Seitan Chicken Breasts- Versatile and Delicious, plus Baked Jerk "Chicken"

Chicken breasts are used as a protein source in pretty much everything, and if you've ever seen those sad, pale slices in a boxed salad, you will probably wonder why anybody would bother with meat if it's that sad-looking and tasting. Fear not! These seitan replacements are much tastier, healthier and more ethical.

Because they are so simple, you can make them in hardly any time at all- just knead the dough and boil the breast- shaped pieces. From thereon, you can bread, fry, sauté, marinade or bake to your heart's content. The use of tofu and besan gives them a nice tenderness, but if you knead it enough and don't overboil it, it will still be firm enough to cut clean slices of.

I used these in Thai curry, and in a baked jerk "bird" recipe- which follows- both to great success!

Baked jerk "chicken" - spicy but fantastic!

Seitan Chicken Breasts

227 g. Tofu, extra-firm
2 C. Vital wheat gluten
1/4 C. Besan/chickpea flour
1/4 C. Nutritional Yeast
1-2 Tsp. Salt
1 TBSP Soya sauce
2 Tsp. Poultry seasoning
1 TBSP Dried marjoram or oregano
2 Tsp. Dried rosemary
1/2 Tsp. Garlic powder
1 Tsp. Onion powder
1/2 Tsp. White Pepper
1/2 TBSP Mustard
1/4 C. Oil of your choice, e.g. canola, olive
1 - 1 1/2 C. Vegetable or faux chicken broth

To boil:
8 C. Vegetable or faux chicken broth
1/2 TBSP oil
2-3 Bay leaves
Minced Dill (optional)

Blend tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add oil, mustard, and soya sauce.

Whisk together the vital wheat gluten, besan, salt, yeast, garlic, onion, pepper, herbs and seasoning. Add the tofu mixture and one cup of the broth.

Knead by hand or in a stand mixer until smooth, adding more broth if needed to moisten (I used all of the 1 1/2 cups). Continue kneading until long strands of gluten form.

Divide into 12-16 pieces and form into long, relatively flat teardrop shapes (they should be about 2 cm thick).

Heat the broth with the bay leaves and dill (if using) in a large skillet or pot and add the oil. Maintain at a rolling boil- it shoul just barely bubble. Add the seitan (the oil helps keep them from sticking together) so that all of the pieces can lay flat- divide into batches if all the pieces won't fit at once.

Boil gently on medium-low heat for 30-45 minutes, or until tender and cooked through- remove a piece, cut into it and try.

Let cool and drain on a wire rack or a greased plate. Use immediately, or freeze for later use. These can be refrigerated for about a week.

To make Baked Jerk "Chicken":


1/2 Batch of seitan chicken breasts
2 TBSP Oil
2-3 TBSP Jerk seasoning, or paste
2-3 Sprigs of thyme (optional)
Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 TBSP Olive or coconut oil

Toss with the seitan with the oil to coat evenly, and add the lime juice. Rub on the jerk seasoning until well-coated, then pack with the thyme sprigs (if using) and let marinade in the fridge at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 220℃. Bake the marinaded seitan for about 20 minutes, or until the outside is slightly crispy but the inside isn't dry.

Brush with the olive or coconut oil to finish and serve with rice and vegetables.