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–+ servings
Close up of Korean vegan chicken.

Vegan Korean Fried Chicken

Easily whip up this Vegan Korean Fried Chicken in just 30 minutes! Vegan frozen chicken pieces are coated in a thin, flavorful batter, fried to crispy perfection, and then smothered in a tasty chili sauce. It's saucy, spicy, and so crispy!
5 from 8 votes
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Bonnie - Serene Trail

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 319kcal

Ingredients

For the Vegan Chicken

  • ~20 ounces frozen vegan chicken strips, (560g) like Gardein or Daring
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, or rice wine
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low-sodium
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, or black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch (40g)
  • oil for frying (olive, avocado, etc.)

For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup agave nectar (84g)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (50g)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce, low-sodium
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang chili paste
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds garnish

Instructions

  • Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat with a couple of inches of oil in it.
  • Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set it aside to allow time for the flavors to come together.
  • Tear the vegan chicken strips into bite-sized pieces. You can cut the strips if you prefer, but tearing them helps to create jagged edges for the breading to hold onto.
  • Mix the rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and ginger in a large bowl. Coat the pieces by gently stirring them into this liquid mixture. Add the cornstarch to the bowl and gently toss to fully coat them.
  • Check to make sure the oil is between 325-350°F (165°C). Then drop a few pieces in at a time. Let them fry for 2-3 minutes until they turn a light golden brown. Use a skimmer to lift them out of the hot oil, shake the excess oil off, and then place them on a cooling rack.
  • While the pieces are cooling, warm the sauce over medium-low heat until it starts to bubble. Pour the sauce over the vegan chicken and stir the pieces around until they are all fully coated in the sauce.

Video

Notes

Oil Temperature

If you don’t want to mess with a thermometer, you can do a sizzle test by dropping some leftover batter into the pot. If it sizzles, the oil is hot enough to fry the coated pieces.

Simple Cucumber Salad

If you’d like to make a simple (yet delicious) cucumber salad to go with the Korean chicken, here’s the recipe... Combine 1 sliced cucumber with 1 tbsp rice wine, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds. Yum!

Storage & Reheating 

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Reheat them in the microwave at 30-second intervals until heated through. Leftovers will lose some of their crispiness, but will still be just as flavorful!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.6g | Protein: 30.1g | Fat: 3.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 20.2g | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information provided is an estimate from third-party calculations.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below or share it on Instagram and tag me @serene.trail.