This air fryer vegan popcorn chicken turns dried soy chunks into crispy, bite-sized vegan chicken-style pieces. The soy chunks are soaked in seasoned hot water, squeezed well, marinated with soy sauce and oil, lightly coated with cornflour, and air fried until browned around the edges.
There is no breadcrumb coating or thick batter in this recipe. Cornflour gives the soy chunks a light crisp finish while keeping their characteristic chewy texture inside. If you prefer a crunchy breadcrumb coating, try my air fryer popcorn tofu, which uses firm tofu instead.
Soy chunks work particularly well for quick vegan snacks because they absorb seasoning as they rehydrate. I also use them in these air fryer soya tikki, where the soy chunks are combined with potatoes and shaped into crispy patties.
Serve these vegan popcorn chicken bites with your favourite dip, add them to wraps or bowls, or enjoy them straight from the air fryer. If you want a saucy version with onions and peppers, use the crispy pieces to make my air fryer soya Manchurian. You can also browse more air fryer recipes for easy vegetarian and vegan snack ideas.
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Why Make Vegan Popcorn Chicken in the Air Fryer?
The air fryer gives soy chunks a crisp outside using much less oil than deep frying. Cornflour adds a light coating, while hot circulating air helps brown the pieces quickly and evenly. Once the soy chunks are soaked and marinated, they take only about 12 to 13 minutes to cook.
Quick Summary: Soak the soy chunks in seasoned boiling water, drain and squeeze well, marinate with soy sauce and oil, rest for 10 minutes, coat with cornflour, then air fry at 180°C or 355°F until crisp.
Ingredients
- Dried soy chunks or soya nuggets
- Cornflour
- Light soy sauce
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Vegetable stock powder
- Oil
- Boiling water
If you prefer tofu, try these air fryer popcorn tofu bites. They use a different batter and breadcrumb coating for a crunchier texture.
How to Make Air Fryer Vegan Popcorn Chicken
1. Prepare the Seasoning
Add onion powder, garlic powder and vegetable stock powder to a large heat-safe bowl.
2. Add Boiling Water
Add 2 cups boiling water, stir well to dissolve and distribute the seasonings.
3. Soak the Soy Chunks
Add the dried soy chunks to the seasoned boiling water, soak for 10 to 15 minutes or according to the packet instructions.
4. Drain, Squeeze and Marinate
Drain the soaked soy chunks, allow them to cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible. Transfer to a bowl, add light soy sauce and oil, toss well, rest for 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: Squeeze the soy chunks well before adding the marinade. Removing excess water helps the soy sauce absorb better and makes it easier for the cornflour to coat the pieces.
5. Coat with Cornflour
Sprinkle cornflour over the marinated soy chunks, toss until the pieces are lightly and evenly coated.
6. Arrange in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 180°C or 355°F, arrange the coated soy chunks on air fryer parchment paper in a single layer, avoid overcrowding.
Spray oil during the cook.
7. Air Fry the Soy Chunks
Air fry at 180°C or 355°F, check the soy chunks during cooking and toss or turn them if needed for even browning.
8. Cook Until Crisp
Air fry for 12 to 13 minutes in total, remove when the soy chunks are browned and lightly crisp around the edges. Serve hot with your favourite dipping sauce.
Variations
Spicy Vegan Popcorn Chicken
Add chilli powder, cayenne pepper or chilli flakes with the onion and garlic powder for a spicy version.
Smoky Popcorn Chicken
Add smoked paprika to the seasoning mixture for a smoky flavour that works well with barbecue sauce.
Pepper and Garlic Soy Bites
Add freshly ground black pepper and a little extra garlic powder for a simple savoury variation.
Turn Them into Soya Manchurian
The crispy soy chunks can also be used as the air-fried base for a saucy dish. Follow the sauce and stir-fry instructions in this soya Manchurian recipe after air frying the chunks.
Substitutions
Soy chunks: Use similarly sized textured vegetable protein or TVP chunks, following the soaking directions on the packet.
Light soy sauce: Tamari can be used instead. If you need the complete recipe to be gluten-free, check the labels on the stock powder and other packaged ingredients as well.
Vegetable stock powder: Use a vegan vegetable bouillon or another savoury vegetable stock powder.
Cornflour: Cornstarch is the same ingredient under a different name in many countries. Potato starch can also be used, although the finished texture may be slightly different.
For another way to use soya nuggets in the air fryer, try these air fryer soya tikki made with soy chunks and potatoes.
Air Fryer Vegan Popcorn Chicken
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 100 grams dried soy chunks
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable stock powder
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Add onion powder, garlic powder and vegetable stock powder to a large heat-safe bowl. Pour in 2 cups boiling water and stir well.
- Add the dried soy chunks and soak for 10 to 15 minutes, or follow the soaking time given on the packet.
- Drain the softened soy chunks. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze them well to remove excess water.
- Transfer the squeezed soy chunks to a bowl. Add light soy sauce and oil, toss thoroughly, then leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle cornflour over the marinated soy chunks and toss until the pieces have a thin coating.
- Preheat the air fryer at 180°C or 355°F for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the soy chunks in a single layer on air fryer parchment paper. Do not overcrowd the basket.
- Air fry at 180°C or 355°F for 12 to 13 minutes, checking and tossing or turning during cooking if needed.
- Spray oil during the cook.
- Remove once the pieces are browned and lightly crisp around the edges. Serve immediately with your favourite dip.
Notes
Similar Air Fryer Vegan Recipes
If you enjoyed these crispy vegan popcorn chicken bites, try these other easy air fryer recipes:
- Air Fryer Popcorn Tofu - crispy tofu bites with a light batter and breadcrumb coating.
- Air Fryer Soya Manchurian - crispy soy chunks tossed with onions, peppers and a savoury sauce.
- Air Fryer Soya Tikki - soy chunks and potatoes shaped into crispy vegan patties.
- Air Fryer Chickpea Tofu Patties - chickpeas and tofu combined into an easy protein-rich air fryer snack.
- Air Fryer Sticky Tofu - crispy tofu finished in a sweet and savoury sticky sauce.
FAQs
Yes. First rehydrate dried soy chunks, squeeze out the excess water, season and lightly coat them, then air fry. For this recipe, the soy chunks cook at 180°C or 355°F for about 12 to 13 minutes.
Squeeze as much water as possible from the soaked soy chunks. Marinate them with soy sauce and oil, then add cornflour just before air frying. Cook them in a single layer so hot air can circulate around the pieces.
Yes. This vegan popcorn chicken uses a light cornflour coating instead of breadcrumbs. It gives the soy chunks a lightly crisp outside while keeping their characteristic chewy centre.
Conclusion
This air fryer vegan popcorn chicken is a simple way to turn dried soy chunks into crispy, savoury plant-based bites without deep frying. Soaking the soy chunks in seasoned water adds flavour from the start, while squeezing them well, marinating them and adding cornflour at the end helps create the lightly crisp finish.
Serve the crispy soy chunks hot with ketchup, barbecue sauce or your favourite dip, or add them to wraps and bowls for an easy vegan meal.
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