Vegan Fried Chicken (Oyster Mushrooms)

So here we go. Drumroll, please! The best plant-based alternative to make chicken nuggets is oyster mushrooms. We used pearl oyster mushrooms, although other types of oyster mushrooms work here perfectly as well. I have 5 reasons for you to consider: 

• allergy-friendly -> no soy, no nuts, no gluten 
• pantry staple -> mushrooms are usually in all vegan grocery or shopping list 
• easy to buy -> usually available in all local stores (unlike seitan or vital wheat gluten)
• cheap -> way cheaper than company branded products
• quite neutral in taste -> they soak up any seasoning or marinade you add
• tough spongy texture -> perfect to replicate chicken

So what do you think? Isn’t it a perfect ingredient for a nutritious and healthy plant-based diet? We have even written a Guide to Oyster Mushrooms to give you even more ideas to enjoy them.

It is super easy to prepare oyster mushrooms. They are grown on trees so it is highly unlikely that they are dirty. If you think yours need a bit of cleaning, use a wet paper towel or kitchen cloth. Dry them before using them.

We never peel mushrooms especially oyster mushrooms, but sometimes cut off the end of the stem if it doesn’t look good. 

No need to cut or shred them. They are perfect the way they are. See the below photo with all ingredients you need to make vegan fried oyster mushroom chicken.

The most popular ingredient to make breaded and fried food is panko breadcrumbs, which are sadly not gluten-free. But fret not, we have a crispy gluten-free breadcrumb alternative (one of the 30 options) that will blow your mind.

We dare to say it is even better and crispier than a vegan buttermilk wheat-based coating. And the most important ingredient is crushed corn flakes.

1. Wet batter – dairy-free milk, yellow corn flour (not corn starch), onion powder, garlic powder, smoked sweet paprika powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper
2. Dry mixture – crushed corn flakes, corn starch, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked sweet paprika powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper

Prepare the gluten-free coating

• In a small bowl mix together all spices listed in the recipe card. The flavor will be quite similar to KFC’s fried chicken as similar spices are used although not all of them: salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, white pepper.
• Dry mixture aka breadcrumbs -> We used the small chopping bowl of our immersion blender to crush corn flakes to a fine, breadcrumb-like texture. Then mix it with 1 tsp of our homemade fried chicken spice mix as well as a bit of corn starch. We added the corn starch to get the coating extra crispy.
• Wet batter aka “egg coating” -> Mix in a shallow bowl dairy-free milk, yellow corn flour (not corn starch) and 2 tsp of our homemade fried chicken spice mix. It should have a texture of a pancake batter, slow-flowing but not too dense. In time the flour will thicken the batter a bit, so add 1 tsp of water to thin it again.

Bread the oyster mushrooms

1. Have both wet batter and dry mix in two separate shallow bowls.
2. Dip the oyster mushroom first in the wet batter. Coat it evenly. I found it is easier to use your fingers to do that instead of using a fork or spatula.
3. Transfer gently the coated mushroom to the dry mix. Sprinkle the top and pat it gently. Make sure the crushed corn flakes-based mix sticks to it evenly.
4. When it is coated you can place it on a plate or fry it immediately. The coating will hold on room temperature for an hour or so without a problem if you need to wait before frying.

Making fried oyster mushrooms

You can get the crispiest result if you deep fry them in oil.

1. Pour sunflower oil to a skillet or pot.
2. Heat oil on medium/high heat. You can test whether it is hot enough by dropping a bit of coating in it. If it sizzles, you are good to go. Why do you need the oil to be hot? If it is not hot enough it will take a long them to get them crispy and in the meantime the oyster mushroom will soak up a lot of oil.
3. Gently drop the breaded “chicken” in the oil. The oil is hot so pay attention to drop it gently without a splash. Don’t overcrowd the pan as the oil will cool down and they will need longer time and thus will soak up more oil.
4. Fry oyster mushrooms for 2-3 minutes until the coating gets crispy.
5. When they are ready, transfer them to a paper towel so the excess oil is absorbed.

What to serve with it?

Dipping sauces like ketchup, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, ranch sauce, sriracha mayo, honey mustard, jalapeno cilantro, or any hot sauce.

You may also need side dishes that pairs well with these crispy fried oyster mushrooms. Here are some recommendation for you to try apart from classic potato side dishes like fries, vegan mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes or baked potato wedges:

• Easy Vegan Coleslaw
• Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms
• Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
• Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
• Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Fresh Corn Salsa (we make it in our Chipotle Veggie Bowl recipe)
• Fresh Green Salad
• Creamy Potato Salad
• Corn on the Cob

Can you use an air fryer?

I don’t have an air fryer to test it properly, but its main purpose is the deep fry food without oil. However, we do recommend spraying a bit of oil just to coat the surface. Place the breaded oyster mushrooms on the basket in a single layer. Turn the air fryer on and set the temperature high. Air fry them for a couple of minutes.

Can you bake them in the oven?

We tested this recipe in the oven as well. We place the breaded oyster mushrooms on a non-stick parchment paper that we sprayed with a bit of oil. We also sprayed the mushrooms with oil. We baked in a pre-heated oven of 390 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for approx. 20 minutes flipped midway. Sadly, the coating didn’t turn out to be as crispy as when you deep fry them. But in my opinion that is the case with every food. The difference between baking and deep-frying is huge.

Can you use other flours?

We only tested this recipe with these ingredients as we wanted the crispiest coating possible. However, you can choose any other breadcrumbs substitute instead of crushed corn flakes or you can try chickpea flour instead of yellow corn flour or tapioca starch instead of corn starch. If you need other tapioca starch substitutes, check out this list. In any case, let us know in the comments.

Can you use other mushrooms?

Yes, you can either choose any of the 7 types of oyster mushrooms or seek out one of these 13 oyster mushroom substitutes. You can have good results with porcini, chanterelle, or abalone. One of our readers said Lion’s mane is also perfect.

More vegan recipes using oyster mushrooms

We have even written a Guide to Oyster Mushrooms with the Best 20+ Oyster Mushroom Recipes to give you even more ideas to enjoy this awesome ingredient. Here are some of our favorites as well:

• Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Vegan Gyros
• Vegan Philly Cheesesteak
• Vegan Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Oyster Mushroom Tacos