They tend to have a lot more variety and imported/specialty produce. Lastly, if you have any large farmers markets in your area, I would recommend checking them out. I went to a large farmers market last month and I found 3 or 4 vendors selling enoki mushrooms. I hope this was helpful!
Can this recipe be made without a pressure cooker?
Hi, Marty! Yes, this recipe can be made without a pressure cooker. I tested it with a stovetop pot yesterday just for you and it worked fine. ☺ I have updated the recipe notes. Thanks for the question!