Flour and water chicken is a delicious way to make homemade vegan chicken using just flour and water as the main ingredients. I know that this may sound crazy, but the washed flour method is a magical way to transform regular flour into a mock meat by isolating the wheat protein and washing out the starch.

You can then season the high-protein dough and cook it to replicate the taste of chicken, beef, or pork. This wheat meat is fun to make and absolutely delicious!

For flour and water chicken cutlets in a large white frying pan.

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History of washed flour seitan

The washed flour (also known as WTF – wash the flour) method of making meat substitutes has been published in vegetarian cookbooks for over 60 years, but its origins date back to the 6th century in China. I first discovered the recipe in The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook (published in 1975), and I’ve been experimenting with these recipes for over 20 years.

Making homemade seitan using the washed flour method is a labor of love. It will give you a workout and it’s a bit time-consuming, but the results are incredibly delicious!

If you want an easier method for making homemade seitan, you can use vital wheat gluten, which has already had its starch extracted. I use this method to create easy vegan meats, such as turkey, ham, chicken, corned beef, and beef.

However, if you want the fun of getting your hands messy and seeing the magic of making your own wheat meat from just flour and water, let’s get started.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Flour – just regular all-purpose flour works best. You don’t want cake flour because it has less gluten.
  • Water – just enough to form a firm dough with your flour.

Seasonings

  • Poultry Seasoning – for flavor. You can also use sage, oregano, or any other savory seasonings you wish.
  • Onion Powder – for flavor.
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor.
  • Turmeric – for a bit of color and flavor.
  • Cooking Oil – any neutral-flavored oil will work.
  • Vegan Chicken Broth – to season your wheat meat. You can also use beef-flavored broth for a more beefy taste.

Helpful tools

  • A large bowl for mixing and kneading the flour underwater.
  • A skillet with a lid that is large enough to hold your mock chicken and 2 cups of broth.
  • A large colander that can fit inside your bowl. This is helpful, but not necessary.

How to make washed flour seitan

Step 1 – Measure 8 cups of flour into a large bowl. Add 3 cups of water, then knead the mixture into a large, firm dough ball.

Step 2 – Cover with cold water and let it sit for 1 hour.

Flour with water being pour into it to make a dough ball to make washed flour chicken.
Mix together flour and water.
A ball of dough made with four and water.
Form it into a firm dough.
A ball of flour and water dough in a large green bowl covered with water.
Cover the dough with water.

Step 3 – After the dough has rested for at least 1 hour, place the bowl in the sink and knead the dough ball under the water until the water turns a milky white color. (You can dump this water into the sink or save it to make starch water bacon later.)

Step 4 – Fill the bowl with cold water again and repeat the kneading process until the water is white. Dump out this second batch of starchy water and repeat the process until your water is just a little cloudy after kneading for a minute or two. (You can line your bowl with a strainer to help lift the dough out of the water and easily dump the excess milky water.)

A dough ball in a bowl of milky water after it has been worked under the water.
Knead the flour under water.
A bowl lined with a strainer filled with water to wash flour to make seitan.
Use a colander to separate the dough and water.
A ball of flour and water dough being lifted out of a bowl of water with a strainer.
Replace the water every time it gets milky in color.

Step 5 – Repeat this washing process 5-8 times until the water is just slightly cloudy and not milky after a minute of kneading.

Step 6 – Lift the strainer out of the bowl. Squeeze out all the excess water and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

Step 7 – Sprinkle your dough with salt, pepper, and spices, and work the spices into the dough with your hands.

Step 8 – Pull off handfuls of the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Pull a piece into a long tube and twist it a few times. Then tie the twisted string into a loose pretzel-style knot.

A piece of washed flour dough with spices rubbed on it being twisted with a hand.
Seasoned the washed flour dough.
Knots of flour and water chicken frying in oil in a white frying pan.
Tie into knots and cook in oil.
Knots of washed flour that has been seasoned and fried on both sides simmering in broth.
Cover with broth and simmer.

Step 9 – Sauté the knots in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Step 10 – Add 2 cups of broth, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. (Flip after 30 minutes.)

Step 11 – Use as you would boneless chicken. Pull apart with a fork for shredded vegan chicken.

Note: Ensure that you cook your seitan thoroughly. It needs to cook for at least 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the piece being made. Undercooked seitan will be doughy. The internal temperature of the seitan should reach 165°F.

How to use washed flour seitan

This cooked vegan chicken can be diced and tossed into your favorite dishes, such as vegan chicken piccata, vegan rasta pasta, Thai green curry, or vegan cream of chicken soup. You can also dip larger chunks into breading for vegan fried chicken.

