How Vegan Chicken Is Made: Exploring Ingredients, Texture, and Taste

The second-most consumed meat in the world is poultry. So it makes sense that people going vegan and vegans themselves are looking for alternatives for that protein. So what do these alternatives look like?

Believe it or not, we’ve come a long way in the vegan protein department. There was a time when there were slim pickings. But now, we’re actually spoiled for choices! You can get your standard vegan chicken alternatives to nuggets, tenders, and deli meats. Cool, huh?

What Is Vegan Chicken?

There are many varieties of vegan chicken. Unlike real chicken meat where every single one of them is made with (obviously) chicken, vegan chicken chicken ingredients are more diverse!

For vegans, chicken alternatives are made from vital wheat gluten, soy protein, pea protein, beans, tofu, and even jackfruit (yes, jackfruit)! These ingredients are chosen to match the texture of regular chicken. 

So what does vegan chicken taste like? The flavor of it can always come from spices, herbs, and other seasonings. You can find “plain” options or get yours pre-marinated or pre-seasoned. 

Vegan chicken’s calories are far lower than regular chicken. 100 grams will only be around 180 calories compared to traditional chicken’s 240. This can still vary depending on what kinds you get (seasoning may change the caloric content!), but it’s still a pretty good baseline to note. 

We mentioned a little earlier about having more variety than ever before. Let’s show you a few examples of vegan chicken!

Notable Vegan Chicken Picks

Eat Meati Cutlets

Starting the list strong with Eat Meati Cutlets! You get the Classic and Crispy varieties here. We love the versatility of them - They really are like chicken in this regard. Dishes like a vegan chicken fried steak can be easy with these or slice your cutlets to stuff in a wrap. Again, these are versatile and delicious proteins! 

Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Chick'n

Coming in more familiar forms, you can get Gardein’s Ultimate Plant-Based Chick'n in nugget and tender form! These are perfect if you’re, say, introducing your kids to vegan meats. These look and taste the part without the actual chickens. If you like them saucy, you can make your own sauce and toss them in or simply grab something like Gardein’s Nashville Hot Chick'n Tenders.

No Evil Foods Classic Cluck No Chicken

This pack of plant-based chicken strips are great ingredients for anything from a sandwich to a stir-fry. No Evil Foods Classic Cluck No Chicken, though seasoned right out of the pack, can still absorb so many flavors and taste better with a sauce. It also has a very similar texture to chopped chicken pieces or chicken cubes.

Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Vegetable Base

This one is a bit of a wildcard, especially for this list. But chicken stock is often required for recipes. What can be its alternative? We don’t always have to default to vegetable stock! Better Than Bouillon’s No Chicken Vegetable Base is great for adding that chicken flavor. You’re also getting your dollar’s worth here, too. Each jar can make as much as 38 servings of stock.

Going Homemade: What Is Vegan Chicken Made Out Of?

What if you want to make your own vegan chicken at home? You could! We did mention different vegan chicken ingredients and you can certainly use those. For this section, we’ll focus on the easier (in our opinion) choices. 

This would be great for instances in which you need chicken meat alternatives in a pinch and have no time to get products like the ones above. 

Jackfruit

When we first started with our vegan journey, vegan jackfruit was out of our minds. Never did we think of using it as much as we do now. Now that we know the versatility of it, it’s become a staple in the kitchen!

You can easily find canned jackfruit and just bring it out whenever you need a poultry substitute. The texture and firmness of jackfruit is what makes a difference - and it shows when you’ve got some in front of you. If you want to use it, best drain any liquid that comes with it in the can and thoroughly dry. After that, you can season however you like.

Tofu 

Vegan Tofu is one chicken alternative you can easily find in almost every supermarket. Seriously, it's everywhere these days. However, it’s important to find the right one. Tofu does come in different firmness - a soft, silken tofu won’t match the texture but the harder, firm ones would. What’s great about tofu is that its “sponginess” is what makes it absorb sauces and flavors so well. 

It’s worth mentioning that tofu can be a wonderful alternative to most meats - not just chicken. Unopened tofu packs keep for 2 - 3 months if you store them properly, making them great to have in the fridge until the need for them arises. Once you open the pack, consume it within a few days. 

Wheat Gluten or Seitan

If you’re in your Nara Smith era and simply must make your own proteins from scratch, why not give making seitan a go? How is vegan chicken made? Also known as wheat meat or wheat gluten, seitan is made by making a dough and kneading it in water until you get a firm ball or loaf (aka when all the ingredients combine). 

It doesn’t require much time and effort, but it’s still more than some people can spare. So if you want to give it a try, you can find many recipes and variations online. There’s a plethora! Once you make some seitan, you can also store a portion of it in the freezer to keep until you need it. 

Check Out - Is Plant Based Meat Healthy? Everything You Need to Know

What Is Vegan Chicken Made Of: Unpacking The Mystery?

Vegan chicken can be as simple or as fancy as you want it to be. Find your favorites here at Vegan Essentials!