This Chicken Fried Tofu will blow you away and be your new favorite snack! Brined and battered in spices, these vegan nuggets are just like the original!
Growing up as a picky eater meant that one of my go-to foods on a car trip was a chicken nugget meal from McDonald's or Chick-fil-a. I wanted to recreate that classic flavor and bite without having to buy pre-made vegan nuggets from the store. This chicken fried tofu is perfect!
This recipe mimics true fried chicken so well due to the way it is brined and battered! The spices in the pickle juice brine is similar to a brine used by Chick-fil-a.
For another great tofu recipe, try my Honey Soy Glazed Tofu!
Table of Contents:
🎥 Watch the video of this recipe
🍟 Why you'll love this recipe
- Tastes just like the real thing! Seriously, my meat-eating friends loved this recipe (and they don't even like tofu!)
- Your kids & picky eaters with love it! Since nuggets are a picky eater's favorite food, this will be a big hit with anyone.
- SO flavorful - There are a lot of spices and seasonings in this recipe for a good reason!
🥘 What you need for this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Extra Firm Tofu - Be sure to get extra firm or super firm. This recipe will not turn out very good with firm or soft tofu.
- Dijon Mustard - Creamy dijon is used in both the marinade and the breading process.
- Pickle Juice - Used as a brine for the tofu!
- Hot Sauce - Add more for extra spice. The amount used here will not make the nuggets spicy.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Neutral Oil - For frying
- Spices - Red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, smoked paprika.
Tools:
📋 How to make Chicken Fried Tofu
Step 1: Prepare the Tofu & Make the Marinade
Begin by removing the tofu from the packaging and draining the excess liquid.
Wrap the block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel (or lots of paper towels) and gently press out excess liquid from the block.
Once pressed, remove from towels. Using your hands, break the tofu block into roughly 12 1-inch pieces. Breaking this by hand helps form a nugget-like texture.
Make the marinade by combining the pickle juice with the hot sauce, 1 tablespoon of the dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes.
Add the tofu directly to this marinade. If you don't like the pickle-y brine as much, try searing the flat sides of the tofu nuggets before adding them to the marinade.
Let the tofu sit in the marinade for at least 30-minutes, or up to overnight.
Step 2: Dredge the Tofu
Once the tofu has marinated for at least 30 minutes, remove it from the marinade.
Get out two medium-sized mixing bowls.
In one, add the ½ cup of dijon mustard and mix that with about ¼ cup - ⅓ cup of water until the consistency is like that of heavy cream. This mixture is going to be the wet part of the dredge that would normally consist of eggs.
In the other bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and all remaining spices. Combine this thoroughly for the dry part of the dredge.
Lay out a plate to place the battered tofu nuggets on.
Grab one piece of tofu and dip it into the wet mustard mixture. Completely coat the piece of tofu. Then, remove it from the bowl and drop it into the flour and spices mixture. Completely coat, then move it back into the mustard mixture, then once more into the flour.
Place the dredged tofu piece on a separate plate.
Repeat this process of double coating for each piece of tofu.
Step 3: Fry the Tofu
In a heavy-bottomed pot (like a dutch oven or cast iron), heat about 1-inch deep of canola or vegetable oil.
To the side, set up a cooling rack with paper towels lined below the rack.
You can use a thermometer to know when the oil is ready by waiting until it reaches 350ºF. If you don't have a thermometer, just take a very small piece of batter and drop it into the oil. If it immediately begins to sizzle, it is probably ready.
Using a slotted spoon, tongs, a spatula, or even just a large fork, pick up a piece of battered and dredged tofu and slowly drop it into the hot oil.
Fry until completely golden-brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per piece.
Do this process with each piece of tofu, frying no more than 4 or 5 pieces at a time.
Step 4: Finishing Touches
Once fried, place each piece onto the cooling rack and immediately sprinkle salt on while it is still hot.
Let the tofu cool for about 3 minutes before eating.
Add to a plate or platter and serve with dips such as ketchup, ranch, or whatever else you like!
💭 Expert Tips & Tricks
- For spicier tofu nuggets, double the amount of cayenne in the flour and hot sauce in the brine!
- The enemy of a crispy nugget is water. To get the crispiest tofu, be sure to use the firmest tofu you can find and press as much liquid out of it as you can.
- For a less pickle-y flavor, sear the tofu before marinating. Or, substitute half of the pickle juice for rice vinegar.
