These Vegan Chicken Nuggets (i.e., tofu nuggets) are crispy, juicy, and totally delicious—just like everyone’s favorite, Chick-fil-A! Made with a light breading and classic seasonings, they’re easy to make with two different cooking variations: air frying and baking. Serve the nuggets with vegan BBQ sauce and vegan sweet potato waffle fries for a satisfying comfort food meal.
This recipe was originally published on September 16, 2022. It was updated with new recipe information and tips on July 27, 2025.
This vegan chicken nuggets recipe was the happiest of accidents, created one day when playing around with a new concept for crispy air fryer tofu bites.
I’m a big fan of tofu in its many forms; I could eat it every day, whether scrambled, crumbled, crispy, baked, shredded, turned into a cheese, in pasta, and grilled. I had yet to nail down the perfect crispy tofu recipe, but what came out of the air fryer was so much more. With a crispy, savory-seasoned exterior and hot and meaty interiors, I had stumbled upon my new favorite crispy tofu chicken nuggets recipe!
These tofu nuggets looked and tasted so similar to Chick-fil-A’s famous nuggets, I knew I had landed on something special. When I offered them to Baby J, she gobbled them up! Although they taste like fast food, they’re rich in plant-based protein, much lower in fat than their deep-fried chicken counterparts, and made with absolutely no processed meat, artificial flavors, or fillers. A triple win!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chicken Nuggets Recipe:
- Crisp, Juicy, and Meaty: They’re everything a “chicken” nugget should be!
- Wholesome and Healthy: These vegan nuggets are worlds better-for-us than chicken store-bought or restaurant-made alternatives. They’re air-fried or baked with just two tablespoons of oil (no deep-frying here!) and made with nutritious whole foods.
- Kid-Approved: My school-aged daughter requests these nuggets regularly. She also loves helping me prepare them — they’re quick and easy to make, a fun dinner recipe for the whole family.
- High in Protein: You don’t need to worry about missing your protein goals with these vegan nuggets. Tofu is high in complete plant-based protein, and each serving delivers about 17 grams!
- Made with Pantry Staples: That’s right, no special trip to the grocery store required! I always keep tofu on hand, making this vegan chicken nuggets recipe a go-to last-minute dinner idea.
Ingredients
As promised, you’ll only need a handful of common pantry staples:
Extra Firm Tofu: This is, of course, the star of this tofu nuggets recipe. Extra firm tofu gives them the perfect meaty texture. Start by pressing your tofu for 20 minutes to remove excess water. You can skip this step if you don’t have time (or use super from tofu), but pressing does enhance the texture and flavor.
Dill Pickle Juice: Dill pickle juice adds tang and subtle sweetness, which balances out the savory flavor of the other ingredients. Measure liquid from a jar of dill pickles. Don’t have it on hand? See my easy swaps below.
Tamari Soy Sauce: Ever eat a vegan recipe and think, “something is missing”? It’s often umami, the savory delicious factor you get from MSG, mushrooms, meat, and tomato paste. Tamari soy sauce is also full of umami flavor, and a must for any vegan meat alternative.
Sugar: Just a touch (1/2 teaspoon) sweetens the marinade, balancing its tang and salt.
Oil: You only need 2 tablespoons to crisp up the nuggets and prevent them from sticking to the air fryer basket or pan. I often use olive oil, but you can also use avocado or canola oil.
Flour: This is sprinkled onto the tofu cubes with the seasonings, taking the place of a batter or slurry and helping the nuggets get nice and crispy.
Seasonings: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper!
Super Swaps & Substitutions
Don’t have all the ingredients or need to adapt it to your dietary needs? This recipe is super flexible and adaptable:
Rather not use tofu? Replace tofu with oyster mushrooms, cauliflower, or a store-bought vegan chicken alternative.
Soy free? Swap the tofu (above), and use coconut liquid aminos instead of soy sauce.
Don’t use wheat flour? I most often use all-purpose flour to coat the nuggets. Gluten-free eaters can try chickpea flour, rice flour, or even cornstarch.
No dill pickle juice? Swap 1 tablespoon of apple cider or white vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon of water.
Avoiding oil? Simply omit the oil or reduce it to 1 tablespoon. The vegan chicken nuggets won’t be as crispy, but they’ll still be super tasty.
How to Make Vegan Chicken Nuggets
Whether air frying or baking (directions below), these plant-based and vegetarian chicken nuggets are ready in just a handful of anyone-can-do-it steps:
- Crumble Tofu. Using your hands, tear the pressed tofu into nugget-sized pieces, dropping them into a large mixing bowl. The pieces can be as large or small as you’d like, but remember that they will reduce in size as they cook.
- Make Tofu Marinade. In a separate bowl, whisk the dill pickle juice, soy sauce, sugar, and olive oil together until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the tofu and gently toss until well combined.
