Kids and kids at heart can all agree: nothing hits quite like a chicken nugget! The golden brown coating, the savory flavor, the snackable sizing, and of course, the way they so perfectly compliment your favorite dipping sauce.
Thankfully, the meat alternative market continues to expand, and along with it, the selection of plant based chicken nuggets. Instead of being made from ground chicken--like traditional nuggets--vegan chicken nuggets may be made from soy protein, wheat gluten, plant based starches, and even jackfruit!
We gathered all of these different types of nuggets and tested and evaluated them side by side in an effort to determine what are the best vegan nuggets on the market. From the crispiest to the highest protein picks, we’re covering it all right here right now.
Table of Contents
Products We Tested
We taste tested the following 15 brands and varieties of vegan chicken nuggets:
- 365 Whole Foods Market Chicken Style Nuggets
- 'Beyond Chicken' Plant Based Breaded Tenders
- Daring Gluten Free Breaded Plant Chicken Wings
- Gardein Plant Based Seven Grain Crispy Tenders
- Gardein Ultimate Plant Based Chick'n Nuggets
- Good & Gather Plant Based Meatless Chick'n Tenders
- Impossible Chicken Nuggets Made From Plants
- Jack & Annie's Crispy Jack Nuggets
- Jack & Annie's Crispy Jack Tenders
- Morningstar Farms Chik'n Nuggets
- Simulate Spicy Nuggs
- Trader Joe's Chickenless Crispy Tenders
How We Tested
Our aim for this taste test and review was to determine the best vegan chicken nuggets in each of the following categories:
- Best Classic Nuggets
- Best Tenders
- Best Crispy
- Best Spicy
- Best High Protein
- Best Gluten Free
We cooked our test subjects on a baking sheet according to the conventional oven cooking instructions as per the packaging of each variety. We sampled the classic and plain style nuggets first, followed by tender-style varieties, and then flavored options.
During the taste testing and evaluating, we graded each of the vegan chicken nuggets according to the following 4 criteria:
- Taste & Texture: looking at flavor notes and overall consistency of each product.
- Value: price per ounce
- Ingredients: considering the quantity and quality of ingredients in each product as well as nutrition content.
- Production: taking into account factors of manufacture, distribution, availability, sustainability, and packaging.
Best Classic Nuggets
Impossible Chicken Nuggets Made From Plants
Overall Rank: 4.6 / 5.0
Taste & Texture: 5.0 / 5.0
These nuggets from the geniuses at Impossible Foods were our tasting panels top pick when it came to giving an experience the most like that of a real chicken nugget.
These idyllic golden brown nuggets are in a range of classic nugget shapes. They smell great straight out of the frozen package and give off an even more inviting aroma once cooked. The flavor is amazingly chicken-like and savory, with basic but perfect seasoning and just the right amount of bread crumb coating that offers a subtle crisp.
Value: 4.7 / 5.0
The price point of this option is right on target with the average, at $0.57 per ounce.
Ingredients: 4.4 / 5.0
As is the case with most Impossible brand products, the ingredients list on these vegan chicken nuggets is rather long and complicated. Many of the ingredients, however, are added vitamins and minerals! Each serving provides an impressive amount of nutrient benefit in the form of 60% DV vitamin B12, 35% DV niacin, 25% DV zinc, 20% folate, and more.
This option is unfortunately the highest calorie of all, with 240 per serving but boasts a full 13 grams of protein. As for allergens, it contains both soy and wheat ingredients.
Production: 4.5 / 5.0
A serving size here consists of 5 pieces which seemed satisfying to us. These vegan nuggets come in a convenient resealable bag that features instructions for conventional oven, air fry, and microwave cooking. For those who prefer to avoid GMOs though, take note that this option is a product of bioengineering.
Why We Picked It:
We love the broad spectrum appeal of this option. They're so nugget-like, one of our tasters exclaimed “if one of these was mixed in with a box of real chicken nuggets, I wouldn’t even know it!”. These nuggets contain a ton of vitamin and mineral content, lots of protein, and are conveniently packaged.
