These crispy tofu fried chicken nuggets are perfectly seasoned, breaded, and fried. This vegan KFC fried chicken copycat will simply amaze you with its crispy, seasoned breading and perfect fried texture.

Vegan tofu fried chicken on a white plate with a piece bein dipped into sauce.

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Why make tofu chicken

This tofu fried chicken recipe is a plant-based faux chicken made from tofu that is also easily made gluten-free. It’s a vegan KFC-style fried chicken made with tofu.

Sometimes I just crave the old comfort food I ate before going vegan, and I want my kids to enjoy some of those classic flavors too. That’s why I make vegan chicken nuggets, seitan wings, fried oyster mushrooms, and fried cauliflower nuggets.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Tofu – firm or extra firm tofu works best. You will want to freeze and thaw your tofu. (See instructions below.)
  • Vegan Chicken-Flavored Broth: You can use any vegan chicken broth or vegetable broth. I like not chick’n broth or Better than broth not chicken.
  • Plant-Based Milk – any plain-flavored plant-based milk will work. I like to use soy, Ripple, or oat milk since they have higher protein content and thicken when you add vinegar.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – or you can use white vinegar or lemon juice. You just need a small amount to add to the milk to make it curdle and become thicker. This makes a vegan buttermilk.
  • Hot Sauce – Add to the milk mixture for a little extra flavor and spice.
  • Flour – I use all-purpose white flour, but any grain-based flour will work. Gluten-free flour mixes also work well.
  • Corn Starch – this makes the batter extra crispy. You can use potato starch instead, but don’t omit this, or it won’t be as crispy.
  • Corn Meal – this adds texture to the batter. It’s an important ingredient in the batter’s texture; don’t leave it out.
  • Oregano – for flavor. You can also use an Italian seasoning herb mix.
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor.
  • Onion Powder – for flavor.
  • Paprika – for flavor.
  • Black Pepper – for flavor.
  • White Pepper – this gives it a nice, authentic fried chicken flavor, but feel free to omit it.
  • Creole Seasoning – for a little spice and flavor. I like to use Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, but you can use a few dashes of cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt instead. You can also swap it out for Old Bay seasoning if you wish.
  • Oil – for frying. Any neutral-flavored oil will work. Canola oil or vegetable oil with a high smoke point works best.

Note: I know there are a lot of herbs and spices listed for the breading, but that is what flavors the tofu and makes it taste like vegan KFC-style chicken, not just fried tofu.

How to freeze tofu?

You will want to use frozen and thawed tofu for this recipe to give it a more meat-like texture. To freeze tofu, simply place the block of water-packed tofu in the freezer in its original packaging. Leave it in there for at least 24 hours or up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, then drain and press as you would fresh tofu.

(I always keep a couple of packs of tofu in the freezer and then move them to the fridge a day or two before I plan on making something with them.)

A cutting board topped with deep fried tofu nuggets served with 3 dipping sauces.

Helpful tools

  • A Deep Fryer is helpful, but you can use a pan that’s deep enough to hold about 2 inches of oil. You can also use an air fryer instead.
  • Tongs – or a skimmer basket to get the hot fried tofu out of the oil if you are not using a deep fryer.
  • Paper towel – or clean tea towels to drain any excess oil.

How to make tofu fried chicken

Step 1 – Freeze a block of extra-firm tofu until solid, then thaw it completely overnight in the fridge.

Step 2 – Press the frozen tofu to remove as much liquid as possible, then break it into 1-inch cubes and place them in the vegan chicken-flavored broth.

Frozen then thawed and pressed tofu marinating in vegan chicken broth.

Prepare the breading

Step 3 – While the tofu is marinating in the broth, whisk together 3/4 cup of plant-based milk, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of hot sauce in a shallow bowl. Give it a stir, then let it sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken.

Step 4 – In a separate bowl, mix 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup cornmeal, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp creole seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and white pepper. Stir until well combined.

Step 5 – Heat the oil to 370°F (187 °C) in a deep fryer or a pan. (Use a thermometer or test a small piece of tofu to make sure you have the correct temperature. It should bubble as soon as it hits the oil and become golden brown after about 2-3 minutes of cooking.)

Bread the tofu

Step 6 – Once the tofu has sat in the broth for at least 15 minutes, dip the marinated tofu into the milk solution and then into the flour mixture, and coat it well. Then quickly dip the tofu back into the milk solution and coat a second time with the dry flour mixture. Set aside until you have about 5-6 chunks of tofu chicken ready to fry.

Someone holding a chunk of tofu that has been marinated and breaded before frying.

Deep fry the tofu chicken

Step 7 – Place the breaded tofu in the hot oil and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the bubbling slows and the nuggets become golden brown. (Fry in small batches so they have enough room to float in the oil without touching.)

Step 8 – Lift them out of the oil with a skimmer basket or tongs, then cool them on a paper towel. Repeat until all of the tofu chicken nuggets are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Pieces of KFC style vegan fried chicken on a paper towel after frying.

