Vegan chicken strips made of marinated oyster mushrooms smothered in a creamy, rich tikka masala sauce are the perfect filling to make a juicy vegan chicken sandwich. Grab a bun and a handful of fresh salad greens and indulge in a flavorful and satisfying vegan take on a classic dish.
Are you looking for more vegan chicken recipes? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Try our crispy vegan fried chicken or these spicy buffalo vegan chicken wings. We love making our vegan chicken patties in a large batch, dipped in a vegan rémoulade sauce. But our most popular vegan chicken recipe is this crispy, sweet, and savory vegan orange chicken.
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What to expect from this recipe?
I don’t know about you, but when I am making a sandwich for lunch, I want it to be flavorful, filling, and juicy. And this sandwich recipe delivers on every front. It was Nandor’s regular lunch back in the days when he was working in Long Island. Now, it is both of our favorites.
So what does this vegan chicken sandwich taste like?
- Shredded oyster mushrooms have a chewy, meaty texture similar to chicken, and a neutral taste that allows them to absorb marinades beautifully. They are also easy to work with and don’t require any additional preparation. Did I mention that we have more than 30 delicious oyster mushroom recipes?
- The vegan tikka masala sauce is a rich tomato and cream-based sauce seasoned with a blend of Indian spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. It has a bold flavor, with a balance of savory and sweet, but quite mild in our recipe.
Ingredients
What do you need to make a vegan chicken sandwich out of mushrooms? We prepared our vegan tikka masala to make the sauce and immersed the roasted marinated mushroom strips.
- Sandwich buns
- Fresh lettuce leaves
- Oyster mushrooms → You can use any type of oyster mushrooms, but we choose pearl oysters to mimic the texture of chicken. Here is a list of where to buy them or how to grow them at home.
- Tikka masala spice blend → There are endless variations in store-bought spice mixes. No two brands use the same list. This one is spicier* with more chili powder, while this one is milder*. If you can only find tandoori masala* or garam masala*, don’t worry, they are also quite similar.
- Turmeric
- Ground cumin seeds
- Cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
- All you need to do are these 3 steps to prepare oyster mushrooms. Basically, cut the end of their stem and tear them into small shreds with your hands.
- Take a small bowl and mix the ingredient for the marinade: tikka masala spice blend, cumin, turmeric, salt, cayenne pepper, and vegetable oil (we prefer to use sunflower oil).
- Take a large mixing bowl and add shredded mushrooms and marinade. Mix them gently but well. Make sure the marinade coats every piece evenly.
- Place parchment paper on a sheet pan and spread the marinated vegan chicken strips in one layer.
- Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit (ca. 204 °C) and bake them for approx. 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the pieces, refer to the photo for reference.
- Prepare our vegan tikka masala sauce and add roasted oyster mushrooms while it is still hot.
- Cut a sandwich bun in half.
- Add chopped lettuce leaves, arugula, or any salad greens you like.
- Scoop a generous layer of mushroom strips in tikka masala sauce on top. Enjoy!
Cooking tips
- Roasting vs frying – If you want to make a large batch, we recommend roasting the mushroom in the oven. However, we have plenty of recipes where we pan-fry them to prepare only 2 servings, like in our vegan Philly cheesesteak recipe or our pan-fried oyster mushroom recipe.
- Don’t tear or cut them too small – Unlike vegan pulled pork, you don’t need to shred the mushrooms too small. Small pieces can burn in the oven easily, so watch the time closely.
- Don’t cut the buns all the way through – If you keep one side closed, it is easier to keep the saucy vegan chicken strips inside.
Variations
You can substitute mushrooms with other ingredients to make vegan chicken strips like tofu, cauliflower, chickpeas, seitan, tempeh, or soy curls. They have different pros and cons regarding their texture and taste. We do think mushrooms are the best vegan shredded chicken, though.
Serving ideas
What pairs well with a tikka masala sauce to make this vegan chicken sandwich even more delicious?
- More add-ins: fresh lettuce leaves or other salad greens, steamed veggies like broccoli or green beans, cucumber slices, leafy greens like fresh spinach or kale, roasted zucchini slices
- Toppings: chopped scallions, green onions, parsley, cilantro, chili flakes, and a drizzle of lime or lemon juice.
Storing tips
- Fridge: You can store the whole vegan chicken sandwich wrapped tightly in a saran wrap in a refrigerator overnight. After then, the bread will be soggy since the sauce will be absorbed. If you meal prep, we recommend storing the filling and the sandwich rolls or burger buns separately.
- Reheat: No need to reheat. You can serve them cold just like any other sandwich. If you did store them separately, you could reheat the sauce part in a frying pan or the microwave before assembling your sandwich.
- Freezer: The sauce with the mushrooms can be stored in the freezer, but not the complete sandwich.
FAQs
Oyster mushrooms, tofu, jackfruit, cauliflower, seitan, soy curls, and other store-bought plant-based chicken strips are all popular choices since either their texture or their taste can mimic chicken.
More vegan chicken recipes
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Juicy Vegan Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 14 oz Oyster mushrooms
- 4 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 tsp Tikka masala
- ½ tsp Ground cumin seeds
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp Salt
Other
- 2 servings Vegan Tikka Masala
- 4 leaves Lettuce
- 4 Sandwich bun
Instructions
- Cut the end of their stem and tear them into small shreds with your hands.
- Take a small bowl and mix the ingredients for the marinade: tikka masala spice blend, cumin, turmeric, salt, cayenne pepper, and vegetable oil (we prefer to use sunflower oil).
- Take a large mixing bowl and add shredded mushrooms and marinade. Mix them gently but well. Make sure the marinade coats every piece evenly.
- Place parchment paper on a sheet pan and spread the marinated vegan chicken strips in one layer.
- Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit (ca. 204 °C) and bake them for approx. 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the pieces.
- Prepare our vegan tikka masala sauce and add roasted oyster mushrooms while it is still hot.
- Cut a sub bun in half to make a sandwich.
- Add chopped lettuce leaves, arugula, or any salad greens you like.
- Scoop a generous layer of mushroom strips in tikka masala sauce on top. Enjoy!
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