What We Didn’t Like:
This option has the highest calorie content we encountered, features both soy and wheat allergens, and contains bioengineered ingredients.
Where to Buy: Target, Walmart, Kroger, ShopRite, ACME, Albertsons, and more
Best Tenders
Beyond Meat 'Beyond Chicken' Plant Based Breaded Tenders
Overall Rank: 4.4 / 5.0
Taste & Texture: 4.5 / 5.0
Where you find nuggets, you find tenders, so naturally we had to evaluate some vegan chicken “tender-style” nuggets as well! This option from Beyond turned out to be our fave, as the texture of the “meat” is hearty yet spongy, much like an actual chicken tender.
We love the consistent sizing of these chicken pieces and found them to be pleasantly more heavily seasoned as compared to plainer options like Impossible nuggets. On the downside, our tasting panel didn't love the coating on these tenders as much, as it turned more mushy and soft instead of crispy like one would hope for.
Value: 4.3 / 5.0
These plant based tenders are one of the more expensive options we tried, costing $0.67 per serving.
Ingredients: 4.5 / 5.0
Instead of soy protein concentrate, Beyond opts for pea protein, making this option more accessible to folks with soy allergies or sensitivities.
This option features yet another lengthy ingredients list, but as we've seen, such is the case with heavily modified products like frozen nuggets of any type. These chicken tenders have some of the highest fat content we encountered though, with 12g total fat and 2g (10% DV) saturated fat per serving.
Production: 4.6 / 5.0
One serving consists of 2 tenders here which we can’t help but feel is not quite enough. However, we like the easy-open freezer bag these tenders come in that has a zip top to reseal it and detailed instructions for baking, air frying, and microwaving these tenders.
Why We Picked It:
These vegan chicken tenders have an amazingly tender-like texture and appearance and we can see them filling in any and all chicken tender roles--from dipping in sweet mustard to topping a salad or bathing in pizza sauce for a chicken parm style sandwich. The use of pea protein as opposed to soy makes this option one that soy-free folks can enjoy too!
What We Didn’t Like:
The texture of the breading is too soft and did not get crisp enough for us and this is one of the more expensive options as well. Also, we think the suggested serving size of 2 pieces is not all that realistic.
Where to Buy: Whole Foods, Target, ACME, Walmart, and more
Best Crispy
Jack & Annie's Crispy Jack Tenders
Overall Rank: 4.5 / 5.0
Taste & Texture: 4.6 / 5.0
Where the Beyond brand tenders fall short in the crispy department, this option from Jack & Annie’s nails it! We had low expectations when pulling these vegan chicken nuggets from the oven, as the pale coloring did not leave us much hope for a satisfying crunch factor. However, we were pleasantly reminded not to judge a book by its cover when during the taste test, they seriously delivered in terms of crispy, crunchy coating--even after they had been sitting out for a bit.
As for the vegan chicken inside the breading, we found the texture of the jackfruit-based filling to be a bit uneven and odd, however the “bouncy” consistency does ring in as very chicken-y.
Value: 4.3 / 5.0
Right on par with Beyond tenders, Jack & Annie’s version also comes in at $0.67 per ounce, on the more expensive end of the spectrum.
Ingredients: 4.8 / 5.0
These vegan tenders have a much cleaner and more limited ingredients list as compared to the products we’ve discussed so far. Whole jackfruit is always the first ingredient in Jack & Annie’s products, and these nuggets also include flours made from soy, corn, and rice, as well as pea protein and spices such as garlic powder and onion powder.
Each serving provides 4g of dietary fiber--almost 15% your DV--but sadly features the lowest protein content of all products we tested, with just 6g per serving.
Production: 4.6 / 5.0
The serving size here is 2 tenders, which again, doesn’t seem entirely realistic, but we did feel that something about the makeup of these tenders is just a bit more hearty as compared to others. Also, this option is certified gluten free.