- Season Tofu. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt over the tofu. Gently stir until the pieces are evenly coated in the seasonings.
- Add Tofu to Air Fryer. Line the bottom of the air fryer basket with a piece of parchment paper. Place the tofu in the air fryer, and spread evenly. Spray more oil onto the tops of the tofu.
- Air Fry. Cook the tofu for 20 minutes at 375°F, flipping halfway through. If the tofu is still not crispy after 20 minutes, cook another 5 minutes or until crispy but still juicy inside. Be careful not to burn.
Baking Directions
Don’t have or want to use an air fryer? I got you! It’s super simple to make crispy baked tofu nuggets:
- Prepare. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Season. Crumble the tofu and season it as directed in the air frying instructions.
- Bake. Spread the nuggets out on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
Jenné’s Recipe Tip
- How to press tofu: Wrap the tofu in a couple of sheets of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Place the tofu on a baking dish, and put something heavy (such as a cast iron skillet or heavy cookbook) on top and press for at least 20 minutes or until the tofu is your preferred consistency. Or buy a tofu press.
- Mix the marinade well. Combine the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until the sugar has dissolved before adding the tofu.
- Marinate longer for more flavor. If desired and you have the time, cover and refrigerate the bowl of marinated tofu for up to a few hours before seasoning and cooking.
- Prevent sticking. Line the bottom of the air fryer basket with a fitted piece of parchment paper before adding the tofu. Don’t have parchment? Spray the basket with non-stick cooking oil or brush it with canola or avocado oil before adding the nuggets. For an extra crispy finish, spray the top of the tofu with additional oil before air frying.
- Adjust the cooking time. If the nuggets aren’t crisped to your liking by the end of the air fry or baking time, add cooking time in 5-minute intervals until they are golden and crispy. For juicy nuggets with a crispy exterior (just like Chick-fil-A!), I recommend adding no more than 5 minutes. However, they can be cooked longer if you prefer them super dry and crunchy.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Cool the nuggets completely before placing them in an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the tofu nuggets to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat them from frozen in the air fryer or the oven, following the original cooking instructions.
- Reheating: Reheat the nuggets in a 350°F air fryer for 5 minutes or a 350°F toaster oven for 10 minutes or until recrisped and heated through.
More Easy Vegan Copycat Recipes
-
1 air fryer (optional) Here’s a link to the one I use
Prevent your screen from going dark
-
Using your hands, break the pressed tofu into nugget-sized pieces, dropping them into a large mixing bowl. The pieces can be as large or small as you’d like, but keep in mind that they will reduce in size as they cook.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk the dill pickle juice, soy sauce, sugar, and olive oil together until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the tofu and gently toss until well combined.
-
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt over the tofu. Gently stir until the pieces are evenly coated in the seasonings.
Air Frying
-
Line the bottom of the air fryer basket with a piece of parchment paper. Pour the tofu into the air fryer, and spread evenly. Spray more oil onto the tops of the tofu.
-
Air fry the tofu for 20 minutes at 375°F, flipping halfway through. If the tofu is still not crispy after 20 minutes, cook another 5 minutes or until crispy but still juicy inside. Be careful not to burn. Enjoy hot with vegan BBQ sauce and sweet potato fries or waffle fries.
Baking
-
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375°F.
-
Spread the nuggets out on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. If needed, add extra cooking time in 5-minute intervals until crispy but still juicy inside. Enjoy hot with vegan BBQ sauce and sweet potato fries or waffle fries.
- Refrigerating: Cool the nuggets completely before placing them in an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the tofu nuggets to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat them from frozen in the air fryer or the oven, following the original cooking instructions.
- Reheating: Reheat the nuggets in a 350°F air fryer for 5 minutes or a 350°F toaster oven for 10 minutes or until recrisped and heated through.
Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips
- How to press tofu: Wrap the tofu in a couple of sheets of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Place the tofu on a baking dish, and put something heavy (such as a cast iron skillet or heavy cookbook) on top and press for at least 20 minutes or until the tofu is your preferred consistency.
- Mix the marinade well. Combine the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until the sugar has dissolved before adding the tofu.
- Marinate longer for more flavor. If desired and you have the time, cover and refrigerate the bowl of marinated tofu for up to a few hours before seasoning and cooking.
- Prevent sticking. Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking oil or brush it with canola or avocado oil before adding the nuggets. For an extra crispy finish, spray the top of the tofu with oil before air frying.
- Adjust the cooking time. If the nuggets aren’t crisped to your liking by the end of the air fry or baking time, add cooking time in 5-minute intervals until they are golden and crispy. For juicy nuggets with a crispy exterior (just like Chick-fil-A!), I recommend adding no more than 5 minutes. They can be cooked longer if you prefer them super dry and crunchy, however.
Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 905mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 800mg | Iron: 0.5mg