Vegan chicken nuggets, crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. They are mouthwatering, flavorful, and wonderful for kids to enjoy!

Photo of a plate with some vegan chicken nuggets

These vegan chicken nuggets are made without artificial additives or preservatives. They really are out of this world! I absolutely love how they turn out so crisp on the outside but tender on the inside.

Actually, vegan nuggets are a great way for kids to start eating more greens, as well as to understand that healthier food doesn’t have to be boring. Truly something else!

How to make vegan chicken nuggets

Add the hot water, textured vegetable protein, and tamari to a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
Transfer to a food processor and add all the remaining ingredients. Blend until well combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, but the texture will be better if you use a food processor.
Separate the dough into 28 vegan chicken nugget pieces.
Take one piece, dip it into the flour, shake off all the excess, and dip into the buttermilk. Finally, dip it into the crumb mixture and roll it around until fully coated.
Heat the oil in a large pot.
Fry the vegan chicken nuggets in the oil until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain the pieces on a wire or paper towels. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Serve your vegan chicken nuggets immediately.

Photo of a vegan chicken nugget cut in half

Ingredients and tips

Water.
Textured vegetable protein.
Soy sauce or tamari: to make these vegan nuggets I used soy sauce, but tamari is a good gluten-free alternative. If you don’t consume soy, coconut aminos is a great substitute. You could also add the same amount of water or vegetable stock and add more salt.
Nutritional yeast: if you can’t find it, you could also use brewer’s yeast. However, nutritional yeast is the best choice for these vegetarian chicken nuggets.
Garlic powder.
Onion powder.
Chicken seasoning: you can either use it homemade or store-bought.
Liquid smoke: this ingredient is optional, but it will make your vegan chicken nuggets taste even better!
Ground black pepper: fresh ground black pepper tastes amazing. However, I find the store-bought version to be more convenient and also easier to measure with a teaspoon.
All-purpose flour: I’ve only made my vegetarian chicken nuggets using all-purpose flour, but you could probably use a different type of flour. However, you may need to adjust the amount of it. Use our gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free version of this recipe.
Bread crumbs: use gluten-free bread if needed.
Salt: I used ionized salt, but any kind of salt will do.
Unsweetened plant milk: any type of unsweetened plant milk will work with these vegan nuggets, but soy milk is my favorite one for this recipe.
Apple cider vinegar: you could also use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
Neutral-flavored oil: I used canola oil, but pretty much any type of oil will work.
Feel free to serve them with ketchup, bbq sauce, or your favorite sauce.

What are vegan chicken nuggets made of?

Vegan chicken nuggets can be made with any kind of vegan ingredients, as well as artificial additives and preservatives, especially if they are store-bought.

That’s why the best part of making your own vegetarian chicken nuggets yourself is that you know exactly what they are made of and can customize the recipe to taste.

Looking for more vegan meat recipes?

Photo of some vegan chicken nuggets and ketchup

Did you make these vegan chicken nuggets?

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