These Crispy Tofu Chicken Fingers are crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and packed with savory chicken-style flavor. The tofu gets marinated, double-coated for extra crunch, then air fried or baked until beautifully golden. Serve them with vegan honey mustard, ranch, plum sauce, BBQ sauce, or whatever you love to dip!
Tofu is one of my favorite ingredients because there are about a million ways to make it delicious, and covering it in a crispy golden coating is definitely high on that list. For these tofu chicken fingers, I marinate the tofu with pickle juice, poultry seasoning, and other savory seasonings, then bread each piece and air fry or bake until golden and crisp. Tender, flavorful tofu + that crunchy coating = SO good.
These are perfect for an easy kid-friendly dinner, movie-night snack, or anytime you’re craving some crispy comfort food. They’re packed with plant-based protein and even better served takeout-style with coleslaw, mac and cheese, and your favorite dipping sauce.
Why These Tofu Chicken Fingers Are So Good
- SO crispy: The flour + panko coating gets beautifully golden and crunchy, especially in the air fryer.
- Packed with flavor: Pickle juice, poultry seasoning, garlic, onion, and vegetable broth seasoning give the tofu tons of savory flavor.
- Easy and versatile: Make chicken fingers or nuggets, and cook them in the air fryer or oven.
- Perfect for dipping: Vegan honey mustard is my pick, but ranch, BBQ, plum sauce, or ketchup are all delicious.
Ingredients for Tofu Chicken Fingers
- Extra-firm tofu: The firm texture holds up well to marinating and breading without crumbling. There’s no need to press the tofu for this recipe, just drain it well and pat off any excess water. Wondering when you should press tofu? Check out my How to Press Tofu guide.
- The marinade: Plant-based milk, pickle juice (or lemon juice), poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, vegetable broth powder, and salt give the tofu that savory chicken-style flavor. I recommend soy milk because it thickens nicely when mixed with the pickle juice or lemon.
- Flour coating: A simple seasoned flour mixture is our first crispy layer. Nutritional yeast is optional, but I recommend it for an extra little boost of savory flavor.
- Panko or cornflakes: Both are delicious! Panko gives you a hearty, crunchy coating, while crushed cornflakes are a little lighter and give me more of that classic chicken-finger vibe.
- Oil spray: You don’t need much, but a good spray helps the coating get gorgeously golden and crisp.
How to Make Crispy Tofu Chicken Fingers
- Cut the Tofu: Drain the tofu and cut it into chicken finger-sized strips or nuggets.
- Marinate the Tofu: In a shallow bowl or sealable container, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the tofu and gently toss to coat. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight. New to marinating tofu? Check out my complete guide to how to marinate tofu.
- Bread the Tofu: Remove one piece of tofu from the marinade and coat it well in the seasoned flour. Dip it back into the marinade, then coat it in the panko or crushed cornflakes, gently pressing the crumbs onto the tofu so you get a nice thick coating.
- Air Fryer Method: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Spray the tofu generously with oil, then arrange it in the air fryer basket, leaving a little room around each piece. Air fry for 16 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deeply golden and crispy.
- Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange the tofu fingers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray generously with oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
Tips for the Crispiest Coating
- Soy milk works best: When mixed with pickle juice or lemon juice, soy milk thickens into a vegan buttermilk-style marinade. This helps create a nice hearty coating on the tofu.
- Press the crumbs on: When you get to the final panko or cornflake coating, gently press it onto all sides of the tofu. More coating = more crunch!
- Don’t crowd them: Leave a little room between each piece in the air fryer or on the baking sheet so hot air can circulate around them.
- Don’t be shy with the oil spray: A good coating of spray is what gives you that gorgeous golden color and extra-crispy finish. You can make them oil-free, they’ll just be a little less golden.
- Make tofu nuggets: Just cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces instead of strips and follow the recipe exactly as written. Keep an eye on them toward the end of cooking since smaller pieces may cook a little faster.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Make ahead: The tofu can marinate overnight in the fridge, which makes this really easy to prep ahead. You can also bread the tofu, cover, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before cooking. Air fry or bake just before serving for the crispiest coating.
- Storage: Store leftover tofu chicken fingers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The air fryer is my favorite way to bring back that crispy coating. You can also pop them back in the oven until hot and crisp. I wouldn’t recommend the microwave unless you don’t mind a softer coating.
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Crispy Tofu Chicken Fingers (Easy Vegan!)
These Crispy Tofu Chicken Fingers are crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with savory chicken-style flavor. Made with tofu, they’re easy to make, super crispy, and perfect for dipping into ketchup, ranch, plum sauce, or vegan honey mustard.
Servings:
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Instructions
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Prepare the tofu: Cut the tofu into chicken finger-sized strips or nuggets.
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Marinate: In a shallow bowl or sealable container, whisk together the plant-based milk, pickle juice, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, vegetable broth powder, and salt. Add the tofu and gently toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
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Prepare the coatings: In one shallow bowl, mix together the flour, nutritional yeast (if using), paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a second bowl.
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Bread the tofu: Remove a piece of tofu from the marinade and coat it in the flour mixture. Dip it back into the marinade, then coat in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating sticks well. Place on a parchment-lined tray or plate and repeat with the remaining tofu.
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Air fryer method (recommended): Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Spray the tofu generously with oil. Air fry for 16 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.Oven method: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the breaded tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray generously with oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.
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Serve: Serve hot with ketchup, vegan ranch, plum sauce, BBQ sauce, or vegan honey mustard.
Notes
Panko vs. cornflakes: Panko breadcrumbs give the crispiest, crunchiest texture, while crushed cornflakes create a slightly lighter coating that tastes more like classic fast food chicken fingers. Both work great, so use whichever you prefer.
Oil-free option: Skip the oil spray and bake or air fry as directed, though the coating will be slightly less golden and crispy.
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer or oven until hot and crispy again. The microwave will soften the coating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 768mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 5mg
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