This delicious smoky vegan shredded “chicken” jackfruit tastes exactly like meat. It takes just 15 minutes to make and contains 130 calories and 7g of protein. It makes the perfect topping for a pizza, baked potato, or filling for pita bread.
Jackfruit is a fantastic replacement for chicken or shredded meat because jackfruit’s texture is very similar to meat.
The great thing about replacing meat with jackfruit is that it is very low in calories. Jackfruit contains only 95 calories per 100g compared to 173 calories per 100g in chicken.
However, because jackfruit is actually a fruit, it is fairly low in protein. It only contains 1.7 grams of protein per 100g, so for me to use it as a good meat replacement, I had to combine it with something that is a bit higher in protein.
That’s why I added tofu to this recipe as tofu contains over 12g of protein per 100g.
As I wanted a smoky flavor for this recipe, I used smoked tofu for this jackfruit vegan chicken. The type of tofu that I used is extra firm tofu which provides a lovely meaty texture. If you can’t find smoked tofu, just use regular extra firm or firm tofu. And if you still want that smoky flavor, you can add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to this recipe.
Another good thing about using jackfruit as a chicken replacement is that it is a fairly mild-tasting fruit, and it takes on the flavor of the spices that you add to it, just like meat does.
I love this recipe because it comes together very quickly, and if you use frozen sliced onion, and frozen minced garlic like I did, it will save you even more time making this dish.
I love it when fruit sneaks into my savory dishes. I am a big fan of adding fruit to my main meals, but if you don’t love a sweet taste in your main meal, don’t worry because jackfruit doesn’t taste sweet at all. It definitely has more of a savory flavor.
The BBQ taste of this vegan shredded chicken makes it absolutely delicious. I love to make vegan gyros out of this recipe by adding this to a vegan flatbread topped with some Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce. It makes the perfect pizza topping for a 5 Minute Vegan Tortilla Pizza, or a great filling for a Vegan Crunchwrap Recipe.
Video Demonstration
If you’d like to see how easy it is to throw all this together, check out my video where I walk you through the recipe step by step. Click here to subscribe to my Youtube channel.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe and all recipes on my website are suitable for the special diets, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, free from refined sugar, and vegetarian
- This recipe contains 130 calories per serving
- This recipe contains 7g protein per serving
- This easy recipe takes 5 minutes of active preparation time and 15 minutes of cooking time.
- This recipe is made extra tasty by the addition of BBQ Seasoning and tamari.
- I have simplified this recipe by limiting the number of ingredients and using everyday, simple ingredients such as tofu and onion.
Ingredients
Ingredient Substitutions
- Olive oil: Use any oil you choose. Or omit the oil completely and just saute the vegetables in a little water.
- Onions: You can omit the onions or replace them with a vegetable of your choice.
- Smoked Extra Firm Tofu: If you can’t find smoked tofu, use plain extra firm tofu. If you can’t find extra firm tofu, use firm tofu and squeeze as much water as you can out of it. If you want to get the same smoky flavor without smoked tofu, add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the recipe. You can replace tofu with any canned beans if you prefer, or leave them out altogether. This will change the nutritional information for the recipe.
- Canned Jackfruit: If you can’t get canned jackfruit, you could replace it with canned banana blossom. If you can’t get that either, you could use sliced mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms have the meatiest texture. You can also choose to leave out the jackfruit completely if you like. You need unripe jackfruit for this recipe. Most canned jackfruit is unripe. Don’t use fresh jackfruit as it will be too sweet.
- Garlic: You can omit the garlic or replace it with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Homemade BBQ Seasoning: You can replace my seasoning blend with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons onion powder or just leave it out completely.
- Tamari: Replace this with sea salt or vegan Worcestershire sauce. If you’re not gluten free you can use soy sauce as it’s most similar to tamari.
- Maple syrup: You can omit the syrup or replace it with any sweetener of your choice.
- Tomato puree/paste: You can remove the tomato paste if you don’t mind a less rich sauce.
The Structure Of A Plant Based Plate
Each of the recipes I create fits into my Plant Plate System. This system incorporates 5 food groups into every meal.
The 5 food groups are 1) Plant Protein, 2), Leaves, Fruit, And Veg, 3) Aesthetic Additions, 4) Nutrient Packed Carbohydrates, and 5) Taste
This recipe adds plant protein to any dish. It falls under the “vegan protein” category on the Plant Based Plate and is not a complete meal.
The diagram below helps you visually see how this element features on a Plant-Based Plate.
Click here to discover more about my Plant Plate System and some of the benefits of eating this way.
Here’s how this recipe is structured according to the Plant Plate System.
Adding each ingredient to the following categories helps you to easily see how to make substitutions. It also lets you know the exact reason why the ingredient is in the recipe.
