Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

For the tofu

1 (16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained 

Vegetable oil, for frying

For the spice blend

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the “buttermilk” marinade

1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk, like soy milk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice 

For the breading

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional.

Method

Tear the tofu into pieces:

Blot the tofu dry with paper towels, then use your hands to break it into quarters. Split each quarter in half (revealing the center of the block), then tear in half the other way, creating 16 evenly-sized pieces.

Thaw the tofu:

Transfer the tofu pieces to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. If they’re still frozen when you’re ready to start cooking, defrost them in the microwave at 50 percent power, flipping every minute.

Press the tofu: 

Set aside the parchment-lined baking sheet. Sandwich the tofu between several layers of paper towels and press with your hands to release any excess moisture. Continue this process until very little moisture transfers to the towels.

Make the spice blend: 

Place the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk with a fork to combine and set aside.

Marinate the tofu: 

Whisk together the soy milk, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of the spice blend in a medium bowl.

Add the thawed tofu to the marinade, tossing to coat. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the pieces until mostly submerged. Let sit at room temperature, stirring halfway, for at least for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Make the flour mixture: 

While the nuggets are marinating, whisk the flour, nutritional yeast, and cayenne pepper (if using) into the bowl with the remaining spice blend. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the marinade to create small clumps throughout the mixture. 

Dredge the nuggets: 

Remove the nuggets from the marinade, giving them one final dunk and then letting any excess drip off. Dip them, one at a time, in the flour mixture until all sides are coated. Shake off any excess, then place on the reserved baking sheet.