Tofu is a versatile ingredient that can be transformed into a remarkable chicken substitute with the right marinade and cooking techniques The goal is to infuse flavor and achieve a texture that closely mimics the mouthfeel of poultry. With a few simple tricks, you can make tofu taste just like juicy, savory chicken in your favorite dishes.
Understanding How to Marinate Tofu
Tofu on its own is quite bland, which is why marinating is key. Marinades impart flavor and allow the tofu to soak up spices, herbs, and other seasonings. This gives it the savory, chicken-like taste
The marinade also penetrates the porous texture of the tofu. Freezing, thawing, and pressing the tofu helps remove water and open up the structure so it can absorb more marinade.
Choosing the Right Tofu
For the best results, use extra firm or super firm tofu. These varieties have the lowest moisture content and hold their shape well during marinating and cooking. Avoid silken or soft tofu as they are too delicate.
Make sure to press the tofu before marinating to remove excess water. This allows it to soak up much more flavor. Freezing and thawing will also create ice crystals that leave the tofu sponge-like with an improved texture.
Crafting a Chicken-Like Marinade
A marinade for tofu should focus on adding rich, savory umami flavor. Here are some key ingredients to include:
- Soy sauce or tamari – Provides salty, umami notes similar to chicken
- Nutritional yeast – Adds nutty, cheesy flavor that mimics chicken
- Broths – Vegetable or mushroom broth enhances savoriness
- Garlic and onion – Essential aromatics that give a well-rounded base
- Herbs – Rosemary, thyme, sage impart chicken-like flavors
- Spices – Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper
- Acid – Lemon juice or vinegar helps marination
- Sweetener – Maple syrup, agave, brown sugar (small amounts)
Combining these ingredients allows you to build complex layers of flavor. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.
Cooking Methods for Chicken-Like Texture
How you cook the marinated tofu also affects the final chicken-like qualities:
- Pan-frying creates a crispy exterior similar to fried chicken
- Baking ensures even cooking and prevents squishy tofu
- Air frying gives a crispy texture with less oil than pan-frying
Cook the tofu until heated through and lightly browned. Baking at a higher temperature helps remove moisture. Pan-frying provides crunch while retaining some tenderness within.
Advanced Tips and Tricks
Take your tofu game even further with these additional techniques:
- Brining before pressing adds moisture for a juicier end result
- Smoking the tofu provides smoky chicken-like flavor from the start
- Dredging in flour/spices/breadcrumbs gives a crispy, coated exterior
You can also experiment with using different broths, herbs, spices, and sauces in your marinade. Barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce, jerk seasoning, cajun spices, and poultry seasoning all work wonderfully.
FAQ About Making Tofu Taste Like Chicken
What is the best marinade recipe for tofu chicken?
My go-to marinade includes soy sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion, broth, herbs, spices, lemon juice, and maple syrup. The combination coats the tofu with delicious umami flavor.
How long does it take to marinate tofu?
At minimum, marinate tofu for 30 minutes, but longer is better. For the most flavorful tofu chicken, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
What is the tofu freezer trick?
Freezing and thawing tofu transforms the texture, making it spongy with lots of pores to soak up marinade. Be sure to freeze tofu in water without opening the package.
Can you bake marinated tofu?
Yes, baking is one of the best cooking methods! It prevents the tofu from becoming soggy. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.
Is smoked tofu good for this recipe?
Absolutely! Smoked tofu already has a wonderful smoky chicken-like flavor, so it’s a great shortcut. Adjust the marinade accordingly.
With the right preparation and marinade, tofu can truly take on the taste, texture, and appearance of chicken. Get creative with spices, cooking techniques, and sauces to make insanely delicious vegan tofu chicken.
How to Freeze Tofu
Take it out of your shopping bag and place the whole container in the freezer. Don’t open the package. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. No, but really, it’s that simple.
The tofu will need at least 12-24 hours to freeze completely. You don’t want to rush this.
Time-Saving Hack: If you dig this method and want to save yourself a lot of time, we highly recommend keeping a block of tofu in your freezer at all times! We order tofu just about every time we get groceries. When one package of tofu goes in the freezer, another package goes in!
What is the “Tofu Freezer Trick”?
You may have wondered before: Can I freeze tofu in the package?
Of course you can! There are some frozen tofu recipes that will tell you to open and press the tofu before freezing, but we’re here to tell you that’s not necessary at all (and kinda counterproductive)!
You see, when you freeze tofu in the water it comes in, ice crystals (read: shards) form both inside and outside and penetrate the tofu creating a new, chewy, texture that is a dead-on match for chicken. When you defrost it and drain it, those porous “tears” remain and will REALLY soak up whatever marinade you put it in.
We call the tofu we make with this method “tofu chicken,” and there are SO many ways to use it.
What does tofu chicken taste like?
Given the proper marinating and cooking techniques, it honestly tastes like a marinated skinless chicken breast! You’ll be shocked how much so. (And whenever I write that, I always think it’s nuts I used to eat something called “skinless chicken breast.” Tofu FTW.)
But seriously, in cooking, almost all flavors come from seasonings, spices, marinades, etc. For marinating tofu chicken, we always start with some of our homemade bouillon powder.
How do you substitute frozen tofu for chicken?
While we wouldn’t recommend using it for soups or casseroles (we’re big fans of soy curls for those purposes), when you need more of a stand-alone “cutlet” or “nugget” for a salad, sandwich, pasta, etc, this is the way to go! Torn and breaded, it also makes a great “ popcorn chicken”!
This tofu freezer trick really opens up the door to be able to substitute tofu for chicken in all your favorite recipes. Speaking of which, a little later we’ll discuss some of our, and our readers’, favorite recipes. But first, the basics…
We’ve included some specific frozen tofu recipes below, but here’s the basic framework for all of them:
- 1 (16-oz) package extra firm tofu – Make sure you use extra firm tofu, and do NOT (under any circumstances) use silken tofu . Silken tofu has an entirely different texture and will basically turn to cottage cheese when you freeze it. Lastly, make sure the tofu you’re using comes packaged in water.
- ½ cup marinade – This is where it can really get fun! We’ve included some examples of marinades we’ve used before below. Something to keep in mind: If you have a lot of water in your marinade, this will greatly affect the texture of your tofu as well as the cooking time. We suggest using a marinade with an oil base and only minimal water when absolutely necessary. The oil in the marinade will also help you get that crispy oven-fried effect that is just exquisite.
- 1-2 Tbsp vegan chicken-style bouillon powder – Since the texture of tofu when frozen like this is so close to that of chicken, we always add a little chicken-style bouillon powder to whatever marinade we’re using!