Vegan "Chicken" Drumsticks | Gluten Free Recipe
These vegan "chicken" drumsticks are the perfect plant based alternative for your gluten free guests. Meaty, rich & juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, I'm sure they'll fulfill any cravings you might have.
It's been a while since I posted the recipe of the seitan based chicken "legs" (you can tell it from my photography composition back then, haha!), and since then I've been meaning to attempt a gluten free version too, as I'm aware very often those that embark on a vegan or plant based lifestyle that also happen to be gluten intolerant are kind of left out of the market.
Well, if you love home produce and you've been craving to find a vegan chicken alternative that is suitable for you, this is exactly what you've been looking for!
I hope you'll enjoy and - at the very least - it will put a smile on your faces 🙂
How to make Vegan "Chicken" Drumsticks | Gluten Free Recipe
Those that have been following this blog for quite a while already know about my favourite combo to use for gluten free mock meats. If you haven't seen any yet, check this Vegan Pepperoni and this Turkey(less) loaf for inspiration.
The main ingredients for this recipes are indeed:
Pea Protein Isolate. Main ingredient to the Beyond Meat products, very familiar to those that regularly enjoy protein shakes, Pea protein powder is a supplement made by isolating the protein from ground yellow peas (hence the isolate in the name). It is high-quality protein and a great source of iron that can aid muscle growth, weight loss and heart health (according to this source).
You can purchase this essential ingredient to this recipe online or in health shops.
Please note: when purchasing pea protein isolate, make sure to get the unflavoured version, as many can be added with vanilla or cocoa.
Konjac Powder (or flour). Also known as glucomannan, konjac is an herb that grows in parts of Asia used in Western continents as a weight loss supplement (is very rich in dietary fiber that keeps you full for longer) or to help lower cholesterol. In cooking, especially plant based, it is both used as a gelatine substitute and to thicken or add texture to foods. The last is the reason why we are using konjac in this recipe. I also tried agar agar instead of it, but it doesn’t work as well I’m afraid.
As well as pea protein, you can buy it both online or in health shops.
Kappa Carrageenan. You might already have discovered this ingredient if you followed my Vegan Mozzarella recipe. It is another thickener and additive, natural ingredient that comes from red seaweed used to thicken, emulsify, and preserve foods and drinks. In this recipe it is essential to achieve a solid and firm texture.
When purchasing this ingredient make sure to look for Kappa Carrageenan. You can buy it online here, and it will last months or even years.
While the shreds, that give even a more authentic feel and look, are king oyster mushrooms. We are going to use the white part of these very meaty mushrooms, shredded with a fork first, then pan fried in barbecue sauce and spices for flavour.
A few more spices and flavourings like vegetable stock powder, chicken spices, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion.
We are also going to need Rice Paper (same used for the seitan version) to imitate the crispy skin. It can easily be found in Asian shops or, of course, online. The paper is first soaked in water, wrapped around the shaped "meat", brushed with vegetable oil and oven baked. You can omit it if you like, but I highly recommend not to, especially if you are looking forward to experiencing the whole mouthfeel.
Finally the "bones" are made from cane sugar sticks. They're there just for the look, so don't worry if you cannot buy them. If you happen to have them, make sure to build the meat around one and remove the sugar stick before baking, as it will end up (of course) melting in the oven giving a very sweet taste to the chicken (yes, I actually done it myself the first time I tried this method!!). Alternatively you can use disposable chopsticks, cinnamon sticks (if you don't mind the cinnamon-y aftertaste), lollipop or ice cream sticks, or simply leave them out.
Step one - the mushroom shreds
Shred the mushroom stalks with a fork and pull apart with both hands. Transfer to a pan with the barbecue sauce, the chicken seasonings and a pinch of salt.
Pan fry on medium heat until soft and wilted (5-7 minutes).
Set aside to cool down completely.
Step two - the meat mixture
In the meantime we can prepare the meat mixture.
Place all dry ingredients in a bowl; gently pour over the water and mix until you end up with a dough.
