It's the tofu recipe you've been waiting for! A crispy vegan tofu chicken recipe that's easy, reliably delicious, versatile, and made without added oil.
Air fry, bake, or grill. Adjust the size of the tofu pieces for tofu chicken nuggets, cutlets, and more.
This recipe featured my all-star vegan chicken bouillon powder. It's a game-changer. Best of all, it's super easy to make. One batch will last for months - even if you are a dedicated tofu chicken lover like me.Â
Table of Contents
đź“‹ Ingredients and Notes
Tofu. This recipe works a firm, extra firm, and super-firm block of tofu.
Soy sauce. Soy sauce adds a salty, umami flavor to chicken marinade. Tamari (gluten-free) low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos are good substitutes.
Lemon juice. Lemon juice accentuates the chicken flavor. I knew it was an essential ingredient the first time I tried it.
Chicken seasoning. I recommend my homemade vegan chicken bouillon. If you need a substitute, use 2 teaspoons or 1 cube of vegan chicken bouillon, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and onion powder, plus ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
No Flour Needed
When making crispy baked or air-fried tofu, I recommend coating tofu cubes in cornstarch or all-purpose flour. If you use my chicken seasoning, which contains nutritional yeast, you won't need a crisping agent.Â
🔪 How to Prep Tofu
- Pressing. Pressing is the most common way to prep tofu. Use a tofu press or wrap tofu in paper towels and place it on a plate. Add a flat surface over the top and add something heavy on top. Press for 15-20 minutes.
- Freezing. Have you tried frozen tofu? Freezing opens tiny ice crystals throughout the tofu. More marinade gets in and the texture is slightly chewier and meatier than pressing. to let more marinade in. If you freeze it, you'll need to thaw it. I recommend a low boil for 10-15 minutes. Remove the tofu and gently press it in a tea towel or a few paper towels.
- Boiling. If you like a creamier texture, boiling the tofu block for 10 minutes is another method worth checking out. Gently press out excess moisture after boiling. The warmth from boiling encourages the tofu to marinate deeply, adding more flavor in the middle.
Denise's Tip: After testing, numerous times, we noticed a better texture with frozen tofu with pressed a very close second.Â
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a shallow bowl or dish, mix the soy sauce, lemon juice, and vegan chicken broth. Tear the tofu into pieces or cut into desired shape.Â
Step 2: Drop the tofu into the marinade as you tear it. Turn the pieces over a few times and marinate for 1 hour.Â
Step 3: Preheat the air fryer or oven. Arrange the tofu in a single layer.
Step 4: Air fry or bake the tofu. Flip halfway through.
♨️ Cooking Crispy Tofu
- Air Fry. Preheat the air fryer to 375 F (190 C). Place the tofu in a single layer and cook for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Baking. Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Lay the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for 10-15 minutes more until firm and golden brown.
- Grilling. Set the grill to medium-high heat. Lay tofu pieces on the grill and turn them several times as they cook.
Tofu Cooking Pro Tip. Always preheat the air fryer, oven, or grill for the crispy tofu.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
We love this vegan version of chicken tofu in everything from stir fries with peanut or sweet and sour sauce to dipping in a spicy orange ginger sauce or sriracha dipping sauce.
And here's a tip you may not have considered. Cut the tofu into large squares about ½ inch thick. Marinate per instructions and bake or air fry. Make amazing chicken sandwiches with garlic vegan aioli or vegan mustard honey dressing. Amazing!
🌡️ Storage, Freezing, Reheating
Leftover cooked tofu can be stored in an airtight container for 4 days or frozen for 3 months. It can be reheated in the air fryer for 3 minutes or wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven. The outside can be crisped by opening the foil in the last few minutes.Â
đź’ Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! It's a great way to meal prep. And your tofu will be even meatier. If you marinate the tofu for an hour and pop it in a freezer-safe bag, you can freeze it for 3 months. Thaw and then bake or air fry the tofu.
After marinating tofu, roll it in seasoned or panko breadcrumbs to make crunchy vegan chicken strips or tofu nuggets.Â
Marinate the tofu for 30 minutes up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, the tofu can degrade and crumble, especially if the marinade contains an acid like lemon juice or rice wine vinegar. If you don't have time to cook it, freeze marinated tofu for later.
To fry tofu chicken without oil, heat a large skillet to medium heat, then add the tofu. Flip the tofu several times as it cooks. Mind the heat and adjust if it starts to get too brown. For firmer tofu, use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to press gently on the top of the pieces.Â
🧾 More Vegan Tofu Recipes
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👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe
Crispy Vegan Tofu Chicken
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces tofu - firm, extra firm, or super firm tofu
- ÂĽ cup soy sauce - Tamari or liquid amino acids
- ÂĽ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons vegan chicken broth powder - see notes
Instructions
- Press the tofu using a tofu press. Or place it on a plate and cover it with a weighted flat surface. Press for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can freeze or boil the tofu (see notes).
- Mix the soy sauce, lemon juice, and chicken broth powder in a shallow dish. Tear or cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces, strips, or cubes. Mix the tofu on all sides with the marinade. Marinate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat the air fryer or oven. Air fry the tofu for 12 minutes at 375 F (190 C), flipping halfway through. Bake at 425 F (225 C) for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- If not using vegan chicken broth recipe, use 2 teaspoons or 1 cube of vegan chicken bouillon plus 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and onion powder, plus ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning.
- Freeze tofu in the package for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or boil it for 10-15 minutes. Press it between paper towels by pressing the moisture or use a tofu press for 5 minutes. Frozen tofu has a meaty texture.
- Boiling tofu is another method for removing excess moisture. After boiling for 15 minutes. Press the tofu for 5 minutes after boiling.
- In my experimentation, I noticed that warm tofu tends to marinate deeper. Frozen tofu resulted in a meatier texture, with pressed tofu a close second. Boiled tofu has a creamy, slightly less firm texture.
- You can also freeze marinated tofu in a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw it, then air fry or bake as directed.
- Grill crispy tofu chicken on a preheated grill on medium-high heat. Flip several times until firm and brown.
- Store cooked tofu in an airtight container for 4 days or freeze or 3 months.
- Reheat in the air fryer or wrapped in foil in the oven. Open the foil the last few minutes to crisp the outside.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Alexandra
Really good; surprisingly good. My husband agreed. We're looking forward to finishing it tonight. I used Trader Joe's High Protein Tofu and pressed it.
Denise Perrault
Yahoo! I'm happy you enjoyed this. I'm so hooked on tofu chicken - added it to mango curry last night and it was yummy! Thanks for commenting. 🙂