The best tips for cooking with vegan chicken are lightly frying it with things such as onions and garlic so that it absorbs their flavor, and seasoning it well. It is important for chefs to remember that vegan chicken doesn’t need to be cooked like ordinary chicken, so when it has browned, it can either be removed from the heat or added to a sauce. Seasoning the chicken prior to cooking is also a good idea, as it helps to infuse flavor.
Vegan chicken can be made from many things, such as tofu and soy protein, and it generally requires only minimal cooking. It is often used in recipes originally intended for meat-eaters as a substitute for the chicken, which isn’t eaten by vegetarians and vegans. Vegetarians eat chicken substitutes, but some of these contain egg and milk, making them unsuitable for vegans, who don’t eat any animal products or by-products. Some manufacturers do make vegan chicken, and this can be bought at health food stores.
The most important tip when cooking with any meat substitute product is that it doesn’t need to be cooked for a long time. Vegan chicken, when fried, can be considered cooked as soon as it browns, but it can be eaten sooner. Overcooking can result in dryness. After the chicken substitute has started to brown, any sauce it is going to be cooked in should be added.
Many types of vegan chicken can be somewhat bland if cooked on their own. This presents a problem for chefs who want their food to be as flavorful as possible. To solve this issue, chefs should cook the chicken with things such as onions, garlic and ginger, because the flavors from these vegetables will infuse with the chicken. Seasoning is also a good tip when cooking with tofu or soy protein chicken. Herbs and spices such as oregano, thyme, black pepper, cumin, parsley and salt can help enhance the flavor.
As long as these tips are adhered to, cooking with vegan chicken is essentially like cooking with ordinary chicken, and it can be added into any dish which ordinarily features chicken. For example, to make vegan chicken curry, the chef could fry the vegan chicken in curry spices along with onions, garlic and peppers. The coconut milk or main base of the curry should be added when the faux chicken has browned.
