This vegan buffalo chicken will amaze you! It is gluten-free and vegan but bursting with flavor! It’s a “meaty” protein-packed meal that will satisfy even the biggest of appetites!  Use this vegan buffalo chicken to make filling tortilla wraps, sandwiches, or lettuce wraps.

A vegan buffalo chicken sandwich on a white plate.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes that will satisfy your cravings!

Save Recipe

Use your favorite vegan chicken alternative and smother it in homemade vegan buffalo sauce made from hot sauce and vegan butter for delicious buffalo chicken sandwiches, wraps, tacos, or quesadillas.

We love buffalo sauce on cauliflower, deep-fried tofu, grilled cheese sandwiches, vegan wings, and vegan mac and cheese, but this buffalo chicken sandwich is our all-time favorite.

This is the real deal….Seriously – if this could be my lunch everyday I’d be a happy man!

—Mark

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegan Chicken – you can use seitan or soy curls for this. See below.
  • Cooking Oil – for sauteing the plant-based chicken.
  • Vegan Buffalo Sauce – For this, you will need vegan butter, hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot, garlic powder (or onion powder), and salt.
  • Celery– to add texture. You can also use chopped carrots if you wish.
  • Vegan Ranch Dressing – for topping the sandwich.
  • Vegan Bread or Buns – to make a sandwich. You can also use tortillas to make a vegan buffalo chicken wrap.

Chicken alternatives

You can use any chicken-like vegan chicken strips that you want for this recipe.  You can find these at most major stores in the refrigerated or frozen vegetarian “meats” section. You can also make your own vegan shredded chicken, cut up vegan chicken breasts, or washed flour seitan and use it for buffalo chicken.

Soy Curls

I like to use Butler Soy Curls in this recipe to make it quick and easy.  These are dehydrated soy protein strips that you can rehydrate in a vegan chicken-flavored broth to make your own gluten-free and vegan “chicken strips.”

I love that these soy curls are gluten-free, can be stored out of refrigeration when dry, and are relatively inexpensive, so they are my preferred choice.

Soy curls are also great for vegan jerky, soy curl fajitas, vegan popcorn chicken, vegan pot pie, and more. I love them so much, that I wrote a whole post on how to use soy curls.

How to make vegan buffalo chicken

Step 1 – If you are using soy curls, start by rehydrating them in a vegan chicken-flavored broth like Not Chick’n Broth.  (If you are not using soy curls, skip to the next step).

Step 2 – Once the soy curls have been rehydrated in the broth, fry them in a small amount of oil in a skillet. This cooks them and dries them out again, so they soak up more flavor from the buffalo sauce.

Step 3 – In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt then stir until well mixed to make the homemade buffalo sauce.

Step 4 – After the soy curls are heated through and any excess broth has evaporated, pour the vegan buffalo sauce over the vegan chicken and mix well.

Step 5 – Then add ½ cup of chopped celery to the faux buffalo chicken. This gives it a fresh crunch, so it doesn’t become too rich and heavy-tasting.

A series of 4 pictures showing the steps for making vegan buffalo chicken salad with Butler soy curls.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm or refrigerate until you are ready to use as a filling for a wrap or sandwich. (My oldest son just likes to eat it by the bowlful too).
It makes an incredible sandwich served on a roll and drizzled with vegan ranch!  If you need it to be gluten-free, these Schar brand hamburger buns work great!

If you are looking for something a little lighter, this vegan buffalo chicken makes a delicious lettuce wrap filling!

However you eat it, this buffalo “chicken” is delicious with some homemade ranch dressing drizzled on top!

Pro Tips

  • This works great to make up ahead of time and keep in the fridge.  The flavor soaks in even more if it sits for a few hours.
  • If you are not using soy curls, make sure to omit the broth and rehydrating process.  (There is no need for this).
  • No matter which vegan “chicken” strip you use, pan-fry it in a little oil to improve the flavor and texture before coating it with the buffalo sauce.
  • If you want them extra spicy, add a few dashes of cayenne pepper to the mix.
A vegan sandwich made with soy curls and vegan ranch dressing on a white plate.

My vegan teenage boys devour these buffalo sandwiches and they make great packed lunches too!

More meaty vegan recipes

Vegan buffalo chicken recipe

A vegan buffalo chicken sandwich made with soy curls and vegan ranch served on a bun.
Diet
Gluten Free Icon
High Protein Icon
Nut Free Icon
Vegan Icon
5 from 9 rating

Vegan Buffalo Chicken

Yield: 6
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
This vegan buffalo chicken salad recipe uses soy curls or other vegan chicken products to make amazing sandwiches and wraps!
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cube Not Chick’n Broth, or other vegan chicken broth
  • 2 ½ cups Butler Soy Curls
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil, or neutral-flavored oil
  • ¾ cup vegan buffalo sauce, (or 1/3 cup of vegan butter mixed with 1/3 cup of hot sauce, with a dash of garlic powder and salt.)
  • ½ cup celery, finely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons vegan ranch dressing, to drizzle on top
  • 6 vegan buns or Romaine lettuce

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 cup of water to a boil and add 1 Not Chick’n broth cube (or other equivalent vegan chicken broth base to the water) and stir until dissolved.
  • Add 2 1/2 cups dry Butler Soy Curls to the broth and stir.
  • Let the soy curls soak up the broth.  Stir about every minute until the broth is soaked up.
  • Pan-fry the soy curls in 1 tbsp oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat until they are slightly brown and have dried out a little.
  • Place in a large bowl and drizzle with 3/4 cup vegan buffalo sauce.
  • Add 1/2 cup chopped celery and toss until the “chicken” is well coated.
  • Serve on either sandwich buns, Romaine lettuce leaves, or wrap in a tortilla.
  • Top your sandwich or lettuce wrap with vegan ranch.

Notes

  • Serve this either warm or cold. 
  • To make this soy-free as well, use the vegan chicken strips from beyond meat instead of the soy curls and omit the broth and rehydrating process. 
  • To make gluten-free sandwiches, I use Schar brand hamburger buns.
  • Nutrition facts calculated for lettuce wraps.  See nutrition facts on the bread of choice and add them if making into sandwiches.
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 148kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 2g, Sodium: 1045mg, Potassium: 21mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 40IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 127mg, Iron: 4.2mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

Originally posted on April 23. 2018, updated on April 9, 2020, to include new images.

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!