5 easy ways to make Vegan Shredded Chicken recipe

Jump to Recipe

This tasty vegan shredded chicken recipe can be made in 5 easy ways – 1 recipe, and 5 delicious ways to make it. It’s a fantastic versatile plant-based chicken recipe! And it only needs 1 ingredient. Serve this fall-apart delicious vegan tender shreddable meat with Beans or drizzles with a big pot of saucy, rich, Barbecue or chipotle sauce. Stuff in tacos, serve over fluffy rice, or eat like stew!

It’s one of the best vegan chicken recipes! It has that real texture of chicken and it’s loaded with flavors, delicious chewy chicken texture, and it’s my favorite way to make vegan chicken. It’s a simple recipe made with easy ingredients that most of us on a vegan diet already have in our kitchen or as our stable pantry ingredients. And the many options mean it’s also perfect for a gluten-free diet! I like to slather my vegan chicken strips slathered with my favorite barbecue sauce, but you can also easily serve this tasty vegan chicken in a vegan chicken salad or use it to make the best plant-based turkey sandwich – because this amazing plant-based recipe can double as a vegan turkey. 

If you’re looking for a make-on-repeat, no one will ever guess it’s a vegan chicken recipe then this easy shredded chicken recipe is the one for you. You can make it in 5 different ways using simple ingredients that pack a huge flavor punch – with firm tofu, golden stir fries tempeh shreds, cooked seitan, meaty eggplant pulled into shreds, or meaty umami mushroom shreds. Just follow the easy step-by-step guide and you can transform any of these tasty vegan ingredients into the best vegan chicken or plant-based turkey shreds. Yum! 

In this easy vegan shredded chicken recipe, we’re covering

• Best vegan chicken substitutes and alternatives
• Equipment needed to make plant-based shredded chicken
• Tips and tricks for making the best vegan shredded chicken
• How to vegan shredded chicken with tofu and Tempeh
• Recipe to make delicious vegan shredded poultry with eggplants, mushrooms, or jackfruit
• The best vegan Easy vegan Barbecue Sauce recipe
• Vegan chicken marinade
• Serving ideas for vegan chicken
• FAQs

There are a lot of delicious vegan chicken and poultry alternatives available these days.

Here are a few popular mock meats options that can take the place of chicken and turkey any day:

1. Tofu:

• Tofu is a versatile vegan protein source that you can use as a chicken substitute in a variety of dishes. It’s high in protein and has a mild flavor that you can easily season to mimic chicken. One of the great things about tofu is its naturally meaty texture, plus its ability to soak up all the seasonings you add. Use it to shred into chicken or slice it into chicken breasts. Just pat it dry with a paper towel, season with your favorite poultry seasoning, or brush with miso paste and a little BBQ sauce, and fry golden in a little oil in a couple of minutes.

2. Eggplant/aubergines:

• eggplants have a great meaty texture that is great for ripping and shredding into strips. And because eggplants soak up all flavors and seasonings it’s amazing for turning into vegan chicken strips. With the right marinade or bbq sauce you can turn it into the tastiest vegan chicken shreds that are almost like regular pulled chicken or pulled pork.

3. Mushrooms:

• especially King oyster mushrooms are great for shredding. Oyster mushrooms have that real chicken consistency. It’s also loaded with delicious umami flavor that gives a chicken taste while being 100% plant-based. It’s one of the great meat alternatives that is sauteed in a frying pan until golden and crispy. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and make it a vegan lemon chicken recipe. Yum!

4. Seitan:

• Seitan is a wheat-based protein that has a chewy texture similar to chicken. It’s also high in protein and you can easily season it to mimic the flavor of chicken. You can easily make your own seitan dough (see my easy how-to-make seitan recipe here. It uses vital wheat gluten and is very simple. Alternatively, you can get shreddable seitan chicken ready-made from your nearest well-stocked grocery store or local health food stores). Shredded chicken seitan is one of the great protein sources for vegans and the seitan taste is naturally neutral and picks up all the tasty spice mix toppings you add. You can make this easy vegan seitan chicken recipe into seitan shreds by pulling it apart with your fingers or using a fork to shred the chicken. Note: Seitan is not gluten-free. For a gluten-free option, you can use of of the other ingredients suggested to make your vegan chicken shreds.

