On July 6th, people around America rush to grab forks, knives, and napkins in order to celebrate the ultimate comfort food – fried chicken. This Southern dish has become a beloved staple because it’s just so darn irresistible. The gauge of a truly good piece of fried chicken is the skin – light, crispy and flaky, or crunchy and spicy? This holds true for the vegan versions, too! While we’re not in a position to answer this highly contested question, we can give you some examples on either side of the fence and let you decide for yourself.

That’s right, you can indulge in a vegan version one of the best comfort foods around without sacrificing flavor, texture, or taste. We’ve got 15 mouthwatering, plant-based recipes for fried chicken that really do, “taste like chicken”… except better! If you’re looking for easy ways to make meat substitutes in your home, download the Food Monster App. From a vegan pot roast to pulled pork sandwiches, the Food Monster App has recipes that will satisfy your cravings. But if you’re craving fried chicken, then this is the place for you. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to eat!

1. Spicy Fried ‘Chicken’ Sandwich 

Crispy, crunchy, spicy, and reminiscent of something you would order in a fast food joint. The patty in these Spicy Fried “Chicken” Sandwich is made from vital wheat gluten that has been cooked in vegan chicken broth, then dredged and fried in a spicy batter until crisp and golden. Serve this crispy patty with your favorite greens and a creamy sauce that’s addictively spicy.

2. Fried ‘Chicken’ 

In this Fried “Chicken“, texturized vegetable protein slices stand in the for the chicken. The slices are wrapped in rice paper wrappers, which make an awesome crispy skin. These are weirdly and amazingly awesome. Anyone who is or was a fan of fried chicken will love this dish.

3. Crispy Tofu Nuggets 

These Crispy Tofu Nuggets are a vegan twist on a traditional favorite and beat the fast food variety any day. If you don’t want to deep fry them, you can also fry them in a skillet until golden brown. The curry ketchup is a unique dipping sauce that packs a punch and perfectly complements the dish. It also goes great with your morning tofu scramble eggs!

4. Chicken and Waffles 

Crispy fried “chicken” on top of a fluffy stack of waffles… What could be better?! Whether it’s the hot sauce baked into the tofu chicken, the sprinkle of rosemary, or the truffle oil in the waffles, this dish is full of tasty surprises. With such beautiful presentation, this “‘Chicken” and Waffles is a must at your next weekend brunch. Don’t forget the maple syrup!

5. Chicken-less Burgers

This fried Chicken-less Burger is going to come out really, really well and are actually pretty simple to make. You basically just throw it all in a bowl together and mash it up. Just be sure you don’t leave these burgers in the oven too long, or they’ll dry out. Enjoy!

6. ‘Chicken’ and Waffles With Spicy Maple Syrup

Say hello to the ultimate Southern comfort breakfast – “Chicken” and Waffles With Spicy Maple Syrup. Crispy vegan chickpea chicken on top of fluffy waffles topped with spicy maple syrup! The cutlets are made from a combination of chickpeas and vital wheat gluten, which gives it a satisfying, meaty texture. They’re paired with fluffy waffles and a spicy-sweet maple syrup that will have you licking your plate.

7. Jackfruit Fried Chicken 

The stringy texture of young jackfruit lends itself perfectly for emulating pulled pork or chicken recipes. In this one, jackfruit is marinated in a creamy soy milk marinade, battered in zesty breadcrumbs, and fried to perfection. Enjoy this Jackfruit Fried Chicken with your favorite vegan mayonnaise or ranch dip.

Recommendation: Download the Food Monster App

If you enjoy articles like this and want more, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App. For those that don’t have it, it’s a brilliant Food app available for both Android and iPhone. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and more find awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos. The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions.

The Food Monster app has over 8000+ recipes and 500 are free. To access the rest, you have to pay a subscription fee but it’s totally worth it because not only do you get instant access to 8000+ recipes, you get 10 NEW recipes every day! You can also make meal plans, add bookmarks, read feature stories, and browse recipes across hundreds of categories like diet, cuisine, meal type, occasion, ingredient, popular, seasonal, and so much more!

8. High-Protein Tofu ‘Chicken’ Fillets

These High-Protein Tofu “Chicken” Fillets are really easy to make, super tasty, and made from tofu and chickpea flour, so they’re high in protein and gluten-free. They’re soft on the inside and a bit crispy, outside, and the mushroom gravy works so well with it. Plus, the sweet potato mash provides delicious carb! This recipe takes about 35 minutes to make given you time everything well.

9. Beer Battered Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms 

The only thing better than a hot dinner after a long day is one that’s quick and easy to make. This recipe for Beer Battered Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms is just that. These beer battered mushrooms are filling and full of subtle flavor. Customize the recipe with whatever spices you like!

10. Chick’n Style Seitan Cutlets 

If you need a delicious replacement for chicken in your recipes, then look no further than these Chick’n Style Seitan Cutlets. The baking times may vary a bit depending on how crispy you want your final product, but regardless of the outside, I love the substantial texture of these cutlets and they have a subtle salty flavor that is reminiscent of the real thing. Most of the cook time involved with this recipe is hands-off.

11. Potato Chick’n Tenders 

Get ready for you new favorite vehicle for sauce – these Potato Chick’n Tenders are delicious, savory, and begging to be dipped in the sauce of your choice. They have a creamy mashed potato center that’s chalked full of classic poultry spices, then coated in hash browns and baked to crispy, golden-brown perfection in the oven. The only problem with these tasty bites is deciding what dipping sauce you’re going to pair them with.

12. Tofu Sticky Fingers With Blue Cheese Sauce

These Tofu Sticky Fingers With Blue Cheese Sauce are the ultimate game day treat. The tofu crispy tofu is marinated well before being tossed in a tangy, sweet sauce and served with a decadent, chunky blue ‘cheese’ sauce to dip in.

13. Crispy Sweet Potato Sandwiches 

“World’s Greatest Sandwich” isn’t a term anybody should throw around lightly and yet, here these Crispy Sweet Potato Sandwiches. They look like fast food patties on the outside, but on the inside, they’re soft and tender. Made from rice and sweet potato and coated in herbed breadcrumbs, then fried until crispy, they’ll satisfy all your crunchy sandwich cravings. Top with traditional fare like pickles, lettuce, and ketchup or get creative with your own toppings.

14. Breaded Jackfruit Cutlets

Young, tender jackfruit is steamed and then shredded to give it the texture of pulled pork and then combined with potatoes and shaped into patties. They’re breaded and fried, so they’re crispy on the outside with a soft, but meaty texture on the inside – just like fried chicken! Serve these crispy Breaded Jackfruit Cutlets on buns with lettuce, tomato, and onions like you would with patties or serve them on their own with a side of vegetables.

15. Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets 

These oven-fried Crispy CauliflowerNuggets are guaranteed to be the star of your dinner night, parties … everything! The secret is to cook flour covered cauliflower slowly in coconut oil. The slow oven baking helps to crisp up the outside without having undercooked cauliflower.

Hot dang – that was finger-lickin’ good! If you want more delectable recipes for any future food cravings, download the Food Monster App.

Lead image source: “‘Chicken” and Waffles