Author: Prepare to be blown away by this Vegan Chicken Nuggets recipe! Crispy crunchy on the outside and juicy, and tender on the inside with an amazing pull-apart texture! The "chicken" in the recipe is made from jackfruit that is marinated overnight so the jackfruit becomes super flavorful. Next, it's coated in a crispy panko coating and baked, air-fried, or pan-fried (your choice). These might be the best nuggets you'll ever try!
A lot of vegan chicken nugget recipes use tofu. And while I love tofu I wanted a more convincingly chicken texture. Hellooo jackfruit. I love a good pulled jackfruit sandwich just as much as the next person, these vegan chicken nuggets might be my new favorite way to enjoy jackfruit!
The jackfruit provides the perfect neutral base that sucks up the marinade perfectly. Once coated and baked it holds its flavor and has the perfect tender pull-apart texture. The crispy coating, the juicy jackfruit, you cannot go wrong! Whether you are making these for your kids, or (like me), you're just a kid at heart, you will love these and will want to make them on repeat!
If you are new to jackfruit, it is indeed a fruit. You can often find it covered in sticky syrup in cans, but in this recipe, the key is to use young green jackfruit that is in brine or water (not syrup). When the jackfruit is young (and not fully ripe), it's much starchier and not sweet, it's actually very neutral in flavor which is perfect for seasoning it however you like. Once the young jackfruit is cooked it has a shredded texture that is very similar to chicken.
These days, many major grocery stores carry jackfruit, but if you can't find it in your grocery store, check out health food stores, or international grocery store, or order it online.
To Make This Vegan Chicken Nugget Recipe:
Prep & marinate the jackfruit:
Drain the jackfruit and rinse well. Pat dry with a clean dish towel and try to get out as much water as possible. Cut the jackfruit into nugget-sized pieces. (Some cans of jackfruit come already chopped so you may not need to do this if your jackfruit pieces are a good size already).
In a medium bowl or sealable container, mix together the broth, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the jackfruit. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, but overnight in the fridge is best.
Coat the jackfruit:
Separate the marinade from the jackfruit and pour the marinade into a separate bowl. Place the flour in another bowl. In a third bowl, mix the panko with the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.
Take a piece of jackfruit and coat it in the flour shaking off the excess. Dip it back into the marinade to wet the flour. Then finally dip it into the panko mixture, evenly coating it. Place the coated jackfruit on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all the jackfruit to coat. Spray the top of the coated jackfruit pieces with spray oil so that there are no dry spots.
Cook the vegan chicken nuggets (choose one option, I baked mine):
Oven method: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
Bake for 10 minutes, flip, spray with more oil to cover any dry spots, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until they are evenly browned and crispy.
Air-fryer method: When you are ready to cook the jackfruit, preheat your air fryer to 370°F (188°C).
Air-fry the nuggets in a single layer for 8 minutes (working in batches if needed). Flip, spray with more oil to cover any dry spots, and air-fry for another 4-8 minutes, until they are evenly browned and crispy.
Frying method: In a large skillet, add about ½ inch of oil and heat. To test if the oil is hot, drop a small piece into the oil. If it bubbles the oil is ready to use. Working in batches, carefully drop the jackfruit nuggets into the oil in a single layer. Fry for a couple minutes per side until golden, then flip and fry for a couple minutes more on the other side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
These vegan chicken nuggets are:
- crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside
- great for serving with your favorite dipping sauce
- tastes like junk food, but they are actually healthy!
More vegan chicken-inspired recipes you might enjoy:
The Quickest & Easiest Seitan Recipe
2 Ingredient Vegan Chicken
Vegan BBQ Shredded Tofu
Vegan Seitan Tenders (Chicken Breast)
Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu
Lemon Garlic Soy Curls
Baked Tofu Bites
Almond Rosemary Lemon Crusted Tofu
If you try this vegan chicken nuggets recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Chicken Nuggets
Servings: (makes about 30 nuggets)
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Ingredients
To marinate the jackfruit:
- 2 cans (20 oz each) young green jackfruit in brine or in water, (see step 1 for prep)
- 2 cups vegan chickenless broth or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the panko coating:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prep & marinate the jackfruit:
- Drain the jackfruit and rinse well. Pat dry with a clean dish towel and try to get out as much water as possible. Cut the jackfruit into nugget-sized pieces. (Some cans of jackfruit come already chopped so you may not need to do this if your jackfruit pieces are a good size already).
- In a medium bowl or sealable container, mix together the broth, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the jackfruit. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, but overnight in the fridge is best.
