Oven Baked Vegan Popcorn Chicken with Extra Firm Tofu
Servings: 4
Calories: 323kcal
Vegan Popcorn Chicken: KFC-Inspired Crispy Tofu Delight! Indulge in the nostalgic goodness of Vegan Popcorn Chicken – a plant-based twist on a classic favorite. Our recipe infuses KFC-inspired spices into crispy tofu, coated with golden panko bread crumbs. Whether it's a satisfying afterschool snack or a flavorful main course, this delightful dish brings joy to every bite while staying true to your vegan lifestyle.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Tofu Preparation
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu see notes
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Liquids
- ½ cup unsweetened plant milk see notes
- ¼ cup vegan mayo see notes
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Seasonings
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons celery salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika not smoked
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Panko Bread Crumbs and Baking
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs You won't use all of them
- a spritz of cooking oil spray not included in the nutritional information
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Tofu Mixture
- Press the extra firm tofu for 30 minutes. Drain the tofu and pat dry. Crumble into small bite-sized pieces. Add to a bowl and toss together with the cornstarch and salt. Make sure the cornstarch gets into all the little crevices.¼ cup corn starch
Liquid and seasoning mixture
- Add the plant milk, vegan mayo, white vinegar, and maple syrup to a medium-sized bowl. Stir well until it is nice and smooth with no lumps of mayo.½ cup unsweetened plant milk, ¼ cup vegan mayo, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Add the sweet paprika, garlic powder, celery salt, ground ginger, mustard powder, dried thyme, dried basil, salt, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and white pepper. Mix well until everything has been combined.1½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1½ teaspoons celery salt, 1½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ¾ teaspoon dried thyme, ¾ teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Making the Vegan Popcorn Chicken
- Add a layer of panko bread crumbs to a large plate or large shallow bowl. Place the bowl with the tofu, the bowl with the liquid and seasonings, and the plate with the bread crumbs side by side and near the prepared baking sheet.
- Work in batches. I usually do one-third at a time. Add the prepared tofu to the liquids and seasonings and gently toss around until all of the pieces have been coated.
- Pick up a few pieces of the coated tofu at a time. Place onto the breadcrumbs and roll and turn to make sure that all surfaces are covered in the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle some more bread crumbs on the top of the tofu pieces and press into the tofu so that the pieces are evenly covered. Place the covered pieces on the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining tofu pieces. See the blog post above for step-by-step photos of the process.
- Allow the pan to rest for about 10 minutes to ensure the breadcrumbs will stick. Spritz the top of the prepared tofu with a little cooking spray. Cook in a 375℉ oven for 30 minutes until the breadcrumbs are nice and crispy.
Notes
If you are lucky enough to find "super firm tofu" you can use that and avoid pressing the tofu. Just pat it dry and gently press with your hands to get rid of any excess moisture.
If you don't want to use vegan mayo then use vegan unsweetened yogurt. I like to use unsweetened Forrager Cashew Yogurt for its slightly tangy yet mild flavor.
Use unsweetened neutral-flavored plant milk like pea milk, oat milk, or soy milk. Almond milk has too distinctive a flavor.
You won't use all of the panko bread crumbs but it's nice to have two cups on hand so that your tofu pieces will be plenty of coverage. Also, when the sauce mixture starts making a mess of the bread crumbs, it's nice to be able to start over with a fresh layer. Just watch the amounts you have remaining before you throw any old bread crumbs out.
The nutrition facts are calculated by a third-party app and are honestly a good guess for this recipe. You will not use all of the bread crumbs or the sauce mixture. The Spritz of cooking oil is also not calculated in the total.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.75cups | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1830mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 4mg