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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Meaty Vegan Seitan Chicken

    Published: May 20, 2021 · Modified: Jun 2, 2021 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    4 pieces of vegan tenders in a black pan garnished with chopped cilantro with text overlay.

    This vegan seitan chicken is super meaty and chewy, making it a great high-protein meat substitute! Easy to make and can be grilled, fried or baked. They are freezable too, which makes them a great recipe to meal prep on the weekends.

    A few pieces of seitan chicken in a black pan with one of it being sliced into pieces. They are topped with chopped cilantro.

    I wouldn't say that this seitan chicken taste exactly like chicken, but its texture is pretty darn close to it ! It works really well as a meat replacement in any kinds of meals, and is super high in protein as well.

    The star ingredient in this recipe is vital wheat gluten, and it is what gives these vegan chicken a super meaty texture.

    Jump to:
    • 🌾What is vital wheat gluten
    • 🧂What you will need
    • 📓Notes / Substitutions
    • 🔪How to make
    • 🍗How to use
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More high-protein vegan mains
    • 📖 Recipe

    🌾What is vital wheat gluten

    Let me first introduce the star of today's recipe - vital wheat gluten ! It is a flour that consist of mainly gluten, which is the protein that is found in wheat, hence making it super high in protein.

    Vital wheat gluten can be made by hydrating wheat flour to activate gluten. It is then being processed so that only gluten is left behind. The lump of gluten is then being dried and grounded into a fine powder.

    You can find it in most well-stocked groceries, either in the baking aisle or health aisle. It can also be found in health food stores or through online retailers like Amazon. ( I am using the Bob's Red Mill brand. )

    🧂What you will need

    Ingredients needed to make this recipe like nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, vital wheat gluten, whole wheat flour, soy sauce, garlic and onion powder arranged on a white background.

    📓Notes / Substitutions

    • Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or coconut aminos.
    • Whole-wheat flour - You can use chickpea flour or all purpose flour in place.
    • Liquid smoke - An optional ingredient, but I find that it gives seitan chicken a nice hint of smokiness. You can also use ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika in place.
    • Other spices - Feel free to add-in other spices that complements this recipe like dried thyme, sage and parsley.

    🔪How to make

    In a large mixing bowl, combine together vital wheat gluten, whole-wheat flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir until everything is well combined.

    A 2 picture collage showing mixing dry ingredients in a glass bowl.

    Next, add in soy sauce, liquid smoke and water. Stir well until a dough forms. The dough should be moist to touch, but not sticky. Add water or vital wheat gluten a tablespoon at a time, if needed.

    Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for roughly 30 seconds. Do not overdo with the kneading or your seitan will come out tough! Separate the dough into 6 equal parts and shape them into the shape of tenders.

    A 2 picture collage of first showing seitan dough in a glass bowl, then showing shaped seitan dough on a parchment paper.

    Wrap each piece individually in aluminum foil.

    In a pot, add in a few inches of water and insert in a steamer basket. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Place wrapped chicken pieces in and steam for 25 minutes.

    Let them cool down slightly before removing them from foil. You can now prepare these vegan chicken however you like !

    A 2 picture collage of first showing uncooked seitan tenders wrapped in aluminum foil, then showing steamed seitan chicken pieces on a white plate.

    🍗How to use

    Simply use these vegan chicken tenders like you would use chicken breast ! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it :

    • Pan-fry them either in some oil or vegan butter. You can also cook them without oil, but do be sure to use a good non-stick pan. Fry them for a few minutes on each sides, until both sides are crispy and golden brown.
    • Chop them up into small pieces and add them into stir-fries.
    • You can also cut them up and use them in curries, soups or stews.
    • I love marinating them in sauces, particularly in some homemade teriyaki sauce before baking them at 200 c / 400 f for around 20 minutes until golden.
    • They can also be chopped up into bite sized pieces to be grilled on skewers.
    4 vegan chicken tenders in a cast iron pan topped with cilantro. There is a few stalks of cilantro besides the tenders.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    How long can it last in the fridge and can it be frozen ?

    Store seitan chicken in sealed containers and it can be refrigerated for a week. They are freezable too ! To freeze, place them in freezable containers or zip-top bags. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    To reheat frozen vegan chicken, simply let it thaw in the fridge overnight or on countertop for a few hours. You can then cook them up however you like.

    Why mine turned out to be tough and rubbery ?

    If you seitan chicken turns out to be really tough, chances are you had knead the dough for too long. The more you knead the dough, the more the gluten flour develops which leads to tougher seitan.

    The opposite is also true. So if you find that yours too soft and not chewy enough, try kneading them for a little longer next time.

    Does it contain protein ?

    This seitan chicken contains a significant amount of protein, which is about 25g of protein per serving. This is because the main ingredient in this recipe - gluten flour, is super high in wheat protein !

    Can they be made gluten-free ?

    Unfortunately, these vegan chicken are not and cannot be made gluten-free. Vital wheat gluten is the key ingredient in giving seitan its meaty texture, and it is close to impossible to substitute them.

    I do recommend checking out this post on making gluten-free seitan by one green planet if you are sensitive to gluten.

    A fork taking up a slice of seitan chicken from a pan. There is a few pieces of tenders in the background.

    🍽More high-protein vegan mains

    • Meaty Vegan TVP Meatballs
    • Meaty High Protein Vegan TVP Burgers
    • Vegan Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce
    • Easy Healthy Vegan TVP Taco Meat (high protein!)

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    Seitan chicken in a cast iron pan.

    Meaty Vegan Seitan Chicken

    Meesha
    This vegan seitan chicken is super meaty and chewy, making it a great high-protein meat substitute ! Easy to make and can be grilled, fried or baked.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 tenders
    Calories 147 kcal

    Equipment

    • steamer basket
    • Mixing bowl

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 ½ cup vital wheat gluten
    • ⅓ cup whole-wheat flour *
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 ¼ cup water
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
    • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke ( optional )
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine together vital wheat gluten, whole-wheat flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir until everything is well combined.
    • Next, add in soy sauce, liquid smoke and water. Stir well until a dough forms. The dough should be moist to touch, but not sticky. Add water or vital wheat gluten a tablespoon at a time, if needed.
    • Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for roughly 30 seconds. Do not overdo with the kneading or your seitan will come out tough!
    • Separate the dough into 6 equal parts and shape them into the shape of tenders. Wrap each piece individually in aluminum foil.
    • In a pot, add in a few inches of water and insert in a steamer basket. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Place wrapped chicken pieces in and steam for 25 minutes.
    • Let them cool down slightly before removing them from foil. You can now prepare them however you like.

    Video

    Notes

    *Whole-wheat flour - You can use chickpea flour or all purpose flour in place.
    To store - Let them cool down completely, then store them in sealed containers or zip-top bags. They can be refrigerated for a week, or be frozen for up to 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 25gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 349mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !
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    Hi, I am Meesha, the human behind My Plantiful Cooking! Expect to find plant-powered recipes that are easy to make and wholesome without compromising on taste.

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