Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (2024)

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (1)The next time you feel that undeniable craving for fast food, even though you know it’s pretty much garbage wrapped up in foil, take matters into your own hands and make something just as tasty in your own kitchen. This has been philosophy for years, and became my saving grace when I went vegan.

Today, I am sharing with you my recipe for a Chick-Fil-A Sandwich, thanks to almost a year of begging by James and his friends. There are many recipes on my site and my channel for most of your fast food favorites done vegan style. But this one has probably been requested the most—and actually a dish I myself, have never tried the real version of. So this recipe was created blind with a room full of junk food-loving, male, Omni taste testers. There are 1,950 different places in America that you could be tempted to eat a Chick-fil-A sandwich, and while it would no doubt be delicious—I am confident you will find the vegan alternative just as satisfying, if not, far better in many ways.Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (2)

This recipe matches the unique flavors of a Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Deluxe sandwich, which using my seitan chicken recipe as the base. You’ve seen me use that in my McChicken Sandwich, McNuggets and Popeyes chicken recipes—so if you’ve made those, then you’ll be a pro at this. To get that pickle-y flavor unique to Chick-fil-A, we are going to marinate our seitan for about an hour in a pickle juice bath. Now DO NOT do this for more than an hour, or else all you will taste is pickles.

Like all my copycat recipes, I do try to keep them as authentic as possible, so to get that signature crunchy breading we are using powdered sugar- Yup! You read that correctly- sugar. The powdered sugar, in conjunction with the baking powder, will give your breading that unique Chick-fil-A crispy, crunchy texture. For this recipe I also researched what type of oil they use for their frying, and found out it was peanut—so sorry for all you nut allergy peeps, you’ll have to use another type of oil and have a less authentic version. Just kidding- I love you. I am just trolling. I always use my deep fryer for these copycat recipes to make as authentic as possible, but if you don’t own one, or refuse to use one; you can always pan fry it in enough oil to make sure it is completely submerged.

James told me that he always loved his spicy chicken sandwich with cheese, so I topped everything with a slice of vegan provolone. And Voila! You have now created the epic world-famous Chick-fil-A sandwich, vegan style. You’re welcome!

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (3)

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Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich | Vegan Recipe

Prep time

Cook time

Total time

This is an easy vegan recipe for a Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich that you can quickly and easily make at home. This vegan spicy chicken sandwich is made with battered seitan, tangy pickles, and vegan cheese.

Author: The Edgy Veg

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4 Burgers

Ingredients

For the "Chicken Meat"

Marinade

Binder

Breading

Toppings

  • Burger buns, use whatever you want! I used white buns to be authentic
  • Pickles, cut into medallions
  • Your favourite Vegan cheese (I used provolone)

Instructions

Chicken "Meat"

  1. In a mixing bowl, mix together wheat gluten, salt, nutritional yeast, onion powder and poultry seasoning.
  2. In a larger bowl, combine ¾ broth and tahini and whisk until smooth.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet and stir until well combined.
  4. Knead the dough until it is elastic but not dry. Sprinkle some additional gluten flour if you find you have made your dough too sticky.
  5. Divide the dough into small little burgers. Keep in mind they will grow to about twice their size, so make then smaller then you would normally. Place in a casserole dish, covering them completely with vegetable broth.
  6. Cook burgers in broth for 1 hour at 350 degrees, flipping at 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
  7. Mix together the marinade in a plastic bag or shallow bowl and allow the seitan to soak for an hour.

Binder

  1. Mix together pickle juice and almond milk or egg replacer and set aside.

Breading

  1. Combine the flour, powdered sugar, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chilli powder, salt, baking powder, and garlic powder in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
  2. Warm the peanut oil in a deep fryer, frying pan or pot over medium heat until you reach 325F.
  3. Toss the seitan “chicken” cutlet into the dry mixture and coat completely, then toss it into the wet, again coating evenly on all sides. Toss into the flour mixture again and coat generously. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and set aside.
  4. Place cutlets into the hot oil using a pair of tongs. Flip occasionally to ensure even cooking. Allow to cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the outside is crisp and golden brown. Allow to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and sprinkle with cayenne pepper to achieve ultimate spicy perfection.

Building your burger

  1. Place your buns in a frying pan over low heat until slightly toasted.
  2. Place vegan cheese on the bottom half of each bun, then top with the fried seitan chicken and top with 4-5 pickle medallions. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can also cook your plain seitan in broth on a stovetop, I find that this leaves you with softer seitan. I switch between the two methods depending on my mood.

Nutrition Information

Serving size:1 burger Calories:784 Fat:27.7g Carbohydrates:91g Sugar:14.2g Protein:36.5g


Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (5)

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (6)

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | Vegan recipe (2024)

FAQs

How does Chick-fil-A make their chicken sandwich? ›

It is pressure cooked in peanut oil: The Original Chicken Sandwich is pressure cooked in 100 percent refined peanut oil, which is naturally trans-fat free.

