The first time I made it, I served it with my SOUTHERN-STYLE COLLARD GREENS and my MASHED POTATOES without the caramelized onions The second time I made it, I served it with my MAC AND CHEESE and GREEN BEANS. It was so delicious that I just had to share the recipe!
My SMOTHERED TOFU 'CHICKEN' RECIPE is one of those comfort dishes that is a keeper, perfect for the holiday season with the homecooked flavor! The inspiration came to me to create a vegan version when I saw a photo of a smothered chicken recipe, right away I wanted to recreate it for the holiday season. I know a lot of my readers, since transitioning to a plant-based diet are missing dishes like this one that they ate and enjoyed all their life.
To make my SMOTHERED TOFU 'CHICKEN' RECIPE, marinate tofu in Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce, then dip it into a vegan 'buttermilk' batter, next dip the cubes into seasoned breading and lightly fry or bake tofu until crispy. The final step is to smother tofu with homemade gravy!
The gluten-free flour I used was Bob's Red Mill Gf Sweet White Sorghum Flour.
Nutrition
- Energy:
- 250 kcal / 1045 kJ
- Fat:
- 15 g
- Protein:
- 6 g
- Carbs:
- 15 g
Cooking Time
- Preparation:
- 30 min
- Cooking:
- 30 min
- Ready in:
- 1 h
Ingredients
Tofu Chicken
- 1 package extra-firm tofu, or super-firm tofu, (drained, pressed and cut into cubes)
- 1 tablespoon Bragg's liquid aminos, Soy sauce or Tamari
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour, (I used sweet sorghum flour)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon organic cane sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch Cayenne pepper
- oil, for frying
Gravy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons Bragg liquid aminos, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
Instructions
- Toss tofu cubes with Bragg's liquid aminos and marinate for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, prepare the buttermilk and breading
- Combine almond milk, lemon juice and tapioca starch in a small bowl and set aside.
- To prepare the breading: Mix gluten-free flour, nutritional yeast flakes, paprika, rosemary, ginger, thyme, sugar, salt, pepper in a medium bowl and set aside
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high. Coat marinated tofu with vegan buttermilk then dip into breading and lightly fry tofu until golden brown and crispy. Remove fried tofu and set aside while you prepare the gravy,
- If you prefer to bake tofu: Preheat oven 400 degree F. Place seasoned tofu in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy
- Add extra oil to the skillet as needed, cook onion, bell pepper and garlic on one half of skillet and gluten-free flour on the other half, about 2-3 minutes. Add nutritional yeast flakes, garlic powder, onion powder. Stir in vegetable broth or water and Bragg's liquid until a smooth gravy is formed, you might need a whisk.Season with salt to taste.
- Add fried tofu to the gravy and stir to coat fully, remove from heat. Don't over stir.
Notes
I found I had to at least double the amount for the breading – surprised no one else has mentioned this. I also subbed mushrooms for green peppers. I baked the tofu and it didn’t get crispy. Once I added the tofu to the gravy (which I decided not to thicken), some of the breading got mixed into the gravy. It was okay, but not the intended result,
I found this a very time consuming recipe to make so, though it was very tasty, not sure I’d make it again.
Not sure what you did wrong, every oven temperature is different so if your tofu wasn’t crispy enough that means you should have baked it longer, more than likely your tofu is the mushy kind. I only recommend extra firm or superfirm tofu. I can’t figure out why you had to double the breading because as you see from the photo, mine was just fine. Doubling the breading means your gravy would end up too thick. This recipe is so easy if you put all the breading in a bowl, lightly fry or bake until crispy then do the gravy. It is one of my easiest recipes on the website and very delicious too. Sorry, it didn’t turn out for you. I’m stumped because I can’t see how this recipe could turn out wrong.
This is absolutely amazing! I made it and the entire time eating it, my boyfriend only talked about how much he loved it. Thank you!!
Kelley, I’m so happy you and your boyfriend loved it. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
This is really tasty. My whole family, including my little one, loves it!
That’s wonderful, I’m happy to hear your whole family enjoyed it. It’s one of my family’s favorite as well.