Why We Picked It:
These vegan tenders are made primarily from jackfruit, one of our favorite vegan ingredients for items like BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches! They have a chicken-like consistency, a wonderfully crisp gluten free coating and are a good source of dietary fiber.
What We Didn’t Like:
The texture of the filling is a little off and all in all, these tenders are one of the more expensive items we tried. Also, unlike the high protein vegan nuggets from Gardein and Trader Joe’s, the protein content here is unfortunately low.
Where to Buy: Target, Thrive Market, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Kroger, and more
Best Spicy
Simulate Spicy Nuggs
Overall Rank: 4.7 / 5.0
Taste & Texture: 4.8 / 5.0
If a bit of heat is your thing, these Spicy Nuggs from Simulate won’t disappoint! These vegan chicken nuggets are a perfectly petite size, bearing that quintessential nugget shape. The coating is uniform and crisp with a rusty red hue, cluing you in to the fact that there is going to be some heat involved here! Our tasters consider the heat to be moderate, softer at first but lingers in the back of your throat for sure--look out!
As for the texture of the filling, these are yet another option that would be incredibly convincing in place of a real nugget.
Value: 4.7 / 5.0
This option settles in smack in the middle of our pricing range, at $0.55 per ounce–solid value.
Ingredients: 4.5 / 5.0
These vegan chicken nuggets are fairly high calorie content with 200 per serving and contain both soy and wheat allergens.
We do love the mix of hot pepper ingredients here though, as these nuggs take their heat from both ancho chili pepper and red pepper, as well as other flavorful additions like celery seed, paprika, and black pepper.
Production: 4.7 / 5.0
The serving size of these nuggets is 5 pieces which seems quite decent to us! While we really loved the refreshingly minimalist packaging and straightforward cooking instructions, the bag-inside-box approach to packaging here doesn’t seem to keep an airtight seal very well so best put things in a resealable zip-top bag if you plan on storing leftovers in the freezer. Also, this product is made with bioengineered ingredients.
Why We Picked It:
We loved the spicy-hot flavor of these nuggets, along with the spot-on texture of the filling, coating, and overall excellent size and appearance. They are moderately priced and made with a myriad of flavorful spices! The serving size seems bigger as compared to other vegan chicken nuggets we tried and the simple packaging is refreshingly easy to navigate.
What We Didn’t Like:
The heat level may be a bit overly spicy to some palates and there are some highly processed ingredients in the mix. Also, the quality of the packaging seems lower and less protective as compared to other brands with sturdy, well-sealing bags like those from Daring.
Where to Buy: Walmart, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, Publix, and more
Best High Protein
Gardein Ultimate Plant Based Chick'n Nuggets
Overall Rank: 4.7 / 5.0
Taste & Texture: 4.6 / 5.0
We’re still not sure where this option from Gardein lands on the scale between nuggets and tenders. These petite and poppable chicken bites actually have more of a popcorn chicken appeal!
Our tasting panel approved of the texture, with a nice firmness that hits a bit more like tofu nuggets as opposed to the other, very chicken-y options like Daring’s nuggets. We did detect a bit of an off aftertaste though, somewhat like an oily taste that makes this a bit more assertive on the tongue. That said, we are dying to toss these in buffalo sauce and dunk them in Dairy Free Ranch Dressing!
Value: 4.8 / 5.0
Very average price point on this one, working out to $0.57 per ounce.
Ingredients: 4.4 / 5.0
This option is made from a mixture of wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, corn flour, pea protein, and seasonings. These vegan chicken bites have an awesome 14g of protein per serving and they provide 10% your DV of iron as well! Unfortunately, they also have the highest sodium content of all we tested, at 580mg per serving.
Production: 4.8 / 5.0
At 6 pieces to a serving, the portion seems a bit small on this option. This product is non-GMO project verified and has cooking instructions for both the conventional oven as well as the air fryer. Plus, the nutrition panel features a scannable SmartLabel, linking you right to all kinds of useful product info.