- To prevent overly messy hands while breading the tofu, use a fork or use one hand for the wet mixture and another hand for the flour mix.
Recipe FAQs
This chicken fried tofu recipe can last up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container. However, it is likely that the tofu won't be as crispy anymore. To re-heat, I suggest using an air-fryer or an oven. These are best consumed the day of.
Yes and no. When frying, sautéing, or baking, tofu cooks very similarly to chicken. However, tofu usually needs more upfront work to get moisture out. On the other hand, consuming raw or undercooked tofu is not bad for you like it is with chicken, so cook times may vary.
Tofu is a healthier alternative to meat for those who are looking for low-fat, high-protein, low calorie foods.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Fried Tofu (Vegan)
Equipment
- Dutch oven or Cast Iron
- Mixing Bowls
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 package Super firm tofu the vacuum-sealed, high protein tofu works best
- 1½ cups Pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon Hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
Breading Ingredients
- ½ cup Dijon Mustard
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon White pepper
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- Grapeseed or canola oil for frying, at least 1-2 inches deep.
Instructions
- Begin by removing the tofu from the packaging and draining the excess liquid.
- Wrap the block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel (or lots of paper towels) and gently press out excess liquid from the block.
- Once pressed, remove from towels.
- Using your hands, break the tofu block into roughly 12 1-inch pieces. Breaking this by hand helps form a nugget-like texture.
- Make the marinade by combining the pickle juice with the hot sauce, 1 tablespoon of the dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the tofu directly to this marinade.
- Let the tofu sit in the marinade for at least 30-minutes, or up to overnight.
- Once the tofu has marinated for at least 30 minutes, remove it from the marinade.
- Get out two medium-sized mixing bowls.
- In one, add the ½ cup of dijon mustard and mix that with about ¼ cup - ⅓ cup of water until the consistency is like that of heavy cream.
- In the other bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and all remaining spices. Combine this thoroughly for the dry part of the dredge.
- Lay out a plate to place the battered tofu nuggets on.
- Grab one piece of tofu and dip it into the wet mustard mixture. Completely coat the piece of tofu.
- Then, remove it from the bowl and drop it into the flour and spices mixture. Completely coat, then move it back into the mustard mixture, then once more into the flour.
- Place the dredged tofu piece on a separate plate.
- Repeat this process of double coating for each piece of tofu.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot (like a dutch oven or cast iron), heat about 1-inch deep of canola or vegetable oil.
- To the side, set up a cooling rack with paper towels lined below the rack.
- You can use a thermometer to know when the oil is ready by waiting until it reaches 350ºF. If you don't have a thermometer, just take a very small piece of batter and drop it into the oil. If it immediately begins to sizzle, it is probably ready.
- Using a slotted spoon, tongs, a spatula, or even just a large fork, pick up a piece of battered and dredged tofu and slowly drop it into the hot oil.
- Fry until completely golden-brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per piece.
- Do this process with each piece of tofu, frying no more than 4 or 5 pieces at a time.
- Once fried, place each piece onto the cooling rack and immediately sprinkle salt on while it is still hot.
- Let the tofu cool for about 3 minutes before eating.
- Add to a plate or platter and serve with dips such as ketchup, ranch, or whatever else you like!
Video
Notes
- For spicier tofu nuggets, double the amount of cayenne in the flour and hot sauce in the brine!
- The enemy of a crispy nugget is water. To get the crispiest tofu, be sure to use the firmest tofu you can find and press as much liquid out of it as you can.
- For a less pickle-y flavor, sear the tofu before marinating. Or, substitute half of the pickle juice for rice vinegar.
- To prevent overly messy hands while breading the tofu, use a fork or use one hand for the wet mixture and another hand for the flour mix.
Colleen says
Your tofu will have a more meaty texture it you freeze it in the water it’s packaged in. Thaw. Then press the liquid out. Tear or cut into bite-sized pieces. Proceed with your recipe.
T says
You're not fooling anyone that this is chicken. But it doesn't have to. It's a pleasant, crunchy dish. My husband and I enjoyed it.
Emily says
Totally! It's meant more in the way that "chicken fried steak" refers to the way it is battered and fried, so its chicken-fried tofu! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Sandra says
Such a great recipe! I love pickles but my husband doesn’t and he still liked this. He asked me to save the recipe to make it again. It was so easy too! I loved the mustard wet batter. So smart. I use gf flour and it worked out great. I would definitely make It again thanks!