Vegan Fried Chicken

Place the whole unopened package or packages of tofu in the freezer and freeze until solid (about 6 hours to overnight).

Once solid, let thaw completely. Do this quickly and safely by thawing on the counter until mostly thawed but still very cold (about 2 - 4 hours) then let it thaw the rest of the way in the fridge.

Once the tofu is completely thawed, freeze it solid again. Then, you can take it out for the final thaw before making your vegan fried chicken. You can hasten the last thaw by defrosting in the microwave. Tofu that has been thawed the second time should be consumed within as soon as possible (within two days).

Press the tofu gently but thoroughly to remove most of the water within. See my video tutorial for a demonstration. You should see some natural layers and cracks where the tofu can break into realistic looking meaty chunks. Using a light touch, divide the tofu into eight to 10 chunks. You will have some bits leftover; save them. Let the tofu rest on a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the seasoned flour and vegan egg wash.

Mix the seasoned flour ingredients together but leave out the rice crisps; they will go in later. Separately, mix two tablespoons of vegan egg powder with 1/2 cup of ice cold water. Whisk until smooth. Add the remaining water and whisk. The mixture should resemble thin crepe batter. When these dredging mixtures are done, go back to the tofu.

Prepare a wide bowl with your double strength chicken-style broth. Add the tofu pieces, placing them with layers flat; perpendicular to the table. Press down evenly and let go so the tofu can soak up the broth. Drain away excess broth, if any.

Gently transfer a few pieces of the tofu to the seasoned flour. Cover them gently, then scoop them up with loose fingers, shaking the excess off. Place on a plate or baking sheet. Repeat with all of the tofu chunks. When you only have small pieces and bits left, place those in the seasoned flour again. Toss them to coat evenly and be even more diligent about shaking off excess flour. Grab a small handful of them and squeeze gently to help them clump together. Place them on the plate or baking sheet as well. You will have lots of seasoned flour left in the plate. Add the crispy rice puffs to the seasoned flour. crushing about half with your hands.

Starting with the tofu you coated first, dip the pieces in vegan egg wash and let the excess drip off. Place the vegan-egg-coated pieces into the seasoned flour with rice crisps, cover gently and lightly pat so the rice crisps stick on well. Place the coated piece back on the plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

Heat a few inches of oil to 350°F in a wok or large heavy-bottomed pan. Use a frying thermometer to help keep the oil temperature stable between 350°F and 360°.

Fry your coated vegan 'chicken' in small batches, turning them occasionally for even cooking, until they are a deep golden colour. They should take 5 whole minutes to cook. If they cook too fast, make sure the temperature has not exceeded 360°F. If they do not cook fast enough, make sure the temperature is hot enough. Temperature is key to creating the perfect crispy yet crunchy crust without too much greasiness.

Drain on layers of paper towel or a rack.

Place the coated vegan 'chicken' on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spray or drizzle generously with oil to create a crunchy exterior and oven-fried effect. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 30 minutes, flipping the pieces at the 15-minute mark.

Lightly spay your air fryer basket with oil. Place the coated vegan "chicken" pieces in the basket, leaving an inch of space around each piece. Spray the tops of the pieces with oil, then air-fry at 400°F for 10 minutes.

Flip the pieces, spray oil on the other side and air-fry for another 10 - 15 minutes or until they are golden and crispy on the outside. Avoid leaving them in the air fryer too long or they may become too dry on the inside.

Serve the Best Vegan Fried Chicken immediately after frying/ baking/ or air-frying! Add your favourite seasonings on top or just a little extra salt and pepper.