This vegan fried chicken is the closest thing you can get to KFC! Made with fried chicken seitan, it is seasoned, battered, and deep-fried to crispy brown perfection.

Someone holding a piece of vegan fried chicken with a bite taken out of it with a plate of vegan fried chicken behind it.

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Why make this recipe

There are lots of vegan fried chicken recipes out there that use many things in place of chicken, but if you want a truly meat-like recipe packed with protein, this is the one for you!

I have made vegan fried chicken from tofu nuggets or deep-fried oyster mushrooms before, and both are delicious; however, if you want that protein-packed, authentic taste of chicken, start with chicken seitan and make this KFC-style fried chicken.

Ingredients and substitutions

For the faux chicken

  • Vital Wheat Gluten: this is an isolated wheat protein. It comes in a fine powder that becomes a sticky dough when wet.
  • All-purpose flour: to lighten up the gluten a little and make it less dense.
  • Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning
  • Salt: for flavor.
  • Vegan Broth: I use not chick’n broth, but you can use any vegan chicken-flavored broth.

For the coating

  • 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 curdle the milk and thicken it. This makes a vegan buttermilk that will coat the seitan.
  • 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.
  • Corn Starch: This makes the batter extra crispy. You can use potato starch instead, but don’t omit it, or it won’t be as crispy.
  • Corn Meal: This adds texture to the batter. It’s an important ingredient for the batter’s texture, so don’t leave it out.
  • Spices: oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, white pepper, Creole seasoning. (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.)
  • A High-Smoke-Point Oil: for frying. Any neutral-flavored oil will work. Canola oil or vegetable oil with a high smoke point works best.

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 towels – or clean tea towels to drain any excess oil.

How to make vegan fried chicken

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Make the chicken seitan

Step 1 – Measure the dry ingredients (wheat gluten, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and salt) into a large glass bowl and stir until well combined.

Step 2 – Stir in 1 cup vegan broth with a silicone spatula, then knead by hand until all the flour is incorporated. (You may need to add an additional tablespoon or two of water to incorporate all the flour.)

Pouring broth into a mixture of vital wheat gluten and spices to make faux chicken.
Add the dry ingredients to a bowl, then add the broth.
A ball of chicken flavored seitan dough.
Mix until combined, then knead with your hands until the dough is firm. You may need to add a little water.

Step 3 – When the dough is firm and rubbery, bring 3 cups broth and 3 cups water to a boil. Rip off a handful of dough, form it into a drumstick shape, then place it in the hot broth. (It will expand when cooked, so make the pieces smaller than the final size you want.)

Step 4 – Cover with a lid, turn the heat to low, and simmer at a slow boil for 35 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow it to cool for about 1/2 hour.

Step 5 – Transfer the cooked seitan, along with the liquid, to a lidded container and store in the fridge until ready to use. (You can use it immediately, but it will be firmer and more meat-like the next day.)

A piece of seitan formed into a drumstick shape.
Form the dough into the size and shape that you want.
Seitan chicken pieces simmering in a pot of broth.
Simmer in a pot of broth for 35 minutes.

Prepare your breading

Step 6 – Make the wet batter: Put 1/2 cup plant-based milk in a shallow bowl with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Stir and let sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken.

Step 7 – Make the dry batter: 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.

Step 8 – Once the seitan has cooled enough to handle, place the faux chicken pieces in a colander and press down a few times to drain excess broth.

Step 9 – Preheat the oil to 370°F (187 °C) in a deep fryer or a pan over medium heat. (Use a thermometer or test a small mushroom to make sure you have the correct temperature. They should bubble as soon as they hit the oil and turn golden brown after about 2-3 minutes of cooking.)

Bread the chicken pieces

Step 10 – Dip the drained faux chicken pieces into the milk solution, then into the flour mixture, and coat well. Then quickly dip the chicken back into the milk solution and coat them a second time with the dry flour mixture. Set aside until all the pieces are ready to fry.

Seitan dipped in a plant based milk mixture, then a dry flour and spice mix before frying.
Drain the seitan, then dip the pieces into the milk solution, then into the flour mixture. Repeat the process twice for a thicker batter.
Vegan deep fried chicken seitan on a paper towel after frying.
Deep-fry for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

Deep-fry the vegan chicken

Step 11 – Add the breaded chicken to the hot oil and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the bubbling slows and the chicken turns golden brown. (Fry in small batches so there’s enough room for the pieces to float in the oil without touching.)

Step 12 – Lift the fried chicken out of the oil with a skimmer basket or tongs, then cool on paper towels. Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Pro Tips

  • Make sure your oil is around 370°F before frying. If the oil temperature gets below 325°F, the chicken will absorb too much oil and get soggy.
  • Fry in small batches to keep the pieces from sticking together and to avoid dropping the oil temperature too much. Check the oil temperature between batches to ensure it’s at the proper frying temperature each time.
  • For lightly battered fried chicken, dip in the milk mixture, then in the flour mixture once. For a thicker coating, dip the coated chicken back into the milk mixture and flour mixture a second time for a thicker, crispy coating.

