This is the best vegan seitan chicken recipe because it tastes like chicken, is easy to make, and it's so versatile. If you love our vegan BBQ ribs recipe, you're going to love this vegan chicken. You can grill it, make Vegan Fried Chicken, Hot Chicken or use it wherever you would use chicken.
Published August 1, 2019 and updated July 23, 2021.
Why it Works
Vegan chicken recipes can be made with tofu, tempeh, cauliflower, or vital wheat gluten (seitan).
This particular recipe is made with vital wheat gluten, and it's as close to real chicken as you're going to get.
It's chewy, it can be shredded to make pulled barbecue, and it mimics real chicken better than anything else that we've tried
VEGAN FOOD TO BRING TO A BBQ
Never again will you have to wonder what to take to a barbecue, because our vegan chicken breasts are perfect for the grill!
Serve them next to our Southern-Style Creamy Potato Salad and our Watermelon and Tomato Salad for the perfect vegan BBQ dinner
WHAT IS VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN?
It’s the natural protein found in wheat and it’s what gives seitan its meat like texture.
Basically, the wheat is stripped of everything except the gluten. The good news is that it’s very high in protein and low in carbs.
It’s also a good source of calcium and iron.
Most grocery stores carry it in their health, vegan, or baking sections. You can also order it on Amazon
Bob’s Red Mill vital wheat gluten is our favorite.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A VEGAN CHICKEN RECIPE?
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten – we use Bob’s Red Mill brand.
- 1 cup silken tofu – we’ve used shredded jackfruit and mushrooms in our ribz and brisket recipes, but for this vegan chicken breast recipe the tofu helps mimic the tender texture of chicken.
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tbs no chicken bouillon – this is important as it really adds the flavor. We use Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base.
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbs chicken seasoning – most spice brands make a chicken seasoning blend.
- 1 tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce – Annie’s or The Wizard’s makes a vegan version.
HOW DO YOU MAKE VEGAN CHICKEN?
STEP ONE
The first thing you do is whisk the vital wheat gluten with the garlic and onion powder, salt, and chicken seasoning until they’re completely combined.
STEP TWO
Whisk the tofu, water, chicken bouillon, and vegan Worcestershire sauce until the tofu is broken down into small pieces.
STEP THREE
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and then knead the dough until it forms a solid ball. Don’t overdo it or the seitan will have a tough texture. It will be stretchy.
If it’s too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it forms a stretchy dough. If it’s too wet, add a bit more vital wheat gluten.
STEP FOUR
Roll or press the dough into a flat circle, approximately a half-inch thick. It will try and shrink, just keep pressing it back.
Also, if it tears, just press the dough back together.
Now cut out cutlets. You can make them as large or as small as you’d like.
STEP FIVE
Put a steamer basket in a large pot and fill it with water just to the bottom of the basket. You don’t want the water to touch the seitan cutlets. Bring the water to a boil.
Spray a bit of oil on the basket to prevent the cutlets from sticking. Place the cutlets on the basket.
If you need to overlap the cutlets, lightly spray them with oil to prevent sticking.
Reduce the water to a simmer and cover the pot. Steam for 30 minutes.
STEP SIX
Remove the vegan chicken breasts from the pot and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Chilling the vegan chicken cutlets makes the texture even better.
How to Store It
Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. .
How to Serve Vegan Seitan Chicken
Southern-Style Vegan Chicken and Biscuits - Shred the seitan chicken instead of using jackfruit.
White Bean "Chicken" Chili - Shred the seitan chicken instead of using jackfruit.
Spicy Vegan Orange Ground Chicken Bowls
Make the best vegan chicken seitan recipe and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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The best vegan seitan chicken recipe
Equipment
- steamer basket
- stove
Ingredients
- 2 cups Vital wheat gluten
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning
- 1 cup silken tofu
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon no chicken bouillon paste
- 1 tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the 2 cups vital wheat gluten with the 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning until they’re completely combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk the 1 cup tofu, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon no chicken bouillon paste, and 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce until the tofu breaks down into small pieces.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and when it forms a ball.