If it helps watch the video of the turkey(less) loaf dough here.
Allow the dough to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Step three - the dough
Once the mushrooms are at room temperature we can add it to the mixture.
With the hands (or a spatula, but it will be a bit trickier) combine well the two elements until you end up with a sticky but firm dough.
Step four - shaping the drumsticks
With the gluten free dough just prepared you should be able to get 4 vegan chicken drumsticks.
Divide the mixture into 4, and give it a drop-like shape, that resembles the actual meat version. You can both shape the dough first and stick the preferred "bone" into it, or shape it around the stick. This is completely up to you. Remember, if you are using the sugar sticks, to remove them before baking. You will place them back later on before serving.
Soak the rice papers (one at a time!) into lukewarm water and wrap around the "meat".
Step five - bake the vegan chicken drumsticks
Brush the drumsticks with some vegetable oil and cook in the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 30-40 minutes. To crisp up the skin even more you can turn the grill mode on in the last 3-5 minutes.
Serve hot with your favourite sides and enjoy!
Vegan "Chicken" Drumsticks | Gluten Free Recipe
Ingredients:
...for the shreds...
150 g Oyster Mushroom Stalks (approx 4 mushrooms without the top part)
2 tablespoon Barbecue Sauce
1 teaspoon Chicken Seasoning (make sure it's vegan)
Salt (pinch)
...for the "meat"...
30 g Pea Protein Isolate
10 g Konjac Powder
5 g Tapioca Starch
4 g Kappa Carrageenan
1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
½ tablespoon Chicken Seasoning (make sure it's vegan)
1.5 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Bouillon Powder
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
...to finish...
4 Rice Paper Wraps
4 Brown Sugar Sticks (see notes)
Vegetable Oil
Method:
1. Clean the mushroom stalks with a slight damp cloth or kitchen paper. Shred the mushroom flesh with a fork and pull apart with both hands. Transfer to a pan with the barbecue sauce, the chicken seasonings and a pinch of salt. Pan fry on medium heat until soft and wilted (5-7 minutes). Set aside to cool down completely.
2. Prepare the meat mixture by placing all dry ingredients in a bowl. Gently pour over the water and mix until you end up with a dough. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
3. Once the mushrooms are at room temperature and the dough is rested, we can combine both mixtures. With the hands (or a spatula, but it will be a bit trickier) mix well the two elements until you end up with a sticky but firm dough.
4. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape each piece into a chicken leg. For the "bone" you can both shape the dough first and place it inside after, or shape it around the stick. This is completely up to you. Remember, if you are using the sugar sticks, to remove them before baking. You will place them back later on before serving.
5. Preheat the oven at 190°C (375°F).
6. Soak the rice papers (one at a time) into lukewarm water and wrap around the "meat".
7. Brush the drumsticks with some vegetable oil and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. To crisp up the skin even more you can turn the grill mode on in the last 3-5 minutes.
8. Serve immediately with your favourite sides and...enjoy!
These gluten free vegan "chicken" are perfect to be served with any of these followings side dishes:
– Easy Skin-On Thyme Roasted Potatoes
– Vegan Green Bean Casserole
– Vegan Russian Salad
– Light Coleslaw Salad
– Vegan Deviled Potatoes (two ways!)
– Easy Romanesco Broccoli Stew
– Simple Blossom and Courgette Bake
SuzanneNY
I was surprised how well this came out, since I hadn’t had much success with this kind of thing in the past. Also, I was working with old protein powder and had to substitute a few things (I used a whole package of konjac noodles because that was the closest I could get to konjac anything; agar flakes instead of carrageenan, arrowroot instead of tapioca, umami instead of poultry seasoning, maitake mushrooms instead of oyster and finally almond flour wraps instead of rice paper.) It proved to be a forgiving and tasty recipe. Thank you! I can’t find my usual non-chicken nuggets anywhere and I needed a break from cheese (lol). They came out like meaty little empanadas.
Michele
Hi, these look amazing and I'd like to give them a go. We can't get kappa in South Africa, is there something I can use as an alternative?