Vegan Fried Chicken

Recipe Difficulty: Easy 

Recipe Keywords: Vegan Chicken, Vegan Fried Chicken, Seitan, Chickpeas

​My Fried Chicken Recipe Notes
If you haven't made seitan before or perhaps you haven't even heard of seitan....stop right there!!! It's simple, and it really does mimic the taste and texture of real chicken. My fried chicken is made from a dough that quickly comes together in a food processor. Chickpeas, vital wheat gluten (which is the main ingredient in making seitan), and chickpea flour are the bulk of the recipe.  Before breading my vegan chicken in panko crumbs, I either rip it into random chunks for "nuggets", slice them into longer strips for "fingers", or leave them whole for "breasts". I shallow fry or deep fry them in oil, add an extra sprinkle of sea salt, and use them in a multitude of ways. 

Flax "Eggs"
Ground Flaxseed and water combine to make "flax eggs" and is what I use for my "Wet Mix" when breading my chicken strips. Even if you consume eggs, consider that replacing them with flax eggs when you can, is a great way to add fiber and omega fatty acids to your food.  Bonus, it is a product you can keep in your pantry for many baking and cooking projects that require a binding agent. 

What is Seitan?
Seitan is a dough made from vital wheal gluten. It's usually mixed with other flour such as chickpea, and flavoured with herbs, spices, & seasonings.  It's high in protein, making it perfect for vegans & vegetarians or anyone looking to cut down on their consumption of animal products. Gluten is the protein found in wheat. (and other cereal grains) Vital wheat gluten flour has had the starch washed away so that it is the protein that remains. When making your own seitan at home, it is important to kneed the dough for the recommended amount of time because that's what will give it it's meat like texture once it's been cooked. If the dough doesn't get worked for a long enough period of time it will give the seitan a spongy texture - not what we are striving for here!

Ways to Enjoy Vegan Fried Chicken
Some of my favourite ways to eat this fried chicken include:

• As a snack with my favourite dip. (Vegan honey mustard with a bit of mayo is high on the list)
• Crispy Chicken Salad
• Crispy Chicken Wraps (I love them with my Caesar salad, and sometimes turn it into a wrap)
• Fried Chicken Sandwiches (you can leave them in breast shape if you prefer)

Can I bake the chicken?
Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. If I was trying to keep it on the healthier side I probably just wouldn't bread the strips. Even when I pan fry these in a bit of oil, the final result is not as good as shallow frying or deep frying. While I'm someone who tries to make the healthy choices for most of my meals, I don't mind deep frying things on occasion. I eat whole food plant based 95% of the time, and I think if we take care of ourselves our bodies can handle a bit of fried goodness. Plus, I'm usually eating these with a giant salad so that balances things out, right?

Can I freeze the Vegan Chicken?
YES! Actually, I only cook these from frozen. When I make them, I freeze them on a flat surface, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen. Then, I just pop them into hot oil from the freezer for nights when I want a fun, tasty & easy meal solution. 

The dough comes together easily in a food processor. Knead by hand for 10 minutes.

Divide it into 6 pieces, shape into "breasts" and simmer in water for 30 - 40 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack

I bread them using flax "egg" (just ground flax & water) and seasoned panko crumbs

I put my wire rack onto a sheet pan, and then freeze flat before transferring to a container or bag to store in the freezer. 

Fry them from frozen. DELICIOUS

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