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Tofu Nuggets Popcorn Chicken Style
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Tofu Nuggets (Popcorn Chicken Style)

You’ve never had nuggets like these. These Tofu Nuggets taste more like popcorn chicken than popcorn chicken itself. They are super crispy and flavorful on the outside and squishy, soft on the inside. Insane!
Course Main Course, Snacks
Cuisine Vegan
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 609kcal
Author Elephantastic Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1 block tofu (medium to firm)
  • frying oil
  • 1/4 cup pickle juice /brine

Ingredients for the batter

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup pickle juice /brine
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce

Ingredients for the breading

  • 1/2 cup panko flakes *
  • 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs *
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Remove the tofu from the packaging, pack it in a freezer bag, and freeze it overnight. Then defrost the tofu at room temperature (4-5 hours) over a slotted spatula in a bowl so that the water can drip off and collect at the bottom of the bowl. Carefully squeeze out excess water.
  • Break the defrosted tofu into chunks – you can make them smaller or larger – whatever you like. Pour 1/4 cup of pickle brine over the chunks, the tofu will soak it up very quickly.
  • In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the batter.
  • In another bowl, combine the ingredients for the breading.
  • Toss the tofu chunks into the batter first.
  • Then coat them in the breading.
  • Heat a pot or small wok with frying oil. Carefully fry the breaded tofu nuggets in batches until they are crispy and brown. This took 10 minutes for me - per batch.
  • Place the fried tofu nuggets on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
  • And done! Let them cool off a bit and enjoy them like they are or with oven-baked potato slices!

Notes

*you can sub panko flakes for fine breadcrumbs and vice versa, but a combination of both is giving a better texture and is making sure they are nicely coated

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 2105mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 6mg