- On a clean flat surface dusted with vital wheat gluten, knead the dough for 1 minute then roll or press into a ½ inch thick circle. The dough will keep shrinking, just continue to press it back. If the dough tears, press it back together.
- Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the chicken cutlets. You can decide on how small or large you want them to be.
- Place a steaming basket in a large pot and fill with water until the water is just below the basket. You don’t want water to touch the cutlets. Bring the water to a boil.
- Spray a light coating of oil on the basket to prevent the cutlets from sticking and place the cutlets on the basket. If you need to layer the cutlets, spray a light coating of oil on the bottom layer so they don’t stick together.
- Reduce the water to a simmer, cover the pot, and steam for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cutlets from the pot and refrigerate for at least an hour. This will let the seitan develop a better texture.
- TO GRILL THE VEGAN CHIK’N BREASTS
- Brush or spray a light coating of vegetable oil on both sides and grill for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they’re heated through.
- Layer on our homemade BBQ sauce for added flavor.
- Enjoy!
Colleen says
Hello!
Can you wrap the pieces in aluminum foil to steam.
Thank you.
Colleen
Linda & Alex says
Hey Colleen,
Thank you for the comment! Yes, you can wrap them in aluminum foil to steam : )
Alex & Linda
Isaac says
This recipe looks amazing but I notice on the nutrition facts it says a serving is 1 gram, if that’s a mistake does anyone have the actual serving size?
Linda & Alex says
Hi Isaac,
That's definitely a glitch in the recipe card. One piece of seitan chicken is approximately 150 grams.
Vicki Smith says
When I was a kid, one of my favourite foods was baked orange chicken with cornflake crumb coating. I tried your seitan recipe this weekend, only marinating the seitan in OJ, but it was not orangey enough. I wonder if I can substitute orange juice for the water, or if I can steam it in OJ? This is an the chicken recipe: https://www.kelloggs.ca/en_CA/recipes/crisp-orange-baked-chicken-recipe.html
Linda & Alex says
Hey Vicki! Thanks for the comment. Can totally relate to the love of orange chicken! I think replacing the water with OJ is a fantastic idea. You could also try adding in some orange zest as that gives it an extra orange-y flavor. Let us know how it turns out!
Alex & Linda
Susan Hester says
Voilà!
Meryl says
This recipe looks amazing. Question: Silken Tofu comes in soft, medium, firm & extra firm. What density are you using? Also, do you use water packed or vacuum sealed?
Thank you
Linda & Alex says
Hi Meryl, you can use any type, although the soft will blend better.
Sharine Borslien says
Linda and Alex:
I use your recipe exclusively for my plant-based chicken recipes! When the weather warms up a bit (geez, it's been a cold winter here in Central California!), I'm going to make a double batch, marinate the cutlets in my homemade BBQ (which I learned to make from you), and have my husband grill them. I'll freeze half. I can hardly wait!🤗😋
Linda & Alex says
Thank you so much for your kind email, Sharine, we appreciate you. We're so happy you enjoy our recipes. 🙂
Jim Webster says
Fo you have a use for the leftover silken tofu. I’ve only used extra firm tofu.
The recipe sounds great.
Linda & Alex says
Hi Jim, you can use the leftover tofu in a scramble with veggies, to thicken a smoothie, or you could freeze it for later use. 🙂
Jimmy jones says
Worcestershire sauce is not vegan, it has anchovies in it.
Just a heads up if there’s any hardcore vegans making this
Linda & Alex says
Hey! Thanks so much for the comment. I've adjusted the recipe to note that we specifically use vegan worcestershire sauce. The brands we typically use are either Annie's Naturals or 365 brand. You can find the 365 brand at any Whole Foods or you can order the Annie's from a variety of online retailers : ) If you would rather make it from scratch we also have a pretty awesome recipe that you could use: https://www.veganosity.com/vegan-worcestershire-sauce/ Hope that helps!
Alex & Linda
Ari says
Hi, I made this for the first time today and it came out really well. However it was just a little bit tough. How do I make it more tender, maybe knead it less?
