Do you want to make your menu appeal to more people, especially vegetarians and vegans? Or perhaps, people who really love chicken but can’t have too much of it?
Here’s our list of vegetarian-friendly chicken substitutes. While these ingredients may not taste exactly like the real thing, they certainly can be used to flavour your dishes in place of mankind’s favourite meat – and still taste amazing!
Tofu
Perhaps the most well-known replacement for chicken in the world, tofu can be used in place of almost any type of meat, and is a fantastic vegetarian alternative in most meals.
Vegetarian-friendly chefs recommend trying tofu nuggets, kung pao tofu or even barbequed tofu. These dishes are so good, they’re even well-liked by meat lovers.
Beans and Sprouts
These ingredients are rich with protein, taste good and fill up empty tummies quickly (because of their high protein content). The best uses of beans and sprouts are in soups and stews.
Because of their excellent texture, beans and sprouts are a suitable replacement for diced chicken. Chefs who specialise in vegetable-heavy cooking often add beans into stews and soups, where chunks of chicken may have been used traditionally.
Nuts
Nuts are full of protein and add a satisfying, crunchy texture to salads and other dishes. Many chefs use them as a chicken substitute when whipping up vegetarian meals.
One of the most common uses of nuts (as a chicken substitute) is in salads, where the flavour and texture of cashews is a surprisingly close substitute for chicken breast meat. Meanwhile, groundnuts can be mixed with tofu or vegetables to add some crunch to your dishes. This works especially well when you are preparing traditionally meat-based meals such as burgers or stir-fry items.
Plant-Based Meat
As its name implies, plant-based meats are used to describe foods that look and taste like actual meat but are made from plants. The ingredients used to make plant-based meats usually include legumes, grains, seitan, mushrooms, or vegetable proteins. An example of plant-based meat is The Vegetarian Butcher, which uses soy to create its range of products. This new meat alternative is great for flexitarians, vegans, or vegetarians who want to incorporate new types of food into their diet.
Potatoes
When properly prepared, potatoes can mimic the texture of chicken rather well. One of the best things about potatoes is that they can be cooked in a variety of ways. This means that you can really give your vegetarian dish a unique flavour profile by simply preparing this one ingredient differently.
For example, potatoes can be roasted, boiled, steamed, baked and even grilled ¬– the possibilities are endless, yet each method of cooking works amazingly well to bring out its delicious flavour. Did you know that potatoes are a great substitute for meat too? They are often used to transform popular meat items on your menu into vegetarian favourites, including burgers, soups and casseroles.
Seitan
Praised by many as possibly the best meat substitute available, this “wheat meat” mimics the look and texture of meat incredibly well. With seitan, you can even imitate a variety of meat textures, from silky soft to firm and meaty. In terms of protein content, seitan packs a punch with a generous 36 grams of protein per serving, winning over other popular vegetarian-friendly chicken substitutes.
Try mixing seitan with grains, tofu and beans for a variety of tastes and textures that will appeal to your vegetarian diners.
A chicken-free meal can still be fantastic
Eliminating chicken from a recipe doesn't mean compromising on taste, texture or flavour. There’s a world of possibilities available from just these simple chicken substitutes alone. Explore what you can do with these ingredients, then find your best substitutes and cook up incredible meals that both meat and vegetable lovers will enjoy!
Recipe eBook for Flexitarians, Vegans, & Vegetarian Diners
Meet the needs of the growing number of plant-based food lovers by creating dishes for them. Get inspired with our recipe ebook and adapt those recipes to suit your diners' tastebuds.