Do I have to deep-fry it?

If you don’t want to deep-fry the chicken, you can bake them or use an air fryer instead. They won’t be quite as crispy and juicy as deep-fried, but they’re a lower-fat, healthier alternative.

A note about deep frying: Deep frying may seem like using an excessive amount of oil, but just because you fry in a lot of oil doesn’t mean you consume that much oil. Deep-frying cooks food at a high enough temperature that it absorbs less oil than pan-frying.  Cooking in hot oil (above 325°F) makes food crispy without absorbing much oil.  That is why I frequently deep-fry certain foods rather than pan-fry them. You can read more about deep-frying in this article by Jessica Gavin.

Baked Vegan Fried Chicken

  • Preheat your oven to 475°F (246 °C).
  • Place the breaded chicken pieces on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and spray with a light coating of oil (optional).
  • Bake at 475°F (246 °C) for 8 minutes, remove from the oven, flip, and bake for 8 more minutes.

Air-fried Vegan Fried Chicken

  • Place battered chicken pieces in the air fryer, leaving a little room between each one.
  • Spray the breaded chicken with a little oil.
  • Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 16 minutes, turning the chicken pieces after 8 minutes.
A close up of a plate of vegan fried chicken, KFC style.

Dipping sauces

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

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: This vegan fried chicken will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Freeze: This fried chicken freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 300°F for 10 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave leftovers, but the coating will not be crispy.

Someone holding a piece of vegan fried chicken made from seitan.

Can I make this gluten-free?

This recipe cannot be made gluten-free because the protein source is wheat gluten; however, if you want a gluten-free fried chicken alternative, try my tofu fried chicken, deep-fried oyster mushrooms, or vegan popcorn chicken recipe made from soy curls.

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Vegan fried chicken recipe

Someone holding a piece of vegan fried chicken with a bite taken out of it.
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Vegan Fried Chicken

Yield: 6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
KFC-style vegan fried chicken made with meaty chicken seitan.
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup not chick'n broth, (to mix with the dry ingredients to form a dough)
  • 1-3 tablespoons water, or broth to ensure that all of the dry ingredients are hydrated

To simmer the seitan

Wet ingredients for the coating

  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk, plain flavored, (soy milk or oat milk work best)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Dry ingredients for the coating

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 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

  • 3 cups canola oil, or any oil with a high smoke point

Equipment

  • deep fryer or pot with 3 inches of oil and tongs

Instructions
 

Make the chicken seitan

  • Measure the dry ingredients (wheat gluten, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and salt) into a large glass bowl and stir until well combined.
  • Stir in 1 cup vegan broth with a silicone spatula, then knead by hand until all the flour is incorporated. (You may need to add an additional tablespoon or two of water to incorporate all the flour.)
  • When the dough is firm and rubbery, bring 3 cups broth and 3 cups water to a boil. Rip off a handful of dough, form it into a drumstick shape, then place it in the hot broth. (It will expand when cooked, so make the pieces smaller than the final size you want.)
  • Cover with a lid, turn the heat to low, and simmer at a slow boil for 35 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow it to cool for about 1/2 hour.
  • Transfer the cooked seitan, along with the liquid, to a lidded container and store in the fridge until ready to use. (You can use it immediately, but it will be firmer and more meat-like the next day.)

Prepare your breading

  • Make the wet batter: Put 1/2 cup plant-based milk in a shallow bowl with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Stir and let sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken.
  • Make the dry batter: 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.
  • Once the seitan has cooled enough to handle, place the faux chicken pieces in a colander and press down a few times to drain excess broth.
  • Preheat the oil to 370°F (187 °C) in a deep fryer or a pan over medium heat. (Use a thermometer or test a small mushroom to make sure you have the correct temperature. They should bubble as soon as they hit the oil and turn golden brown after about 2-3 minutes of cooking.)

Bread the chicken pieces

  • Dip the drained faux chicken pieces into the milk solution and then into the flour mixture, and coat them well. Then quickly dip the chicken back into the milk solution and coat them a second time with the dry flour mixture. Set aside until all the pieces are ready to fry.

Deep-fry the vegan chicken

  • Add the breaded chicken to the hot oil and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the bubbling slows and the chicken turns golden brown. (Fry in small batches so they have enough room to float in the oil without touching.)
  • Lift the fried chicken out of the oil with a skimmer basket or tongs, then cool on paper towels. Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

  • Make sure your oil is around 370°F before frying. If the oil temperature gets below 325°F, the chicken will absorb too much oil and get soggy.
  • Fry in small batches to keep the pieces from sticking together and to avoid dropping the oil temperature too much. Check the oil temperature between batches to ensure it’s at the proper frying temperature each time.
  • For lightly battered fried chicken, dip in the milk mixture, then in the flour mixture once. For a thicker coating, dip the coated chicken back into the milk mixture and flour mixture a second time for a thicker, crispy coating.
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 283kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 430mg, Potassium: 124mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 323IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 3mg
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