Linda & Alex says
Hi Ari,
We're happy you enjoyed the recipe. This recipe recommends a minute of kneading, so that shouldn't have been the problem. Vital wheat gluten, like flour, can have more or less moisture depending on the brand and the climate. Our guess is that it may have needed a little more liquid. Even the amount of moisture in the tofu could have made a difference. If you use the same brands of VWG and tofu the next time you make it, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to the dough before kneading. Hopefully that will help. 🙂
Ari says
Thanks!
Sharine Borslien says
Alex and Linda:
I also think that altitude can play a big part in cooking and baking. I was specifically thinking of California and Colorado, two states that I spend some time in, but obviously adjustments must be made *everywhere* at altitudes 2,000 feet or more above sea level. I am currently not above 2,000 feet, but if I do find myself there with the need to cook and bake, I'm going to take heed of the following information, which I found at Epicurious.com:
https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/high-altitude-baking-tips-article
This should be a good start for folks. I am sad that I couldn't find any information specific to those of us eating 100% plant-based diets, but hopefully this is a good place to start!
Linda & Alex says
Hi Sharine,
Yes, altitude plays a huge role in the success of many recipes, especially in baking. My husband an I just spent several weeks skiing in Breckenridge and I didn't even attempt to bake, because I knew that the chances of the recipe turning out well were not great. Alex and I would love to help our readers with that issue, unfortunately, we don't have the knowledge to do so.
Deepa says
I tried this recipe, thank you Verny much.
This recipe is the first & last one I will stick to. So grateful.
We love adding it to our ramen soup for that oompf of protein.
Linda & Alex says
Thank you so much, Deepa! We're so happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Linda and Alex
Timaree says
What is chicken seasoning? This sounds good but I have no clue what that ingredient is.
Linda & Alex says
Hi Timaree, it's sometimes called poultry seasoning, too. It's just a blend of spices that you would use to season chicken. McCormicks makes a good one. 🙂
Jim Webster says
Google chicken seasoning. I make my own.
Linda & Alex says
Great idea! Thanks. 🙂
Nick says
What firmness of tofu do you recommend?
Linda & Alex says
Hi Nick,
Silken in good, but you can use firm as long as you blend it well.
Enjoy!
jordi says
Is it possible to use an Instant Pot for the steaming process? If so, how?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Jordi, we're so sorry, but we haven't tried this with an Instant Pot.
Frenchie says
You can! I added 4 tbsp nutritional yeast. I set up a double steamer in my Instant pot. I did not shred/cut into chicken cutlets. I separated the seitan in 2 different sized portions. One in a small loaf (similar to a small meat loaf to cut into cutlets after it was steamed). The other one was flattened out a bit so I could make tenders. I wrapped them in foil & then steamed on High Pressure for 30 minutes. Natural release (with keep warm feature on) :10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure & walah! Instant pop Chickwheat. 🙂
khushi says
Hi. Can I use chickpeas or some kind of beans to substitute for the tofu. Thanks for your kindness in sharing.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Khushi! We haven't tried using beans for this recipe, although we have used them in other seitan recipes. A mild soft white bean, such as cannellini beans would probably work. Please let us know how it goes. 🙂
Liezl says
Hi, this has great taste, but the texture is very chewy. I saw in another comment that you suggested it be baked. Can this be done even after it was barbequed? I think my dough was too sticky and I didn’t steam it correctly. Thank you!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Liezl, so sorry it was chewy! Seitan is tricky the first few times you make it because you need to get the feel for when it's done. Yes, you can bake it after it's been steamed. We suggest brushing the bbq sauce on it before baking and then adding a bit more just before it's done. Happy New Year!
Bunny says
Can these be frozen? There is no way I can eat all these before they go bad.
Also, yes on the soy comment from above. I personally would rather eat phytoestrogen from tofu than chickens that have been fed hormones their entire lives. THAT makes me scared.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Bunny! Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Thank you so much for the comment, we agree! 🙂