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Cornflake coated vegan chicken nuggets piled onto a plate with tomato ketchup.
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Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Crispy air fryer vegan tofu chicken nuggets are made with tofu, and are not only a delicious alternative to meat chicken nuggets, but are also a quick and easy snack to prepare. Oven instructions included!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 184kcal
Author Jess & Dan

Ingredients

  • 200 g Super firm tofu - torn into nugget-sized chunks
  • 0.5 cup Vegan chicken stock

Wet mix:

  • 0.25 cup Almond milk
  • 0.25 cup All purpose flour
  • 1.25 cup Cornflakes

Dry mix:

  • 0.5 teaspoon Vegan chicken stock powder
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon Garlic granules
  • Pinch Salt
  • Ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Optionally marinate tofu in the vegan chicken stock for 15 minutes or, alternatively skip straight to step 2.
    200 g Super firm tofu, 0.5 cup Vegan chicken stock
  • Mix the plant milk and flour together in a bowl with a fork or a whisk, until smooth.
    0.25 cup Almond milk, 0.25 cup All purpose flour
  • Blitz the cornflakes, paprika, garlic granules, vegan chicken stock powder, salt and pepper in a food processor until coarse. It should be coarse, not a fine powder - the coating should still have some texture. Put this mix in a separate bowl.
    1.25 cup Cornflakes, 0.5 teaspoon Vegan chicken stock powder, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika, 0.5 teaspoon Garlic granules, Pinch Salt, Ground black pepper
  • Preheat the air fryer to 190°c.
  • Drench each tofu piece in the wet mixture, then fully coat them in the dry mix. Make sure they are evenly coated.
  • Put the vegan nuggets into the air fryer and optionally spray with cooking spray, this will help them to become extra crispy. Cook at 190°c for 12mins, flipping them halfway.
  • Serve the tofu nuggets with a simple tomato ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce or your fave dipping sauce.

Oven instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Allow it to fully preheat while you prepare the nuggets.
  • Follow instructions above for tofu nuggets until step 5 (inclusive).
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking.
  • Place the prepared tofu nuggets on the lined baking sheet in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching. If you're cooking a large batch, you may need to use multiple lined baking sheets or cook in batches.
  • Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, turning the nuggets over halfway through the cooking time. This helps ensure even browning and crispiness.
  • Keep a close eye on the nuggets during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent over-browning. They should turn golden brown and become crispy on the outside.
  • Once they're beautifully golden and crispy, remove the nuggets from the oven. Let them cool for a minute or two before serving. Oven times may vary by oven.

Notes

  • Tofu nuggets freeze well. Cook them straight from frozen in your air fryer for 10 minutes at 180°C. They also keep well in the fridge and can be crisped up in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 180°C.
  • You could add a pinch of onion powder and garlic powder to the dry mix, as well as some nutritional yeast to add a savory flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 7mg