The BEST Vegan Fried “Chicken” with an Air Fryer
Vegan fried chicken – but air fried instead of deep-fried. Also, oyster mushrooms instead of chicken.
Skeptical? Donโt be!
Nowadays you can buy really amazing vegan chicken tenders and nuggets at any grocery store, but nothing beats the crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, seasoned goodness of just-fried chicken.
You are probably more familiar with cauliflower as a vegan substitute for chicken wings. While I love buffalo cauliflower wings and will almost always order them if theyโre on the menu, I think oyster mushrooms are even closer to the real thing.
Oyster mushrooms have a soft and chewy texture that mimics that of boneless fried chicken better than cauliflower. Keeping your pieces not too small will allow the outside breading to get nice and crunchy while keeping the inside โmeatโ juicy.
Because I always want to simplify the cooking process and – oh yeah – make things a little healthier, this recipe uses an air fryer to get that beautiful golden-brown crust. Air frying instead of deep frying requires significantly less oil (just a couple sprays instead of cups and cups!), and it comes out crispier than baking in the oven. But if you are an experienced deep-fryer, then knock yourself out!
Try this recipe out the next time you want to impress your non-vegan friends and be sure to check the recipe notes for a bonus vegan ranch recipe.
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Air fryer I use: Ninja
Vegan Fried "Chicken" using an Air Fryer
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 1 lb oyster mushrooms
- Cooking spray
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose or gluten-free flour
- 1 cup water or nondairy milk
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ยผ tsp salt
- ยผ tsp pepper
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose or gluten-free flour
- ยฝ tsp garlic powder
- ยฝ tsp dried minced onion
- ยฝ tsp smoked paprika
- ยฝ tsp oregano
- ยผ tsp salt
- ยผ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry the oyster mushrooms. Break them up into medium-sized pieces - think like the size of fried chicken wings and breasts. Donโt make them too small or else the mushroom inside will get too crispy.
- Add all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine the spices. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and whisk into a smooth batter.
- Dip each mushroom wing into the wet batter first and shake off the excess really well. Then transfer to the dry ingredients bowl and toss to thoroughly coat the entire wing. Have a plate or rack ready to place them on. Repeat for each wing.
- Once all your wings are coated, spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the wings on the bottom of the basket but donโt overcrowd them. Give the top of each wing a good coating of cooking spray.
- Set your air fryer to 400ยฐF for 24 mins. Flip the wings halfway through and spray the other side with cooking spray. Air fry for another 12 mins until both sides are golden brown. (24 mins total)
- Top off the crispy wings with buffalo or bbq sauce, or dip them in vegan ranch and enjoy!
Notes
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