This vegan Nashville Hot Chicken recipe will make you fall in love with tofu! It tastes just like a southern restaurant whipped it up!

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You are going to love this vegan Nashville hot chicken!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant Quality – You are going to absolutely love how this dish tastes like it came right out of the kitchen of your favorite restaurant
- Meal Prep Friendly – this recipe only gets better as it sits and allows the flavors to merry together. It lasts up for 5 days in the fridge, so just go ahead and double the batch so you can have more leftovers
- Spicy– If you really love spice, this this recipe is going to make your mouth water

Other must try tofu dishes:

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Baked Nashville Hot Tofu
Ingredients
- 28-32 oz extra firm tofu (2 blocks), pressed and drained*
For the marinade
- 2 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (240g)
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice (60g)
For the breading
- 3 cups corn flakes (90g)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (120g)
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce
- 5 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
- 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F/218C. Prep a baking tray with parchment paper, set aside. Cut tofu into desired size pieces or break apart for a more authentic "chicken" look.
- Add all the marinade ingredients together and whisk. Place in a shallow dish and place tofu pieces inside. Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight).
- Place all ingredients for the breading into a food processor and pulse until crumbled. Place in a shallow bowl.
- After marinating, dip tofu into the breading mixture and place on prepared baking tray. *For even crispier results, dip again a second time back in the marinade and then in the breading mixture. Spray lightly with oil for the best results, then place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- While baking, make the sauce by combining all the ingredients into a small pot. Stir together until vegan butter has melted. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- When tofu is done, allow ot cool for 10-15 minutes, then brush the sauce over your tofu. Top with fresh thyme if desired and serve!
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Swap the tofu for cauliflower instead! Swap the whole wheat flour with a 1:1 Gluten Free Blend. Make sure to use a safe for you non-dairy milk and butter,.
This will last 3-5 days in the fridge.
We don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
If you just want warmed – you can place in the microwave until heated through. For a crispier texture – place bake in the oven or an air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees F.




I cannot believe how good this was!! I did the tofu really thick (kind of on accident) and it turned out amazing. I did flip them and bake an extra 10 mins, then broil for 3-4. We did double batter so that worked well. The sauce was great, I added a little extra hot sauce and maple. My wife was blown away. We had enough left over to freeze for another meal.
OMG Thank you!!!! We are so happy to hear that you and your wife enjoyed the recipe!
Tasty and super easy recipe! This is going to be high rotation in our house!
I’m so happy to hear that—thank you!
I thought I saw this in the video being eaten on bread, like a sandwich. I am new to all of this, trying to cook for a diabetic also. If you know of a good bread can you recommend one?
We just used a store bought vegan bun from the grocery store, we don’t really have a preference on brand.
Full of flavor. Perfection. Thanks for sharing.
You’re so welcome
This was so delicious! I made the Nashville Hot Tofu and served it with Mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. My husband, a meat eater, really enjoyed it! It looked like real crunchy chicken. Next time I would marinate it longer than I did. I only gave it 40 minutes and I think it would be better overnight. I also don’t think I got enough of the water out. I’m still new at making tofu dishes.
Thank you for making so many gorgeous and delicious recipes! I’ve made several and they’ve always come out fantastic!
You got this, keep trying! Before we went vegan, we didn’t think we liked tofu. Once we really got the hang of it, we love it! Love that you paired it with mashed potatoes !
Made this last night….looking forward to the leftovers tonight. Excellent recipe as usual. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this for my vegan daughter and son in law. They absolutely loved it!
I will definitely make it again.
Delicious!
Great recipe
thank you
So glad to hear that!
These are SO good! The crispiness and flavor is on point, and paired with your pickled cabbage on a bun …chef’s kiss! Bravo
So happy you loved it!