Coat the jackfruit:
- Separate the marinade from the jackfruit and pour the marinade into a separate bowl. Place the flour in another bowl. In a third bowl, mix the panko with the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Take a piece of jackfruit and coat it in the flour shaking off the excess. Dip it back into the marinade to wet the flour. Then finally dip it into the panko mixture, evenly coating it. Place the coated jackfruit a prepared baking sheet or plate (see cooking options below). Repeat with all the jackfruit to coat. Spray the top of the coated jackfruit pieces with spray oil so that there are no dry spots.
Cook the nuggets (choose one option, I baked mine):
- Oven method: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.Bake for 10 minutes, flip, spray with more oil to cover any dry spots, and bake for another 5–10 minutes, until they are evenly browned and crispy.
- Air-fryer method: When you are ready to cook the jackfruit, preheat your air fryer to 370°F (188°C). Air-fry the nuggets in a single layer for 8 minutes (working in batches if needed). Flip, spray with more oil to cover any dry spots, and air-fry for another 4–8 minutes, until they are evenly browned and crispy.
- Frying method: In a large skillet, add about ½ inch of oil and heat. To test if the oil is hot, drop a small piece into the oil. If it bubbles the oil is ready to use. Working in batches, carefully drop the jackfruit nuggets into the oil in a single layer. Fry for a couple minutes per side until golden, then flip and fry for a couple minutes more on the other side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
B says
super tasty, but... the nutritional yeast settles out to the bottom of the marinade. am i doing it wrong? or is there another way to marinate them?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi B, the nutritional yeast does tend to naturally settle over time, but just give it a good mix again and it will be good to go. Enjoy!
Cindy says
yum, yes. I boiled the jackfruit in the marinade because I think it takes the briney flavor out, and it quickens the cooking. I just had to make a little extra for the breading part.
Christine says
I just made these for the first time tonight and my husband and I both loved them. They were very tasty and love the crunch that the air fryer gave them!
Shanna says
Can you tell me what the weight of the jackfruit would be drained please? I only have 14 oz. no sodium cans.
Sam Turnbull says
I have not weighed it after draining, but the recipe calls for two 20oz can so you could use three 14 oz cans.
Suzy says
I finally got around to making these. They are good and the texture is good too. For those who asked, as I did, yes the tough edge softened up nicely! You could pop the whole thing in your mouth, or take a bite and it was very much like biting into a nugget! I served with BBQ sauce.
BE SURE TO RINSE WELL! Mine did end up tasting briny and that took a lot away from the yum factor. Overall, pretty good though. Next time, I want to add Poultry Seasoning to the Panko to see if they taste a bit more chick'ny.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your tips and looking forward to hearing about your next experiment!
Love says
thank you for giving the jackfruit flavor. looking forward to making this! and I have a feeling it doesn't taste like chicken. lol
Terilyn Hall says
Looking to try these but wondering if I could make a bunch and freeze them? Would they get mushy?
Kim Burke says
Yes, you can freeze these. I always make a batch of something new and try freezing a couple of servings as a test. Lay it flat on a cookie sheet, place it in the freezer, and once frozen, you can store them in a container. I'm not sure for how long, because they're yummy and I eat them within a month.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks for sharing Kim 🙂
Pat says
The texture turns out very chicken- like, and the coating is crunchy when made in the air fryer. I used a light coating of oil spray. Next time I’ll rinse the jackfruit a little more to thoroughly remove the brine, mine came out with a little residual sourness because of the brine. But that is minor, I really like this recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it Pat!!
Gwen says
What is the dipping sauce, and is there a recipe for it? Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Just a simple mustard sauce, dijon mustard, yogurt (or mayo), and a bit of agave 🙂
Shelly says
These look SO GOOD, but I really dislike nutritional yeast in recipes! Would love to see an alternative listed (or suggested in the comments).
Sam Turnbull says
You can omit it if you prefer!
Suzy says
Hi Sam! Does the tougher edge of the jackfruit soften enough to eat after marinading? I was always under the impression it should be pulled off of the tough edge and used that way. These look amazing, can't wait to try!
Robin says
sorry, not an answer, but I have same question. tried jackfruit once, hated it. But I trust Sam so want to try again.
Suzy says
Thanks Robin. I do like jackfruit and use it quite a bit, but always rip the tender "meat" away from the tough edges. So I'm waiting to see what Sam says. The same question has been asked on Instagram too.
Sam Turnbull says
I found that through marinating and cooking it gets nice and tender 🙂