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Vegan "Chicken"

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

Units Scale
  • 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:

  1. Cut the dirty ends off of the mushrooms and discard.
  2. Rinse the mushrooms under cold water to remove any excess dirt.
  3. 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.
  4. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. Add the vital wheat gluten and pulse a few times until just mixed.
  3. 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.
  4. Remove the mixture from the food processor and quickly roll/knead to form a smooth ball.
  5. 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:

  1. 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:

  1. Add approximately 10 cups of water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Add the wrapped seitan mixture to the pot and cover with a lid. Boil for 1 hour, flipping the wrapped seitan halfway.

Cooling & Freezing:

  1. 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.
  2. 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