Hello friends and not-yet-friends,
Welcome back to Mary's Test Kitchen.
Today, we're taking the best vegan fried chicken
recipe and smothering it in sweet and tangy
sauce and crunchy pumpkin seeds to make vegan
honey butter chicken.
It's inspired by the honey butter chicken
made by Korean youtuber Maangchi.
You might remember I mentioned her in my video
for how to make kimchi.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking.
Chicken is not vegan.
Honey?
Not vegan.
Butter?
Not vegan either.
But then again, if you've followed my channel
for a while, you know we can veganize practically
anything!
Why?
Because we can and because we want to.
So first step: make the vegan fried chicken,
of course.
I've made this recipe so many times now, I
can make it with my eyes closed.
So have some of you and you proved with pics;
I'll be showing off some of those at the end
of this video.
If you know this recipe by heart already or
maybe you want to use vegan chicken tenders
or nuggets from the store, you can skip ahead,
just check out the time stamps in the description.
If you're new here, hi!
Welcome!
Grab a snack while I explain the process of
turning this into this.
We take traditional or medium firm tofu and
freeze it twice.
Yes, right in the package, don't open it.
Freeze it solid, let it thaw in the fridge
or other food safe method of thawing, and
freeze it solid again ASAP.
If you want a really detailed explanation
of how and why and what not to do or use...check
out my tutorial for vegan General Tso's chicken
where I go over the specifics.
After the second thaw, unpackage the tofu,
press it and separate into pieces.
You'll rehydrate with double-strength vegan
chicken broth.
Tofu, especially after it's pressed and drained
super well, barely tastes like anything.
And now, it'll take on the chicken flavour
of your broth.
If you haven't found your holy grail vegan
chicken broth yet, check the description for
some suggestions.
The important thing is that you like the flavour.
I'll prepare the second dredge first because
it needs some time to set up.
In previous fried chicken videos, I used VeganEgg
TM, you know, by Follow Your Heart.
It's just really good in this recipe.
The best I've tried for a nice crunchy crust.
But it's not available everywhere so I'll
show you how to make this part with ground
flax seed.
Just mix two tablespoon of finely ground flax
seed with water.
I use golden flax rather than brown flax seeds
because it looks nicer and works the same.
You can also use chia seeds.
It looks super thin now but let it sit while
you prepare your seasoned flour.
Coat all the pieces lightly with seasoned
flour, shaking the excess off.
And remember you want to be super duper delicate
because this tofu wants to fall apart.
Place them on a baking sheet.
Some pieces will fall apart.
Don't worry.
Just set them together and they will stick
together during cooking.
After all the pieces get their first dusting
of flour, you should have a good amount of
flour left.
Add some crunch to it in the form of cereal.
Previously, I used organic sprouted brown
rice crispy cereal.
AKA hipster Rice Krispies.
Today, corn flakes.
Plain.
Don't use frosted flakes if you decide to
go the corn flake route.
Crush the flakes so you have some smaller
pieces, some larger ones.
By now, the flax should have gelled and now
the texture resembles eggs.
Don't think about what else it resembles.
Just dunk each of your coated tofu pieces
into it, let the excess drip off, then roll
them into the crunchy seasoned flour.
Again, shake off the excess, and place them
on a baking sheet.
Repeat with all the pieces.
I'm gonna go the oven fried method today.
Just lay the pieces out on a parchment lined
baking sheet and drizzle over some oil.
You can certainly deep fry these.
Just check out the tutorial for the Best Vegan
Fried Chicken linked in the cards or in the
description for those instructions.
Or in the printable recipe as always.
If you're baking like me, start on the sauce
when they are just about to be done.
If you're frying, just fry first and let the
pieces sit on a rack while you make the sauce.
In a wok or large skillet, melt some vegan
butter over medium high heat.
I always use Earth Balance because I find
it the most buttery tasting but go ahead and
use the kind you like.
Then add garlic and cook until it's just starting
to turn colour.
Less than a minute.
Immediately add sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice
or vinegar and vegan honey.
What is vegan honey, you ask?
There are a few kinds on the market which
I'll link in the description.
But you can also make your own out of apple
juice, sugar, and a smidge of lemon.
It tastes very honey-ish with a touch of apple
flavour.
My tutorial is linked in the cards and the
description.
Or you can skip trying to replicate honey
and go with agave syrup, maple syrup, or any
kind you like.
Whatever you decide to use, stir everything
well to combine.
If your vegan chicken is already ready to
go, let the mixture come to a boil.
If not, turn off the heat until it's time
to take the vegan chicken out of the oven.
The oven fried stuff is so beautiful!
Sure, nothing beats deep fried for taste and
texture in my book, but gosh, oven fried comes
super close with way less work and clean up
afterwards.
Okay back to the sauce.
Once it starts to boil, turn the heat down
just so it can simmer a bit without bubbling
over for about a minute.
It'll get syrupy.
At this point, turn off the heat.
Add your hot vegan chicken and pumpkin seeds
and fold to coat.
Finally, transfer your vegan honey butter
fried chicken to a wire rack.
The rack is nice to prevent the pieces from
steaming and getting soggy.
Then taste and add salt if you like.
Maybe some cayenne pepper or Korean pepper
flakes.
Up to you.
There are no rules!
And that's it!
I hope you try this sticky, delicous, garlicky,
sweet and tangy vegan chicken recipe.
And let me know how it goes.
If you want me to veganize something you've
seen on YouTube, let me know with the hashtag
#reciperequest so I can find it easily and
I just might make it.
Thanks so much for watching, my friends.
I am so happy that so many of you have already
made the best vegan fried chicken recipe and
tagged me in your pictures on instagram.
Here are some of my favourites.
I especially loved the ones where you got
really creative with sauces and toppings!
You best believe I've been adding them to
my stories to show them off!
Please keep them coming.
Whether you make this recipe or any of my
other recipes on marystestkitchen.com or on
this channel, I just love seeing them.
And I love you!
You know what I also love?
Doughnuts.
So expect some more doughnuts soon.
Bye for now!