Pro Tips

  • Be sure to allow the dough to rest before kneading it the first time.
  • It will not stay together like regular dough, so when I say knead it, I mean squish it around with your fingers and wash it like you might hand-wash a shirt.
  • You can also let the dough rest during the washing process if you need a break, too.
  • You want to wash out most of the starch from the flour, but not all of it.
Raw seitan after it has been washed.
This is what your flour should look like after it has been washed.

Flavor variations

After you wash your flour, you will have a flavorless dough as your base. At this point, you can add any seasonings you wish to the dough and cook it in different flavored broths to achieve the type of meat you are trying to replicate.

You can get creative with spices and achieve just about any mock meat that you want.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerator: The washed flour chicken will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in a sealed container.

Reheating: Reheat your “chicken” in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or pan-fry on low to warm it up.

Freezing: Seitan freezes well and can be stored in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight, or you can toss smaller strips into stir-fries or soup while still frozen.

A top view of a piece of chicken style wheat meat shredded with a fork in it.

Why make WTF seitan?

This washed flour chicken is a fun project for a lazy weekend. This is not an easy 30-minute meal to attempt on a busy day.

Washed flour seitan is a really fun family activity. Kids love getting their hands messy in the dough, and it’s a good fine motor and sensory activity. It’s great for learning about the properties of starch and protein in flour and how they can be separated.

Many people become very enthusiastic about it and create intricate recipes using this method. You can find a whole community of people sharing their creations in the Seitan Appreciation Society Facebook group. It’s an excellent resource for anything you would want to know about this process and other seasoning and cooking methods.

A piece of washed flour chicken with part of it shredded with fork. a

Easy seitan recipes

All of the following recipes use vital wheat gluten and don’t require the washing process. Use my quick and easy seitan recipe for the fastest way to make vegan mock meat.

Washed flour chicken recipe

A top view of 4 pieces of vegan chicken made with the washed flour method of making seitan..
Diet
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5 from 10 rating

Washed Flour Seitan (Vegan Chicken)

Yield: 4
Prep: 2 hours
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 3 hours
Author: Monica Davis
Seitan made with the washed flour method and seasoned to taste like chicken.
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Ingredients

For the seitan

  • 8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups water, (You may need slightlty more or less to achieve a firm dough ball)

To season the seitan

To cook the seitan

  • 1 tablespoon light olive oil, or any other neutral-flavored oil
  • 2 cups not chick'n broth, or any chicken-flavored vegan broth.

Equipment

  • A large bowl
  • A large frying pan with a lid

Instructions
 

  • Measure 8 cups of flour into a large bowl, add 3 cups of water, and knead into a large, firm dough ball. (Add a tiny bit more water if you still have dry spots or add a sprinkle of flour if your dough ball is sticky.)
  • Cover with cold water and let it sit for 1 hour.
  • After the dough has rested for at least 1 hour, place the bowl in the sink and knead the dough ball under the water until the water turns a milky white color. (You can dump this water into the sink or save it to make other things later.)
  • Fill the bowl with cold water again and repeat the kneading process until the water is white. Discard this second batch of starchy water and repeat the process until your water is just slightly cloudy after kneading for a minute or two. (You can line your bowl with a strainer to help lift the dough out of the water and easily dump the excess milky water.)
  • Repeat this washing process about 5-8 times until your water is just a little cloudy and not milky after a minute of kneading.
  • Lift the strainer out of the bowl, squeeze out all the excess water, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle your dough with salt and spices, and work the spices into the dough with your hands.
  • Pull off handfuls of the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Pull a piece into a long tube and twist it a few times. Then tie the twisted string into a loose pretzel-style knot.
  • Sauté the knots in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Add 2 cups of broth, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, flipping after 30 minutes. (Watch it towards the end to make sure all of your broth doesn't evaporate. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed.)
  • Use as you would boneless chicken. Pull apart with a fork for shredded vegan chicken.

Notes

  • Be sure to allow the dough to rest before kneading it the first time.
  • It will not stay together like regular dough, so when I say knead it, I mean squish it around with your fingers and wash it like you might hand-wash a shirt.
  • You can also let the dough rest during the washing process if you need a break, too.
  • You want to wash out most of the starch from the flour, but not all of it.
  • Be sure to cook your seitan completely. It needs to cook for at least 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the piece you are making. Undercooked seitan will be doughy.
Serving: 1(6 oz)piece, Calories: 205kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 492mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 257IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 2mg
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