Vegan Chicken Nuggets
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!
Servings: 4 (makes about 30 nuggets)
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.
Notes
Oil-free: for oil-free method, bake or air fry the nuggets, but omit the spray oil. They will still be tasty, just a little less golden.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 501IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 4mg
Find it online:
https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-chicken-nuggets/