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    Home » Recipes » All Recipes

    Published: Apr 5, 2022 · Modified: Sep 16, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 22 Comments

    Vegan Chicken Breasts

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN
    5 from 16 votes
    Vegan Chicken Breasts

    Foolproof Vegan Chicken Breasts with chicken flavour and texture you never dreamt possible! This seitan chicken recipe is super high in protein, easy to make, freezer friendly, and a great vegan substitute for chicken in any recipe. Serve whole, slice, dice or make vegan shredded chicken.

    vegan chicken breasts in a pan with lemon slices & garlic

    Enter - A fabulous, foolproof recipe for Vegan Chicken Breasts. Make up a batch to keep in your fridge or freezer and use in any way you would regular chicken: Pan fry, oven bake, grill, slice, dice or make shredded vegan chicken!

    This seitan chicken is tender, meaty, perfectly seasoned, packed with flavour and incredibly versatile. In fact, just like my vegan roast, it is so incredibly delicious it’s going to blow your mind!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient notes
    • How to make Vegan Chicken Breasts
    • Making ahead & storing
    • How to use vegan chicken
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Hungry for more vegan meats?
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews
    cut seitan chicken breast, inside showing

    And if you're looking for a high protein vegan meal addition then this recipe is your friend with over 38 grams of protein per individual vegan chicken breast!

    Ingredient notes

    So what is vegan chicken made of? Here are the ingredients:

    ingredients needed to make vegan chicken breasts

    And some notes on a few of the most important:

    • Vital wheat gluten - The most important ingredient. This is what gives the chicken seitan its meaty texture. There is no alternative. However, if you're gluten-free, I do have a gluten-free seitan roast recipe.
    • Chickpeas - I tried all kinds of beans and tofu and chickpeas give by far the best texture and flavour to the seitan.
    • Better Than Bouillon No Chicken - It has such great savoury chicken flavour. The garlic or mushroom Better Than Bouillon work well too. If you can't get hold of of it, use the same amount of bouillon powder or 2 stock cubes in as chicken'y a flavour as you can find. Failing that, use a good quality, well-flavoured vegetable or mushroom stock instead of the water and skip the Better Than Bouillon.

    Success tip - The most accurate way to measure vital wheat gluten is to weigh it. Cups are not an accurate measure. If you must use cups, fluff the VWG with a fork, then spoon it gently into the cup without shaking or compacting it down. Then scrape across the top lightly with a knife to remove the excess. Do not scoop the VWG up into the cup or you will end up with much more than is intended and affect the outcome of the recipe.

    How to make Vegan Chicken Breasts

    Wondering how to make seitan chicken? Well, here's how:

    how to make vegan chicken breasts
    1. Add everything except the vital wheat gluten to a food processor and process until liquidy and pretty much smooth.
    2. Add the vital wheat gluten and keep the food processor running until combined, scraping down as needed. It will look bobbly and lumpy for a while.
    3. Keep the food processor running until it turns into a very smooth, soft, cohesive dough (like in the picture). This takes several minutes.
    4. Cut into 6 even pieces and flatten into chicken breast type shapes, wrap and steam.

    Success tip - Wrapping to contain the vegan chicken breasts while steaming is important for texture. Without it they expand way too much and become spongy.

    Making ahead & storing

    Seitan chicken is best made ahead. It's texture and flavour gets better once it's been refrigerated. Once steamed, store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    vegan shredded chicken

    How to use vegan chicken

    Vegan chicken breasts are cooked through after steaming, and can be used as they are in sandwiches and salads etc, but they do benefit from being cooked again for a short time to get some golden colour and caramelization.

    When pan-frying or oven-baking them, add a little moisture while cooking to keep them moist. I like to baste them with some lemon juice, vegan butter, garlic butter or vegan browned butter, stock or sauce (like sweet chili, peanut or BBQ sauce).

    This vegan substitute for chicken can be used as a whole "breast", or you can slice or dice it. You can even tear it or use a fork to make vegan shredded chicken. Then you can grill, pan fry, stir fry or oven-bake it, using it in all of the vegan chicken recipes of your dreams!

    Success tip - If adding the chicken to something saucy/liquidy (like a curry or soup), add near the end of the cooking time for optimum meaty texture. Just give it enough time to heat through in the sauce/soup before serving.