5. Soy curls:

• Soy curls are made from whole soybeans that have been cooked, then dehydrated. They have a texture similar to shredded chicken and you can use it in a variety of dishes. They’re also high in protein and low in fat.

6. Jackfruit:

• Jackfruit is a tropical fruit. It has a meaty texture and you can use it as a chicken substitute in dishes like BBQ pulled chicken or chicken curry. It doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own, but you can season it to taste like chicken.

Equipment needed to make the best vegan chicken and turkey slices

You don’t even need a food processor to make this amazing shredded chicken recipe. All you need is your main ingredient of choice; eggplants, tofu, tempeh, seitan, jackfruit, or mushrooms, and these few key pieces of equipment:

Sharp knife – you may like to use a knife to cut the first slice before you rip the ingredients into shredded chicken.

Two forks – you need two forks to shred the main ingredient into the vegan chicken shreds. Alternatively, you can use your fingers to pull the eggplant, tofu, or your ingredients apart into shreds. It’s so simple.

A non-stick frying pan or sautee pan – I like to use a non-stick frying pan to fry my vegan chicken into golden shreds of deliciousness. Alternatively, you can line a baking sheet with baking parchment and bake the vega chicken in the oven until it’s golden brown.

Here are some tips and tricks for making vegan shredded chicken:

1. Choose the right protein: Use plant-based proteins such as soy, wheat gluten, or pea protein to create vegan shredded chicken. They all have a similar texture to chicken when cooked and you can season to enhance their flavor.

2. Add flavor: Vegan shredded chicken can be bland on its own, so it’s essential to add flavor. You can marinate it in your favorite spices or sauces before cooking or add seasoning during cooking. Some great seasoning to add is smoked paprika, poultry seasoning, thyme, oregano, salt, and peppers…or slather it all in BBQ sauce to make it an ultra-luxe shredded plant-based chicken. Yum!

3. Use a slow cooker: A slow cooker is an excellent tool for making vegan shredded chicken. It allows the protein to cook slowly, resulting in a tender and juicy texture.

4. Be careful not to overcook: Overcooking vegan shredded chicken can result in a dry and tough texture. Cook it until it’s just tender enough to shred.

5. Golden crispy shredded plant-based chicken: if you prefer your vegan shredded chicken to be crispy and golden rather than juicy and tender, try frying or baking at higher temperatures. Let the edges crisp up while keeping an eye on the shreds not getting burnt. For extra golden crispy edges, I like to add more vegetable oil and let the shreds fry in a little marinade for the last two minutes of frying.

6. Shred while it’s still warm: Shredding vegan chicken while it’s still warm will make the process easier and prevent it from clumping together.

7. Store it properly: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for a few days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove.

How to make the best easy vegan shredded chicken with tofu and tempeh

Here’s a simple recipe for shredded tofu chicken:

Key Ingredients:

• 1 block of extra-firm tofu or tempeh
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Note: if you have 30 minutes extra time you can replace the seasoning with a marinade (try my easy marinade to get extra flavor-packed shredded chicken).

Easy Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Drain the tofu or tempeh and pat it dry with paper towels. Crumble it into small pieces or use a tofu press to create a shredded texture.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

4. Add the crumbled tofu or tempeh to the bowl. Toss to coat evenly in the seasoning mixture.

5. Spread the seasoned tofu or tempeh out on the lined baking sheet in a single layer.

6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is crispy and browned on the edges.

7. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before shredding with a fork.

8. Serve and enjoy!

How to make shredded tofu or tempeh chicken in a frying pan

Drain the tofu or tempeh and pat it dry with paper towels. Crumble it into small pieces or use a tofu press to create a shredded texture.

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

Add the crumbled tofu or tempeh to the bowl. Toss to coat evenly in the seasoning mixture.

Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan and transfer the shredded tofu or tempeh to the pan. Cook at high heat while stirring occasionally until the vegan chicken is golden brown and crispy in places.

Once the ‘chicken’ is ready, remove it from the heat and serve. Enjoy!

Here’s a recipe for shredded vegan chicken made with mushrooms, eggplants, or jackfruit:

Key Ingredients:

• 2 cups of mushrooms (oyster king or button mushrooms), or eggplant or jackfruit
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Note: Have 30 minutes extra time? Replace the seasoning with a simple marinade. Try my easy marinade to get extra flavor-packed shredded chicken (found below or on the recipe card.)

