Chicken Fried Tofu Recipes

Steps:

• Drain the tofu, then wrap in a clean dish towel and place a heavy object, such as a cast iron pan, on top. Press the tofu for 20-30 minutes, until the towel is soaked through.
• Place the pressed tofu back in its container and wrap with reusable wrap. Freeze for at least 6 hours, up to overnight.
• Remove the tofu from the freezer and place in a microwave-safe bowl over a clean dish towel. Defrost in the microwave until completely thawed and the dish towel is soaked through, 10-15 minutes.
• Wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel and press again for another 20-30 minutes, until the dish towel is soaked through and the tofu is half its original thickness.
• While the tofu is pressing, make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, grapeseed oil, hot sauce, soy milk, and apple cider vinegar.
• Tear the tofu into bite-size pieces that resemble chicken tenders or nuggets. Add the tofu to the marinade and stir to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour, stirring halfway through.
• While the tofu is marinating, set up the breading station: In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. In a separate shallow bowl, mix together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. In a third shallow bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and olive oil (only if baking the tofu).
• If deep-frying the tofu, heat the canola oil in a medium pot over medium heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C).
• Alternatively, if baking the tofu, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• When the tofu is done marinating, coat the pieces first the flour mixture, then in the soy milk mixture, then again in the flour mixture, again in the soy milk mixture, and finally in the bread crumb mixture.
• If deep-frying the tofu, add the tofu to the hot oil in batches and cook for 90-120 seconds, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• If baking the tofu, line a baking sheet with a nonstick mat or parchment paper and grease with nonstick spray. Add the tofu to the baking sheet and spray the tops with nonstick spray, then bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
• Serve with honey mustard or barbecue sauce for dipping.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel, and place on a cutting board. Weigh down the tofu with a sheet pan topped with something heavy, such as a large skillet, cans or books, until the tea towel is soaked, about 30 minutes.
• While the tofu is pressed, prep the zucchini: Halve the zucchini crosswise, then cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Finally, cut each plank lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick "fries." Place the zucchini fries in a large colander set over a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to drain.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a measuring cup, stir together the apricot preserves, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 2 teaspoons water until smooth. Transfer to a small dish for dipping, and set aside.
• Slice the pressed tofu in half horizontally, and cut each of those halves into 8 rectangular pieces, creating 16 nuggets total. Directly on the cutting board, season the tofu with 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, smearing each piece around to catch all the seasonings.
• In a large bowl, toss to combine the potato starch and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Place the tofu in the starch, and gently toss with your hands until each piece is evenly coated.
• Fry the tofu: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, and add a thin layer of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu in a single layer, and cook, flipping a couple of times, until lightly golden on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked tofu to a towel-lined plate to drain, and season it with salt to taste.
• To serve, transfer the tofu and zucchini to a large platter, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and rice wine. Place the green onion and chicken in the mixture. Allow to marinate at least 15 minutes.
• In a wok over medium-high heat, cook and stir the chicken with the marinade mixture about 5 minutes until almost done. Toss in the garlic, onion, and peppers. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp but tender and chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
• Mix the tofu, water, oyster sauce, and chili paste into the wok. Cook and stir until heated through.

Steps:

• slice tofu into cutlets about 1/4 inch thick.
• press the water from the tofu cutlets for about 15 minutes.
• coat cutlets in nutritional yeast.
• in a large skillet (cast iron works best) heat oil over medium-low heat. when oil shimmers add tofu, dropping a small amount of shoyu onto each cutlet.
• when the cutlets get brown on the bottom (4-5 minutes) flip and brown on the other side.
• serve with gravy and enjoy.