    My favourite ways to use seitan chicken breasts so far have been:

    • Pan-fried in vegan butter with lemon and garlic
    • Mayo-based chicken salad sandwiches
    • Salads
    • Shredded vegan chicken
    • Vegan chicken parmesan
    • Vegan grilled chicken
    • Stir fries and fried rice (I love it in my mushroom fried rice)
    • Burritos, enchiladas & tacos
    • Soups, curries, stews and pot pies
    • Breaded and fried (so good!)
    • Grilled and basted with my vegan BBQ sauce and served in a bun with creamy coleslaw, maybe some baked beans on the side?
    • With mashed potatoes or roast potatoes and gravy

    Recipe FAQs

    What if I don't have a food processor?

    Use a blender to blend the beans, seasonings and liquids, then transfer to a bowl before adding the vital wheat gluten. Knead for 2 minutes, then cut and shape into individual chicken breasts and continue with the recipe as written.

    Can I use tofu instead of chickpeas?

    I don't recommend this. In tests the seitan didn't turn out nearly as good when tofu was used.

    Can I steam them in an Instant Pot?

    I don't recommend using an Instant Pot for this recipe. The chicken breasts do not turn out well.

    Hungry for more vegan meats?

    • Vegan Beef
    • Vegan Roast
    • Vegan Sausage Recipe
    • Gluten-Free Seitan Roast

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe

    vegan chicken breasts in a pan with lemon slices

    Vegan Chicken Breasts

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 16 votes
    Foolproof Vegan Chicken Breasts with chicken flavour and texture you never dreamt possible! This seitan chicken recipe is super high in protein, easy to make, freezer friendly, and a great vegan substitute for chicken in any recipe. Serve whole, slice, dice or make vegan shredded chicken.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 15 minutes
    COOK TIME: 1 hour
    TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 6

    Ingredients
      

    • 1½ cups (1 x 14 oz / 400 g can) chickpeas , drained & rinsed
    • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base , see recipe notes for alternatives
    • 3 large cloves garlic
    • 2½ teaspoons onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1¼ teaspoon rubbed sage , (or instead of sage & thyme you can use poultry seasoning. Reduce the black pepper in half if you do though)
    • ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2 cups (256 grams) vital wheat gluten (if using cups spoon gently into the cup and level with a knife without shaking or compacting it down. Do not scoop!)
    • 1 cup (240 mls) water

    RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

    • Food Processor
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • In a food processor, blend everything except the vital wheat gluten until smooth.
    • Add the vital wheat gluten and process until combined, scraping down to make sure everything gets mixed up. It's important to keep the dough in the food processor long enough. First it will form a rough ball, then it will spread out and become lumpy and bobbly and then all of a sudden it will come together into a very smooth, soft, cohesive and stretchy ball of dough. There is a picture showing exactly what this looks like in the post above. In my food processor this takes 2½ minutes.
      While doing this, you might need to give your food processor a break if it starts getting hot.
    • Tip the ball of seitan out onto a clean surface. Give it a couple of quick kneads then shape into a ball.
    • Cut into 6 evenly sized pieces, then roll each piece into an oval chicken breast like shape about ½ inch thick.
    • Wrap each one individually in foil. If you don't like using foil, wrap them tightly in parchment paper instead. It still works to keep them fairly compact until they set. Don't steam them unwrapped because they will become spongy.
    • Place the packages in a steamer basket over a pan of gently boiling water and steam for one hour. That might seem like a long time but it's not a mistake.
      Note that I do not recommend doing this in an Instant Pot. It does not turn out well.
    • Remove from the steamer with tongs, carefully unwrap, and place on a wire rack to dry off and cool down. Then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until required. The texture is best once they have been refrigerated overnight.
      Use just as they are in sandwiches, salads etc, or marinate, pan fry, slice, dice, grill, shred, stir fry etc as you would a regular chicken breast.
    • My favourite way to serve them is with lemon and garlic in a cast iron skillet. Cut an entire lemon into slices. Heat a skillet over medium heat with some olive oil. Add the lemon slices and 8 to 10 garlic cloves still in their skin and cook until the lemon is just starting to caramelize. Then move them aside and add the chicken. If your chicken breasts turned out thick you can cut them lengthways through the middle to make 2 breasts from each one. Season well and cook on each side until golden, squeezing over lemon juice as you go to keep them moist and add a ton of flavour. Serve with the caramelized lemon slices and garlic which you can squeeze out of its skin over the chicken.