Why We Picked It:
In addition to boasting the highest protein content of all vegan chicken nuggets we tried, the size and shape of these bites make them perfectly addictive and we can see eating them plain or tossed in your favorite sauce. They also are a good source of iron, are free from GMOs, and are packaged well.
What We Didn’t Like:
There’s an odd, almost extra oily flavor to these nuggets which wasn’t our favorite and they are also very high in sodium.
Where to Buy: Target, Walmart, GIANT, Whole Foods, BJ’s Club, and more
Best Gluten Free
Daring Gluten Free Breaded Plant Chicken Wings
Overall Rank: 4.6 / 5.0
Taste & Texture: 4.7 / 5.0
This pick from Daring Foods is the only “wing” option we encountered, so of course we had to give it a try! The filling is much more fibrous and meaty--more like dark meat chicken--as opposed to the spongy vegan chicken nuggets and tenders we have covered so far. The roasty, toasty gluten free coating gets crisp and adheres nicely too.
The flavor is a bit sweet and not exactly chicken-y, but between all of the spices and seasonings, these are actually quite tasty! Some of our tasting panel did feel that these chicken bites were overly chewy though.
Value: 4.0 / 5.0
These plant based chicken wings hit our charts as the most expensive option, costing $0.90 per ounce where options like Trader Joe’s Chickenless Tenders were half that much.
Ingredients: 5.0 / 5.0
In one of the shortest ingredient lists we saw, this gluten free nugget option is made from a base of soy protein, corn flour, and potato flour. Each serving provides 4g dietary fiber--almost 15% your DV!--and is rich in iron. Plus, this pick has the lowest sodium content of all we tested, with just 340mg per serving.
We were surprised to see cocoa powder on the ingredients panel here! It does offer an earthy, smoky flavor to the background of the breading, but having personal experience with family members who have caffeine sensitivity due to cardiovascular issues, we realize this unexpected addition could be problematic for some folks.
Production: 4.8 / 5.0
The serving size here is 6 pieces which seems satisfactory, but we did notice the vegan chicken pieces in our bag were very inconsistently sized and shaped. The uniqueness of them is actually kind of fun, but we think it could also lead to some uneven cooking.
We really loved the packaging here too--an extra sturdy zip top bag with instructions for pan frying, air frying, and oven baking. And of course, these wings are certified gluten free.
Why We Picked It:
Not only is the texture of the “chicken” nice and meaty, but the coating is golden brown and delicious while still managing to be gluten free. This option features an extremely short ingredients list as compared to most of the other vegan chicken nuggets we tested and is a good source of fiber and iron.
What We Didn’t Like:
Some of our tasters felt this option was too chewy, and the uneven shapes and sizes of these chicken pieces is fun but impractical. Also, these vegan chicken nuggets are the most expensive of all we tested.
Where to Buy: Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Target, Thrive Market, and more
FAQs
Are Vegan Chicken Nuggets Healthier?
In some ways, yes. Compared to animal based nuggets, vegan nuggets are typically lower in calories, fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol. Depending on what it is made from, a vegan nugget may have as much protein as a real chicken nugget--as we saw with brands like Gardein and Impossible--or it may have less. Plant based nuggets often contain a greater quantity of dietary fiber while both types of nuggets contain a similar average amount of sodium.
Are Vegan Chicken Nuggets Processed?
Though they can be a good source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, there’s no getting away from the fact that vegan chicken nuggets are a processed food. They are delicious though, so we’re all for enjoying them! Just keep an eye on serving size and try to keep a variety of other protein sources in your meal rotation.
Can You Eat Vegan Nuggets Raw?
Even though “raw” plant based meat products don’t carry the same risks as raw animal-derived meats, you still should not consume them without cooking. Vegan meat products can still be exposed to foodborne illness causing pathogens during manufacture and thoroughly heating them before eating is the best way to eliminate any risk.
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