Dipping sauces

We love vegan dipping sauces in my house. Here are a few of our favorites to serve with vegan fried chicken.

Pro Tips

  • The cornstarch in this recipe is key to making the coating crispy, and the cornmeal is key to giving it texture. I don’t recommend omitting those ingredients.
  • For a lighter coating, dip the mushrooms in the milk and seasonings only once, instead of 2 times.
Vegan tofu fried chicken being dunked in vegan Chick Fil A sauce.

Baked tofu chicken nuggets

  • Preheat your oven to 475°F (246 °C).
  • Place the breaded tofu pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray with a light coating of oil (optional).
  • Bake at 475°F (246 °C) for 9 minutes, remove from the oven, flip, and bake for 9 more minutes.

Tofu Fried Chicken in the air-fryer

  • Place battered tofu in the air fryer, leaving a little room between each one.
  • Spray the tofu nuggets with a little oil if desired.
  • Cook at 350°F (180°C) for 18 minutes, turning the tofu nuggets after 9 minutes.

Frequently asked questions?

Why freeze and thaw tofu?

Freezing tofu gives it a denser, meatier texture and allows you to press more water out of it. Since more water comes out, it will also soak up more of the flavored marinade. 

Do I have to deep fry these nuggets?

If you don’t want to deep-fry the tofu chicken, you can bake it or use an air fryer instead. They won’t be quite as crispy and juicy as they would be if you used the deep-frying method, but it’s a lower-fat, healthier alternative.

How much oil does it soak up?

Deep frying may seem like using an excessive amount of oil, but just because you are frying in a lot of oil doesn’t mean you are consuming that much oil. The process of deep-frying actually cooks the food at a high enough temperature, so less oil is absorbed than when you pan-fry it.  Cooking in hot oil (above 325°F) makes food crispy without absorbing much oil. 

How can I make this gluten-free?

To make this tofu chicken gluten-free, simply use a grain-based gluten-free flour mix in place of all-purpose flour. (I think that it tastes even better and gets even more crispy this way!)

Storage and reheating

This tofu fried chicken is best served hot and fresh. I recommend only making as much as you can eat in 1 sitting.

If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but they will not be as crisp and fresh. You can bake them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400°F (204 °C) for 10 minutes to reheat and crisp them again.

A white plate filled with tofu fried chicken with chick-fil-a dipping sauce on the side.

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Tofu fried chicken recipe

Tofu fried chicken nuggets on a white plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce at the side.
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5 from 7 rating

Tofu Fried Chicken

Yield: 4
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 38 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A copycat KFC style fried chicken made with tofu and deep fried to a crispy golden brown.
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Ingredients

For the buttermilk

  • 3/4 cup soy milk (plain flavored), (or any plant-based milk)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Dry ingredients and spices

  • 1/3 cup flour, (or GF flour mix)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch, (or potato starch)
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon oregano, (or Italian seasoning mix)
  • 1 teaspoon creole seasoning, (or a few dashes of cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp of salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

For frying

  • 2 cups oil, (or enough to allow the tofu to float in the oil in your pan)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Freeze a block of extra-firm tofu until it becomes solid, then thaw completely overnight in the fridge.
  • Press the frozen tofu to remove as much liquid as possible, then break it into 1-inch cubes and place them in the vegan chicken-flavored broth.

Prepare the breading

  • While the tofu is marinating in the broth, put 3/4 cup of plant-based milk in a shallow bowl with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of hot sauce. Give it a stir, then let it sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken.
  • In a separate bowl, mix 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup cornmeal, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp creole seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and white pepper. Stir until well combined.
  • Heat the oil to 370°F (187 °C) either in a deep fryer or in a pan. (Use a thermometer or test a small piece of tofu to make sure you have the correct temperature. It should bubble as soon as it hits the oil and become golden brown after about 2-3 minutes of cooking.)

Bread the tofu

  • Once the tofu has sat in the broth for at least 15 minutes, dip it into the milk solution, then into the flour mixture, and coat it well. Then quickly dip the tofu back into the milk solution and coat a second time with the dry flour mixture. Set aside until you have about 5-6 chunks of tofu chicken ready to fry.

Deep fry the tofu chicken

  • Place the breaded tofu in the hot oil and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the bubbling slows and the nuggets become golden brown. (Fry in small batches so they have enough room to float in the oil without touching.)
  • Remove them from the oil with a skimmer basket or tongs, then cool them on a paper towel. Repeat until all of the tofu chicken nuggets are cooked.
  • Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

  • The cornstarch in this recipe is key to making the coating crispy, and the cornmeal is key to giving it texture. I don’t recommend omitting those ingredients.
  • For a lighter coating, dip the tofu in the milk and seasonings only 1 time instead of 2.
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 276kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 254mg, Potassium: 296mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 516IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 132mg, Iron: 3mg
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