How is Vegan Chicken Made? A Step-by-Step Guide

Vegan chicken has become increasingly popular as more people adopt vegan and plant-based diets. It provides a nutritious, cruelty-free alternative to traditional chicken. But you may wonder, how is vegan chicken made? What ingredients and techniques are used to mimic the taste, texture and appearance of real chicken?

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how vegan chicken is made including the key ingredients equipment and cooking methods used.

What is Vegan Chicken?

Vegan chicken refers to meat substitutes and products made to emulate the flavor, texture and appearance of chicken, but without using any animal products.

There are two main types of vegan chicken:

• Vegan chicken made from seitan: Seitan is made from important wheat gluten and has a chewy, meat-like texture. It can be flavored and shaped to resemble chicken pieces.

• Vegan chicken made from soy or pea protein: Soy and pea proteins can be processed to have the same fibrous texture as meats made from muscle. Vegan chicken strips, nuggets, and other shapes can be made by adding flavorings and binding agents.

Why Make Your Own Vegan Chicken?

You can buy vegan chicken products that are already made, but there are several reasons why you should make your own:

• Change the taste and texture: You can change the ingredients to get the taste, texture, and spice mix you want.

• Avoid additives: Many store-bought vegan meats contain preservatives and stabilizers. Making it yourself limits additives.

• Save money: Homemade seitan or soy chicken costs a fraction of what you’d pay for packaged vegan chicken.

• Tailor nutrition: Boost protein content and add veggies to enhance nutrition.

• Use in any recipe: Homemade allows for shredded, cubed or chicken strip shapes to suit your recipe.

So for ultimate flexibility and nutrition, many people opt to make DIY vegan chicken.

Vegan Chicken Ingredients

The core ingredients to make vegan chicken include:

For Seitan Chicken

• Vital wheat gluten: The main protein source that provides chew and fiber.

• Plant-based broth: Provides moisture and flavor. Veggie broth or chickpea cooking water work well.

• Soy sauce or tamari: For savory, meaty flavor.

• Seasonings and spices: Such as garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano.

• Vegetable oil: Helps bind and add moisture.

• Chickpea flour: Can help bind and add nutrition (optional).

For Soy or Pea Protein Chicken

• Soy protein or pea protein isolate: The main protein source.

• Vegetable broth: Provides moisture and flavor.

• Spices and herbs: Such as thyme, sage, chili powder to add chicken flavor.

• Salt: Enhances flavor.

• Vegetable oil: Helps bind and emulate chicken fat.

• Starch: Such as tapioca or potato starch to bind.

So as you can see, plant-based proteins, seasonings, herbs and binders allow creating chicken-like texture and taste.

Equipment Needed

Very little specialty equipment is required:

• Large bowl – For mixing ingredients.

• Hand or stand mixer – To knead and mix the vegan chicken dough.

• Steamer – For steaming seitan-based vegan chicken.

• Baking sheets – For oven baking soy or pea protein vegan chicken.

• Knife and cutting board – For slicing or shredding vegan chicken.

• Mixing bowls and spoons – For marinades and sauces.

• Skillet or grill pan – For sautéing or getting a crispy skin on vegan chicken.

So you can make delicious vegan chicken at home with just basic kitchen tools.

Step-by-Step Guide

Here is an overview of the key steps to make both seitan and soy protein/pea protein-based vegan chicken:

Step 1: Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients

• For seitan chicken, mix vital wheat gluten with chickpea flour and dry spices.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together vegetable broth, oil, soy sauce and any wet ingredients.
• For soy/pea protein chicken, mix protein powder with dry spices, starch and nutritional yeast.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together vegetable broth, oil and any wet ingredients.

Step 2: Combine and Knead

• Add wet mix to the dry ingredients.
• Mix and knead thoroughly until a stretchy, elastic dough forms for seitan chicken. For soy/pea protein chicken, mix just until a firm dough forms.
• Knead for 2-3 minutes to develop gluten in seitan dough.

Step 3: Shape Vegan Chicken Pieces

• For seitan, stretch and shape dough into log shapes. Try to emulate the fibrous texture of muscle meats.
• For soy/pea protein chicken, shape the dough into nuggets, tenders or other forms.

Step 4: Cook Vegan Chicken

• For seitan, wrap logs in foil and steam for 60-90 minutes until firm.
• For soy/pea protein, place shaped pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 30-50 minutes.

Step 5: Finish with Flavor (Optional)

• Coat steamed or baked vegan chicken in sauce or marinade for extra flavor.
• Lightly pan fry or broil marinated vegan chicken to finish.

And that covers the basic process for making vegan chicken at home using seitan, soy protein or pea protein as the base!

Tips for the Best Texture

Here are some tips to get the perfect tender and fibrous vegan chicken texture:

• For seitan, knead the dough very well to develop the gluten. This gives a chewy, meaty texture.

• Steam or simmer seitan chicken instead of baking. The moist heat gives better results.

• Chilling soy/pea protein chicken after shaping helps firm up the texture.

• Baking soy/pea protein at 300-350°F prevents drying out. Higher temps make it tough.

• Thinly slicing or shredding vegan chicken helps emulate the fiber patterns of real chicken.

Flavoring Your Vegan Chicken

Without the inherent flavor of real chicken, seasoning is key for making flavorful vegan chicken:

• Marinades are very effective. Try combinations of olive oil, tamari, garlic, herbs, vinegar, etc.

• Rubbing with spice blends before cooking adds lots of flavor. Cajun, jerk and herbs de provence suit vegan chicken well.

• Smoking or cooking over indirect heat gives a smoky char. Liquid smoke works too.

• Browning or breading the exterior makes the skin crispy and flavorful.

With the right ingredients and preparation method, you can get extremely close to the familiar flavor, texture and appearance of real chicken – but in cruelty-free, plant-based form. Homemade seitan or soy chicken opens up a world of delicious poultry-inspired meals to vegans and vegetarians. Give it a try and enjoy this versatile meat substitute in all your favorite chicken recipes.

Vegan chicken is primarily made from plant-based protein sources like seitan (wheat gluten), soy, pea protein, or jackfruit.