Vegan Fried Chicken
This vegan fried chicken uses enoki mushrooms to mimic the familiar texture of everyone’s favorite appetizer, perfect for dunking in vegan ranch.
One of the most common questions I get as a long-time vegan is whether I miss something like chicken. And the thing is, why would I miss it?
When I’m craving the signature crunch, I just grab some enoki mushrooms and make this delicious vegan fried chicken recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Thanks to cornstarch and sparkling water, you get that ultra-satisfying crunchy coating. Soon enough, you’ll be putting this batter on everything!
- Enoki mushrooms shred beautifully and mimic pulled chicken better than you’d ever expect.
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, as well as plant and fungus lovers!
- Perfect for a game night. Invite your friends and family, and serve them the best vegan fried chicken with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Key Ingredients
- Enoki mushrooms have a stringy texture that gives a surprisingly convincing “chicken” bite when battered and fried.
- Cornstarch and flour make the batter super crisp and light.
- Sparkling water adds air to the batter for that tempura-style crunch.
- Herbs and spices provide classic fried chicken spice vibes with a little heat from cayenne.
- Chosen Foods Avocado Oil is a high smoke point oil that’s great for deep-frying without overpowering the flavour.
Hack It!
- Can’t find enoki? Try oyster mushrooms for a meatier bite or king oyster strips.
- Skip or adjust the amount of cayenne if you’re sensitive to spice.
- No sparkling water? Cold still water works too. the batter just won’t be quite as airy.
- While not identical, you can air fry at 400°F for 12-15 minutes with oil spray.
How to Make Vegan Fried Chicken
Step 1: Prepare a baking sheet or cutting board with paper towel or a grate to transfer the fried mushrooms to.
Step 2: Cut the brown bottom of the enoki mushroom off. Then slice the enoki mushrooms lengthwise into 2-3 slabs each. The pieces should be approximately 1/2 inch wide, at the base.
Step 3: In a deep pan or skillet, carefully heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350–375°F (180–190°C). You can test with a wooden chopstick—if bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
In a large shallow bowl, combine all batter ingredients apart from the sparkling water. Mix until well combined.
Step 4: Pour in the sparkling water to the batter mix. Adding a bit more as needed to thin the batter to a pancake-like consistency.
Step 5: Working one mushroom at a time, use tongs to coat the mushroom slices in the batter, and then fry.
Step 6: You can fry in batches if you have room. They require 2 to 3 minutes per side. The finished product should be golden and crisp.
Step 7: Using tongs, carefully transfer to your prepared surface. Enjoy with your dipping sauce of choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favorite for frying is and always has been the Chosen Foods pure avocado oil.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Crisp up in the oven or air fryer at 350°F (180°C).
I love using vegan ranch (there is a recipe in my cookbook!). Ranch is a classic, but spicy mayo, BBQ sauce, or even a squeeze of lemon work great too.
You can, but you will likely end up with a softer texture. It also takes a while.
More Plant-Based Appetizers
If you enjoy meal planning and want a supportive community, join our Plant Cooking Club on Substack! It’s all about eating more plants – and fiber, too.
The Recipe: Vegan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 enoki mushrooms, clusters
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp paprika
- ½ tbsp cayenne, adjust to taste
- ½ tbsp ground black pepper
- ¾ tbsp salt
- 1½ cups sparkling water
For frying
- 2 cups Chosen Foods Avocado Oil
To serve
- vegan ranch, or dip of choice
Equipment
- tongs optional, but maked it easier to handle enoki
- deep frying pan or skillet
- Grill grate or cutting board with a paper towel
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet or cutting board with paper or a grate to transfer the fried mushrooms to.
- Cut the brown bottom of the enoki mushroom off. Then slice the enoki mushrooms lengthwise into 2 to 3 slabs each, depending on the size of the mushrooms and desired thickness. The pieces should be approximately 1/2 inch wide, at the base.
- In a deep pan or skillet, carefully heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350–375°F (180–190°C). You can test with a wooden chopstick – if bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
- Next, prepare the batter. In a large shallow bowl, combine all batter ingredients part from the sparkling water. Mix until well combined. Pour in the sparkling water, adding a bit more as needed to thin the batter to a “gloopy” pancake like batter consistency if needed.
- Working one mushroom at a time, use tongs to coat the mushroom slices in the batter, and then fry. You can fry in batches if you have room. They require 2 to 3 minutes per side. The finished product should be golden and crisp.
- Using tongs, carefully transfer to your prepared surface. Enjoy with your dipping sauce of choice.
Notes
- Can’t find enoki? Try oyster mushrooms for a meatier bite or king oyster strips.
- Skip or adjust the amount of cayenne if you’re sensitive to spice.
- No sparkling water? Cold still water works too. the batter just won’t be quite as airy.
- While not identical, you can air fry at 400°F for 12-15 minutes with oil spray.