Super yummy recipe! Thank you!
Thank you Sruthi, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
I was so nervous when I decided to prepare this meal for my famy, especially the gravy. This turned out to be so delicious in every way, I am so happily amazed. It was very flavorful. Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe, we loved it.
Auset, happy it turned out well and you and your family loved it. Thank you for sharing your experience.
This was delicious! The gravy is incredible! I was thinking of slicing the tofu lengthwise so it’s like slices of turkey and having it for Thanksgiving. Do you think that would work? I would love to print this recipe out but it keeps saying I’m blocked from printing it. That would be my only complaint.
Nancy, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for your great feedback. Absolutely, you can serve it for Thanksgiving. Later on today I’m actually posting my Tofu Turkey recipe, so if you check back you can decide either way it will be great. Happy Thanksgiving! I just checked and I was able to print a recipe so I’m not sure why you are blocked.
This looks amazing, but wondering if you have a recommendation to replace or eliminate the oil? Thanks!
Bake the tofu at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes instead of frying. Make the gravy without oil, toast the flour in a pan until brown, in another pan, saute the bell pepper and garlic in vegetable broth. Add vegetable broth to toasted flour while stirring with a whisk until thick and creamy. Add remaining ingredients.
I made this dish tonight and it was so flavorful. I’ve been vegan for a year and this is, by far, the best vegan dish I’ve ever made. I never comment on recipes, but I just had to on this one. Amazing!
Jennifer I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for taking the time to leave feedback. I really appreciate it.
Wow, you are a culinary genius. This is comfort food at its finest ! Thx for giving
Barb thank you so much for your kind words, I’m happy you like it.
I made this last night with mashed potatoes and sautéed shaved brussel sprouts. tofu flavor was really good. Used a different gravy recipe due to time but next time I will try this one. Gotta day I was impressed. Thanks for sharing.
Lyn, thank you for your feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed it, I definitely hope you try my gravy next time.
I tried the tofu and gravy tonight over brown rice and it was unbelievably delicious! It was very reminiscent of the fried chicken I use to eat back in the day! Thank you for sharing your culinary gifts with us!
Ann, thank you very much for your wonderful feedback. I’m so happy that you enjoyed it and it brings back memories.
This looks like it would be really really good over polenta. I think I am going to try this over that.
Love! Served over biscuits and rice because I ran out of time, but definitely making again!
Thank you Julianne for your feedback, I’m so happy you loved it.
Made tonight for dinner and my husband was in heaven! This will definitely be a staple in our home, especially for holidays!
That’s great news Lexi, I’m so happy you and your hubby loved it. It tastes amazing with my green beans and mac and cheese recipes.
This sounds delicious. It’s going to be my dinner tonight. Was wondering, how’d you get the tofu to look like chicken??
Thank you Joys, hope you enjoy. If you add the Bragg’s liquid aminos to it and pan fry it or my favorite way is to bake it in the oven before you proceed with any recipe then it will have the best texture and taste.
I’m confused. Is it buttermilk or almondmilk. Please clarify. Thanks in advance
Vegan buttermilk is the combination of almond milk plus lemon juice.
This looks sooooooooooooooooo awesome. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing! :)
Thank you Curio, please enjoy!
this was great!!!! i’ve put it in the oven and did not fry the tofu and did not put a lot of oil in my gravy and it was perfect!!! Miam, this is going on my comfort food list to remake!!! thanks.
Awesome Melissa, thank you for your feedback. I’m so happy you loved it!
Wow! This recipe was really great! Colorado is having a wicked cold snap and comfort food was just what we needed. I paired this with slow cooked spicy collards and vegan cornbread. No joke, I could eat this every day! Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome, so happy you loved it Meg and I love collards and cornbread, Colorado sounds cold, we are expecting a cold snap here in Florida as well.
What could you use to replace almond milk if you are allergic to all nuts?
Lori you can blend sunflower seed or pumpkin seed with water to create your own nut-free milk, soymilk is also nut-free
Can you give us a vegan breakfast pattie recipe.
I will do Ramong, I have a vegan breakfast sausage patty recipe in my cookbook.