Plant-Based Protein
- Tofu
Leaves, Fruit & Veg
- Jackfruit
- Onion
Aesthetic Additions
- n/a
Nutrient Packed Carbohydrates
- n/a
Taste
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- BBQ Seasoning
- Tamari
- Maple Syrup
- Tomato paste
Recommended Equipment
Here are the main kitchen equipment tools I have used to create this recipe.
Non-Stick Pan
I highly suggest you use a non-stick pan for the vegetable and sauce part of this recipe. In a non-stick pan, this recipe cooks like a dream, with minimal stirring needed.
You can get the large pan that I use by clicking here. Please note, I bought the largest size.
You can get the 10-piece cookware set that I have by clicking here. Please note, this set contains a smaller version of the large deep pan that I bought separately.
How To Make This Recipe
- Heat the oil, then stir in the onions.
- Then add the tofu, jackfruit and the rest of the ingredients and cook.
Ways To Use This Recipe
Here are some of my favorite ways to use this recipe:
- I love to make vegan gyros out of this recipe by adding this to a vegan flatbread topped with some Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce.
- It makes the perfect pizza topping for a 5 Minute Vegan Tortilla Pizza
- It is a great filling for a Vegan Crunchwrap Recipe.
- Serve it with some Crispy Homemade Baked French Fries
- It makes a great topping for a Crispy Vegan Jacket Potato
Vegan Carbohydrate Side Dishes
Serve this recipe with any of the following carb side dishes which are all around 100 calories per serving:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Cornbread
- Easy Boiled Baby Potatoes
- Easy Skin On Boiled Potato
- Crispy Homemade Baked French Fries
- Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
- Most Crispy Vegan Jacket Potato
- Easy Whole Baked Sweet Potato
- Perfect Long Grain White Rice
For more options, see all of my best vegan, gluten-free carbs side dishes.
Vegan Vegetable Side Dishes
Here are some vegetable side dishes that go very nicely with this recipe which are all under 100 calories per serving.
- Easy Vegan Cheesy Broccoli
- Vegan Zucchini Fritters
- Spicy Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
- Nacho Cheese Baked Kale Chips
- Easy Baked Mushroom Bacon
For more options, see all of my best gluten-free vegan vegetable side dishes.
How To Reduce The Calories
If you’d like to reduce the calories of this recipe even further, I suggest removing the olive oil and either the tofu or the jackfruit from this recipe. You can saute the onions in a little water instead of oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Canned jackfruit is a great meat replacement as the texture and taste is very similar to chicken or pork. Canned jackfruit is unripe, green jackfruit, meaning it isn’t very sweet so it’s perfect for savory meals. However ripe jackfruit is much sweeter and isn’t as good as a meat substitute. Jackfruit is also much lower in protein than meat so it is good to add some protein-rich ingredients to a vegan meal containing jackfruit, such as tofu or mushrooms to up the protein content.
How To Store Leftovers
This recipe keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost it before using it. Reheat it by warming it up gently in a pan.
More Vegan Meat Side Dishes
If you’re looking for some more vegan meat side dishes that are all under 150 calories per serving, check out some of my other recipes.
- Vegan Gluten Free Black Bean Meatballs
- 10 Minute Plant Based Black Bean Burger
- Easy Vegan Meatloaf
- Smoky Tempeh Bacon
- Spicy Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
- Vegan Jackfruit Shredded Chicken
- Easy Baked Mushroom Bacon
For more options, see all of my best gluten-free vegan meat recipes.
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Thousands of people have had incredible results with this meal plan.
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Recipe
Vegan Jackfruit Shredded Chicken
Equipment
- Medium Pot or Medium Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion
- 100g Smoked Tofu (Or Plain Extra Firm Tofu)
- 1 400g Can Jackfruit In Water (Drained And Rinsed)
- 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic (Minced)
- 2 Tablespoons Of My Homemade BBQ Seasoning Or 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 1 Teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder, 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder, And 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
- ¼ Cup (60ml) Tamari
- 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste/Tomato Puree
Instructions
- Add the oil to a medium frying pan over a medium heat.
- Slice the onion. Add the onion to the pan and stir.
- Drain as much water as you can from the tofu and squeeze it to expel as much liquid as you can.
- Slice the tofu as thinly as you can. Add that to the pan and stir.
- Shred your jackfruit pieces by pulling them apart with your hands and cut the hard ends off. (Some canned jackfruit is already shredded) and then add that straight to the pan.
- Add the garlic, and the BBQ seasoning to the pan. Stir.
- Add the tamari, maple syrup, and tomato paste to the pan and stir to combine.
- Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Notes
Now it’s your turn to make magic with food.
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