    NOTES

    Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
    Tip - When pan frying keep the breasts nice and moist with lemon juice or a bit of stock. When grilling, baste well to stop them from drying out.
    No Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base? The garlic or mushroom Better Than Bouillon work well too. If you can't get hold of of those either, use the same amount of bouillon powder or 2 stock cubes in as chicken'y a flavour as you can find. Failing that, use a good quality, well-flavoured vegetable or mushroom stock instead of the water and skip the Better Than Bouillon. 

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1pieceCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 38gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 38mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 29IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 4mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Brenda says

      September 27, 2022 at 9:20 am

      5 stars
      Oh my, these are delicious. I couldn’t wait to try them, so I cooked one with the lemon and garlic and a little oil. The rest are in the fridge texturizing and increasing in flavor. Thank you for a delicious chicken substitute!

      Reply
    2. Donna says

      June 27, 2022 at 12:19 am

      Recipe note says cook 40 minutes and directions say steam for one hour. Please clarify, thanks!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        June 27, 2022 at 12:02 pm

        Follow the written instructions. They are definitely correct. We checked and can't find anywhere where it says 40 minutes. If it does and I've missed it, it's a mistake.

        Reply
    3. Rachel says

      June 13, 2022 at 2:10 am

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe! I made a batch last week for dinners and this week i made a double batch! The versatility is wonderful, you really can use it just like real chicken!

      Reply
    4. Sam says

      May 21, 2022 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      Fabulous recipe!The whole family enjoyed them. It will be so handy for grilling season which is almost here!

      Reply
    5. Michelle says

      May 20, 2022 at 9:48 pm

      5 stars
      Taste was spot on, texture was off - they came out quite dense and solid. Help! What did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        May 21, 2022 at 10:24 am

        It's impossible to say without knowing your process. The most common reason though would be not weighing the vital wheat gluten (cups are incredibly inaccurate), or kneading it more than a couple of times. It only needs 2 to 3 kneads. Just enough to get it together into a ball really.

        Reply
    6. Carla says

      May 05, 2022 at 3:03 am

      5 stars
      Have made these twice already as my 2 girls absolutely loved them! I cut them into smaller nuggets, crumbed them and pan fried. So good! And not highly processed like the bought versions. Looking forward to trying out some more ways to have these. Thanks Mel!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        May 05, 2022 at 10:31 am

        I'm really pleased you're all enjoying them! Have fun experimenting!

        Reply
    7. Fran O says

      May 04, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      Would a Ninja food processor work?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        May 05, 2022 at 10:22 am

        I've never used one. I would assume so as long as it's big enough to hold all of the dough. otherwise you might need to half the recipe.

        Reply
        • Georgia says

          June 21, 2022 at 3:12 pm

          Hi Mel, could you make the dough in a stand mixer with the paddle beater like used to make cookie dough?

          Reply
          • Melanie McDonald says

            June 21, 2022 at 3:41 pm

            I've never had luck making seitan in my KitchenAid. The dough is much stiffer than something like a bread dough, and it just tends to fly around the edges of the bowl without getting kneaded. For this recipe a food processor does a much better job and also keeps the seitan really tender.

    8. Louise says

      April 10, 2022 at 11:48 pm

      I don't get it? If you miss meat that much that you have to make fake meat. Please just have some chicken!!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        April 11, 2022 at 1:02 pm

        Maybe we like chicken/meat but aren't selfish enough to take a life for it? If you don't like it, how about you just scroll on by?

        Reply
        • Kathy says

          June 01, 2022 at 7:47 am

          great comment, I personally love the taste of chicken too but am not willing to take a life just because I like how they taste.

          Reply
        • KM says

          August 23, 2022 at 6:55 pm

          5 stars
          Couldn’t agree more! Thank you Mel for giving us so many delicious ethical options!! ♥️

          Reply
    9. Sandea says

      April 05, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      Is there something else you can use instead of wheat gluten?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        April 05, 2022 at 5:06 pm

        No not in this recipe. The vital wheat gluten is what gives it the meaty texture.

        Reply
    10. Caroline Ponsford says

      April 05, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      Made these for dinner. I did not let them rest overnight in the fridge as I was eager to try them. I steamed them and then cooked immediately in a pan with garlic and lemon like you suggested. They were so fantastic despite rushing them. There are only 4 of us and all 6 were eaten! I can’t wait to experiment further with them. Thank you Mel!

      Reply
    11. Kerstin says

      April 05, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      5 stars
      Will make them very quickly, but how long should they steam. I would think about 60 minutes!?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        April 05, 2022 at 2:07 pm

        All of the detail including how long to steam them for are written out in the recipe. I recommend reading the recipe fully before you begin.

        Reply

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