Vegan KFC Chicken

The Classic VEGAN KFC Chicken Recipe!

I never really went to KFC much before going vegan. But incidentally enough, the last chicken I ever ate was from KFC! So that says something now doesn’t it? Honestly, it wasn’t the taste that turned me off, but the incredibly awful feeling (both mentally and physically) that it left me with for like 4 hours afterwards. Well, that’s where this recipe comes in, all the taste, none of the regret!

For the spices, I literally just took the recipe from the Wikipedia page! This recipe makes a TON of chick’n so it’s great if you are serving a bunch of folks. If not, you should still make the full spice recipe and just have some leftover. It’s really awesome and would go well in other dishes.

I highly recommend serving this with some vegan Honey Mustard and BBQ sauce or the KFC sauce (recipe below)! Use any sauce you like of course, but these were super friggin yum yum with those two sauces.

2022 Beyond Chicken Update

I recently revisited this recipe for the Beyond Chicken release and made it with some twice frozen tofu! Just get a block of extra firm tofu, freeze it in the package and thaw it, and then repeat (so freeze and thaw it twice!) then press it and tear off nugget sized chunks! This is something I picked up from MARY’S TEST KITCHEN! Looking at her post, she says to use Medium Firm tofu, I used Extra Firm and did not find that it was grainy, but go ahead and try it with either, perhaps the Medium Firm is even better, I’ll have to experiment!

I also tried pressing the tofu, THEN freezing and thawing and pressing again, and I found it to be similar, so try that if you like too. I have a recipe for a big bucket of chicken and then a recipe for 2 blocks of tofu (which is still a lot so feel free to half it!)

Here’s a video!

TIPS FOR VEGAN FRIED CHICK’N

• Use a heavy bottomed pot (Stainless Steel, Cast Iron, Carbon Steel etc)
• I highly recommend a Deep Fry Thermometer to monitor the oil temp.
• Use a neutral tasting, high smoke point oil (Canola, Vegetable, Peanut etc.)
• Make sure to use UNSWEETENED plant milk. I like RIPPLE the best.
• Add flour as needed to thicken the vegan buttermilk mixture.
• Shake off the excess flour and batter when you dredge.
• Fry a test nugget to test the seasoning and adjust as needed.
• Let the chick’n rest on a Wire Rack after frying to prevent soggy chick’n.

SAFETY TIPS FOR DEEP FRYING

• Don’t leave the pot unattended.
• Keep children away from the pot.
• Don’t fill the pot more than halfway with oil. Don’t overcrowd it as well.
• Turn the handles of the pot away from you to avoid accidental spills.
• Keep a lid nearby so you can cover the pot if it catches fire.
• Never use water to put out an oil fire.
• Get a Fire Extinguisher just to be extra safe. This isn’t just good for deep frying, but for having in the house in general!

DEEP FRY ALTERNATIVES

If you want to see about alternatives to deep frying, check out my BEST WAYS TO FRY VEGAN CHICKEN post!

I’m using Gardein Scallopini filets in this recipe, but you could just as easily use my recipes for Tofu Fried Chick’n HERE or my recipe for Fried Seitan Chick’n HERE.

If you are interested in recommendations for Kitchen Gear, Spices & Pantry Items, or what I use for my Photos and Videos, please click HERE!

Vegan KFC Chicken

Thee Burger Dude

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

KFC Spice Mix – Makes about 1/2 cup

• 2/3 Tbsp Salt​
• 1/2 Tbsp Thyme​
• 1/2 Tbsp Basil​
• 1/3 Tbsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Celery Salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp Dried mustard
• 4 Tbsp Paprika
• 2 Tbsp Garlic salt
• 1 Tbsp Ground ginger
• 3 Tbsp White Pepper
• 1 tsp Accent Seasoning optional

Vegan Honey Mustard

• 1/2 cup Vegan Mayo
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 Tbsp Vegan Honey agave, maple syrup
• Juice of half a lemon

KFC Sauce

• 1 cup Vegan Mayo
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp KFC spice mix
• 2 Tbsp Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Mustard
• 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce

BEYOND CHICKEN METHOD

• 2 blocks of extra firm or medium firm tofu

Dry Dredge

• 1 cup 120 grams flour
• 1 cup 120 grams cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp vegan chicken powder optional but recommended
• 3 Tbsp KFC Spice Mix recipe above

Wet Dredge

• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp vegan chicken powder optional but recommended
• 2 Tbsp of the Dry Dredge mixture

BIG BUCKET METHOD

• 4 bags Gardein Chick’n Scallopini thawed
• 2 cups plant milk
• 8 oz vegan egg or use 1 more cup of plant milk
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce
• 3 cups flour
• 3 cups cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp baking powder
• 8 Tbsp KFC Spice Mix recipe below

Instructions

 

Beyond Chicken Method

• Combine ingredients for VEGAN Honey Mustard and / or KFC sauce, season to taste and set aside.
• Freeze and thaw the tofu in the package TWICE and then press out the liquid. Or you can press it first, then freeze and thaw it, and then press again. I found both options to have a similar texture. Tear off nugget sized chunks and set aside.
• Combine all the ingredients for the KFC spice mix and set aside.
• Next combine all the ingredients for the dry dredge in one bowl, and then all the ingredients for the wet dredge in another.
• Bring a pot or skillet of neutral high smoke point oil (like peanut, vegetable or canola) to 350 – 375° F.
• Dredge each tofu nugget first in the dry, then the wet, and then back in the dry, shaking off the excess each time.
• Fry the nuggets in batches for about 4 minutes each, or until beautiful and golden brown. Let them rest on a wire rack.
• Eat immediately with the KFC sauce!

Big Bucket Method

• Combine ingredients for spice mix and set aside.
• Bring a pot of oil to 375 degrees.
• While your oil is heating up, tear your Scallopini Filets in half. I tore my at an angle instead of clean in half to create irregular shapes.
• Prepare your dredging station. Combine the plant milk, hot sauce and vegan egg in a bowl. If you are making a vegan buttermilk and not using a vegan egg, use an extra cup of plant milk and 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for a couple minutes to form the buttermilk. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and KFC seasoning in another bowl.
• Once oil is up to frying temperature, dredge your filets first in the wet mixture, then dry, and then repeat to double dredge. Place carefully in oil and let it fry until golden brown. Let it rest on a cooling rack.
• Serve with honey mustard sauce, biscuits, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, whatever you want!
• ENJOY!

Keyword vegan chicken, vegan kfc

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