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–+ servings

Vegan Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Brittany Roche
These Lemon Pepper Tofu Wings will change the way you think about tofu. Packed with chickeny flavor and coated in a piquant lemon pepper sauce, these air fried tofu wings have the meatiest texture thanks to our internet-famous Tofu Freezer Trick. If you want vegetarian lemon pepper wings that actually taste like boneless chicken wings and not some crunchy vegetable substitute, this is your recipe.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Tofu Prep Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack, Vegan Side Dishes
Cuisine Air Fryer, American, Vegan
Servings 6 servings
Calories 464 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the wings/marinade:

  • 16-oz package extra firm tofu
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder

For the breading:

  • 3/4 cup vegan seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup tapioca starch or cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

For the vegan lemon pepper wing sauce:

  • 1 cup vegan butter
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions
 

  • First, prep the tofu: Freeze and defrost your tofu. Place the whole container (do not open it) in the freezer overnight (at least). In the morning, remove it from the freezer and set it in a shallow dish on your counter to thaw. This will take several hours. When the tofu is thawed, squeeze it gently over the sink and press it with a tofu press or on paper towels to remove any excess liquid.
  • Marinate the tofu: Place your tofu on a cutting board and use your hands to gently rip wing-shaped pieces off of it. Alternatively, you can also slice the tofu into sticks, triangles, or flat rectangles for other shape options. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and pour this over your tofu wings, making sure they are all nice and coated. Place them in your fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
  • Set up the breading station: Preheat the air fryer to 350F and spray the basket gently with oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade and place it on a plate or cutting board or the lid of the container. To the container where the tofu was marinating, add the unsweetened plant milk and apple cider vinegar. Swish the mixture gently to combine. Get out two shallow bowls or pie plates. To one, add the starch. To the other, add the breadcrumbs.
  • Bread the tofu wings: Dip each tofu wing in the starch, then in the marinade/plant milk mix, then in the bread crumb mixture. Be sure to coat the tofu completely during each phase. Repeat for each wing.
  • Air fry the vegan wings: Add tofu wings to the air fryer basket, enough to fill the bottom but not so many that they’re on top of each other. Feel free to do it in 2 batches. Air fry for 10 minutes at 350F. Stop to shake gently, just enough to loosen the pieces from the bottom of the basket, and air fry another 10 minutes. Then, stop to shake gently again and air fry for a final 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Make lemon pepper wing sauce: While the tofu is air frying, add the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and stir until the vegan butter is melted. Then, let this come to a low simmer and as soon as the sides start to bubble, remove from heat.
  • Bring it together: Add the cooked tofu wings to a large mixing bowl and drizzle on half the lemon pepper wing sauce. Toss to coat all the wings evenly. Then, drizzle the remaining wing sauce over the tofu and continue tossing to coat.
  • To serve: Serve these air fried tofu wings on a platter with vegan ranch dressing, celery sticks, and carrots.

Notes

  • Make sure you don’t skip the freezing the tofu part. This is crucial, and without it you will have a far squishier texture. 
  • When freezing the tofu, make sure you buy tofu packed in water and freeze it in the unopened package.
  • Do not use silken tofu or soft tofu. Extra firm tofu works the best for the meatiest results.
  • Use a plain, unsweetened plant based milk to avoid any overwhelming flavor. Avoid anything that says “vanilla.”
  • To get really firm and crispy wings, bread and air fry them the night before the big game. Then, let them sit in the fridge overnight and reheat in the air fryer before saucing and serving!

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 9gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gSodium: 917mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1489IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg
Keyword air fryer recipes, air fryer tofu wings, tofu recipes, tofu wings, vegan wings
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