Easy cooking Instructions:

Clean the mushrooms (eggplants or jackfruit) and pull them into thin strips. You can use a knife to cut a slice in the vegetables to make it easier to pull them into sheds. Alternatively, you can slice them thinly.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, eggplants, or jackfruit. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Add the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Mix well to coat the mushrooms (eggplants, or jackfruit).

Pour the marinade if using, stirring constantly as the ‘chicken’ fries. Bring the mixture to a simmer and continue stirring until it thickens and coats the mushrooms.

Reduce the heat to low and let the ‘chicken’ simmer for 5-10 minutes until they are golden browned and the mushrooms (eggplants or jackfruit) are tender.

Using a fork, shred the mushroom mixture into small “chicken-like” pieces if you want them even smaller.

Serve the shredded vegan chicken on a sandwich, in tacos, on top of a salad, or any way you like!

This shredded vegan chicken made with mushrooms, eggplant, or jackfruit is packed with flavor and is a great plant-based alternative to traditional shredded chicken. Enjoy!

Here’s an easy and delicious vegan BBQ sauce recipe that will work great with vegan chicken:

Key Ingredients for Making plant-based shredded Chicken Barbecue Sauce that everyone will adore:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Vegan Chicken BBQ sauce Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk together until smooth.

2. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

3. Brush the sauce onto your vegan chicken or use it as a marinade.

4. Grill or bake your vegan chicken according to your preferred method until cooked through.

5. Brush more sauce onto the chicken halfway through cooking, and again just before serving.

Enjoy your delicious and vegan BBQ chicken with this tasty and easy BBQ sauce recipe!

Here’s a flavorful and easy vegan marinade recipe that works well with vegan meat substitutes:

Ingredients for making plant based Marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions for making vegan Marinade

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk together until well-mixed.

2. Add your vegan meat substitute (such as tofu, tempeh, or seitan) to the bowl and toss to coat with the marinade.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the mixture to an airtight container.

4. Place the container in the refrigerator and let the vegan meat marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

5. When ready to cook, remove the vegan meat substitute from the marinade and discard any excess marinade.

6. Grill, bake or pan-fry your vegan meat substitute according to your preferred method until cooked through.

Enjoy your tasty and flavorful vegan meat substitute with this delicious and easy marinade recipe!

10 delicious ways you can serve shredded vegan chicken – all the best plant-based chicken serving options

1. Tacos: Shredded vegan chicken tacos are always a crowd-pleaser. Serve the plant-based chicken in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings like salsa, avocado, and cheese.

2. Sandwiches: Shredded vegan chicken makes a delicious sandwich filling. Try it in a classic chicken salad sandwich or in a BBQ chicken sandwich with coleslaw. Everyone will think it’s a real chicken sandwich!

3. Salads: Add shredded vegan chicken to a bed of greens for a filling and healthy salad. Top with your favorite veggies, nuts, and dressings.

4. Soups: Shredded vegetarian chicken adds plant-based protein and flavor to soups like chicken noodle soup or tortilla soup. It’s a great plant-based alternative recipes where you would traditionally use chicken.

5. Pizza: Use shredded vegan chicken as a pizza topping along with your favorite veggies, cheese, and sauce.

6. Quesadillas: this easy recipe can be used as Shredded vegan turkey or chicken along with cheese to make a delicious filling for quesadillas. Add veggies like peppers and onions for extra flavor.

7. Pasta dishes: Add shredded vegan chicken to pasta dishes like fettuccine Alfredo or spaghetti with marinara sauce.

8. Baked potatoes: Top a baked potato with this easy plant-based shredded chicken, cheese, and your favorite toppings like sour cream and chives.

9. Stir-fry: Add shredded vegan chicken to stir-fry dishes along with veggies and sauce for a quick and easy meal.

10. Rice bowls: Add vegan chicken shreds to a rice bowl along with your favorite veggies, beans, and sauce for a healthy and filling meal.

These are just a few ideas for serving shredded vegan chicken. Get creative and try adding it to your favorite dishes for an easy and delicious protein boost!

Faqs about vegan shredded chicken

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

We would love to know how it turned out! Please let us know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag us @munchyesta