What is the secret ingredient in Chick-fil-A chicken? ›

Chick-fil-A's secret to juicy chicken lies in their bringing process. Brining is the process of soaking meat in a solution of salt, sugar, and water. This helps to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. Before cooking it, Chick-fil-A soaks its chicken in a solution of salt, sugar, and milk for up to 24 hours.

What are the ingredients in Chick-fil-A chicken? ›

INGREDIENTS: Chicken (containing up to 8-16% solution of: water, salt, sodium phosphates, cultured nonfat milk, cornstarch, salt, Vitamin A palmitate, Vitamin D3), enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), corn starch, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, ...

How does Chick-fil-A make their chicken taste so good? ›

Ultimately, the Chick-fil-A menu team chose a seasoning with simple ingredients: a blend of sea salt, lemon, garlic and savoury herbs. Once the grilled chicken is cooked, it's placed on a toasted multigrain bun with green leaf lettuce and tomato for the Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

How long does Chick-fil-A marinate their chicken in pickle juice? ›

What's the secret to Chick-fil-a chicken? The secret to that perfect tangy flavor is that it's marinated in pickle juice overnight.

What is the ingredient in the Chick-fil-A sandwich that gives it more flavor? ›

While MSG is present in some of our menu offerings as a flavor enhancer, we also offer a variety of options that do not contain added MSG. To help our customers make informed decisions, we provide ingredient statements on the Chick-fil-A app or on your local restaurant's menu page.

What does Chick Fil A marinate chicken in? ›

But don't just take it from me — this is the (not-so-secret) secret that's fueled the love affair so many people have with Chick-fil-A. It's the pickle brine! Well before being fried to perfection, the chicken breasts are brined with pickle juice for super-juicy, tender meat. People go wild for this chicken.

Are Chick Fil A sandwiches marinated in pickle juice? ›

Yes, it's true that Chick Fil A includes pickle juice in their marinade, but it's not the sole ingredient responsible for the chicken's taste. Pickle juice serves as a flavor enhancer, adding a tangy and slightly acidic note to the chicken.

How does Chick Fil A make their chicken so moist? ›

Using Pickle Juice to Tenderize Meat

Pork, turkey and, of course, chicken breast can soak in this zesty brine to pick up a moist texture and some dill flavor from pickling spices.

Does Chick-fil-A put sugar in their batter? ›

Ingredients: 100% natural whole breast filet, seasoning (salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika), seasoned coater (enriched bleached flour, [malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening [baking soda, sodium ...

Does Chick-fil-A cook their chicken in oil? ›

Ever since our founder Truett Cathy created the Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, we've been cooking our hand-breaded chicken exclusively in fully refined, heat-processed peanut oil.

Is Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich healthy? ›

A Chick-fil-A Sandwich has 440 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 40 grams of carbs. "Enjoy it, as it contains protein, carbs and fat and then balance it out with a super-food side to get some veggies in for variety."

What is the most ordered thing from Chick-fil-A? ›

Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy created the Original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich in 1964, and 59 years later it topped the charts as the most-ordered menu item in 2022.

What brand of chicken taste like Chick-fil-A? ›

According to TikTok, Costco's chicken nuggets taste the exact same as the nuggets at Chick-fil-A. Costco's frozen chicken nuggets, Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Chunks, went viral after fans posted TikTok clips comparing them to the famous Chick-fil-A nuggets.

Does Chick-fil-A batter their own chicken? ›

Many of our menu items are hand-prepared daily, right in our restaurant kitchens. For example, the chicken breast we use to make our sandwiches, strips and nuggets is breaded by hand; it never comes to us as a pre-breaded nugget that needs to be reheated.

Does Chick-fil-A use thighs or breast for sandwiches? ›

Our Chicken

Chick-fil-A sources 100% real, whole, boneless breast of chicken that has never been ground or separated, and that contains no fillers or added steroids or hormones*.

How does Chick-fil-A make their chicken so tender? ›

You'll still get the benefits of a super-moist, tender, and flavorful chicken — just with a milder taste. But don't just take it from me — this is the (not-so-secret) secret that's fueled the love affair so many people have with Chick-fil-A. It's the pickle brine!

Is the Chick Fil chicken sandwich healthy? ›

A Chick-fil-A Sandwich has 440 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 40 grams of carbs. "Enjoy it, as it contains protein, carbs and fat and then balance it out with a super-food side to get some veggies in for variety."

Did Chick-fil-A change their chicken sandwich recipe? ›

According to FOX, Chick-fil-A began to switch to antibiotic-free chicken in 2014, and by 2019 all of its restaurants fell into that category. Now, according to the site, the shift will mean that the restaurant will use chicken that has had antibiotics only if it or other animals around it have become sick.

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