Vegan Popcorn Chicken
Forget KFC try these tofu popcorn chicken instead! These tofu bites are a healthier alternative to popcorn chicken made with tofu but do not lack in flavour and crunch.
Instead of chicken these popcorn chicken bites are made with simple tofu- a versatile plant based protein that us vegans have learnt to love over the years! Tofu really can be a superstar if you know how to cook it well.
These tofu bites are first dipped in vegan ‘buttermilk’ made of soy milk mixed with lemon juice (this makes it thicker) then dipped into a beautiful seasoned panko breadcrumb mix before being shallow fried to create a crunchy exterior.
Just dip your crunchy tofu bite into your favorite sauce and enjoy! Warning- you will probably eat the whole batch in one go- they are super moreish!
Ingredients you'll need for plant based popcorn chicken-
- Tofu- This recipe calls for extra firm tofu as the structure is important for making sure the bites don’t fall apart. You could use medium tofu however you’ll need to be super careful when handling. Silken or soft tofu is not suitable for this recipe.
- Panko breadcrumbs- Panko gives a the bites a good crunch when fried but feel free to try other breadcrumbs. Some other ideas you could use are cornflakes, golden breadcrumbs or toasted stale bread. Whatever you have available.
- Seasoning- This seasoning blend is one that I think works well as an all rounder however if you’d like to make your tofu bites ‘themed’ feel free to alter the seasonings to what you like or even what you have. You can get away with no seasoning but only if you have a great sauce to pair the bites with- otherwise they will taste bland as the tofu has no flavour.
- Soy milk- I use unsweetened soy milk and lemon juice mixed together as the lemon slightly curdles and thickens the soy milk making it into a buttermilk like liquid. This liquid works really well to stick the breadcrumbs to the tofu. Soy milk is the cheapest non dairy milk and works really well as a buttermilk, other plant milks may have different results.
Air fryer tofu nuggets
If you're looking for a healthier option with less oil you can air fry these with a little spray oil on 180C/350F for 10-12 minutes.
Best dipping sauces for popcorn chicken
The sauce pictured is Hellmanns plant based mayo- the best vegan mayo on the market but i would also recommend a vegan ranch dressing, a good quality bbq sauce or if you like a little spice- buffalo hot sauce is delicious!
Vegan Tofu Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients
- 200 g Tofu extra firm
- 200 ml Soy milk
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 150 g Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp Garlic granules
- 1 tsp Onion granules
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Mixed herbs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
Instructions
- If using the freezing method make sure the tofu is fully thawed and all of the moisture squeezed out before continuing onto the next steps.
- Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a bowl, mix well then set aside. This makes a vegan buttermilk to coat the tofu in to make sure the coating sticks.
- Squeeze out any excess water from the tofu and pat dry. Cut the tofu up into even bite-sized cubes.
- Combine all of the seasonings together and add the seasoning to the panko breadcrumbs and mix well.
- To coat the tofu dip the pieces into the soy milk mixture then into the panko mixture. Repeat this twice for an extra crunch coating.
- Heat up some oil and carefully place each tofu piece into oil until golden brown and crispy on one side. Then turn the pieces to make sure each side is evenly cooked.
- Serve up with your favourite dipping sauce (I used garlic aioli) and enjoy!
Notes
Feeling snacky? Check out these popular snack recipes from the blog
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