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Make This Unbelievably Tasty Easy Vegan Lemon Chicken

June 12, 2021 by woonheng 23 Comments

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Crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this vegan lemon chicken is sure to whet your appetite!

vegan-lemon-chicken

Ahhh.. mushrooms – what can you not do? Even before I turned vegetarian many years ago, mushrooms have been a staple food in my diet. I especially love the thick dried Shiitake mushrooms and they smell sooo good even in dried form.

There are many ways to add the 5th flavor – umami to a dish. One of them is to use mushrooms. There are all sorts of mushrooms with different textures, such as Shiitake, portabello, oysters, king oysters, and lion’s mane just to name a few.

I’ve seen more and more types of mushrooms available at major grocery stores these days. Some are sold in package sampler where you can try different types of mushrooms in one sitting. Because fresh mushrooms have a short shelf life so I only get them when needed. I do, however, stock up on dried Shiitake mushrooms because I often use them.

vegan-lemon-chicken

Today, we’ll talk about king oyster mushrooms – also known as Eryngii or King Trumpet mushrooms! How you can turn these gems into vegan chicken cutlets with a special cooking and cutting method. Then, I simply drenched it in the tempura batter mix and deep-fried (air-fried/bake) until golden brown. No, it’s not done, I also made a refreshing lemon sauce and drizzled it on top for a drool-worthy dish. Let’s get started!

How to make Vegan Lemon Chicken

Step 1: Prepare the mushrooms

To make this recipe, it’s best to use a large king oyster mushroom stem (organic if possible), about 6″-7″ tall. First, clean mushrooms with a paper towel or brush to remove debris. Then, cook the mushrooms in hot water seasoned with salt for about 10 minutes. Remove and immediately soak it in an ice-cold bath to stop the cooking.

To cut the mushrooms into cutlet shape, you’ll need a sharp knife. Pat the mushroom dry and lay it on a sturdy flat surface or chopping board. Using a knife, make a large slit from the cap towards the stem. Turn the knife to ‘peel’ the mushrooms like how you peel an apple in a spiral motion. Aim to keep it as a whole between 5mm – 1cm thick piece, depending on how large the mushroom is. Then, gently score both sides.

Now, combine the seasoning in a baking tray or large plate. Rub mushrooms generously with the marinade and let it sit for 10-20 minutes.

vegan-lemon-chicken

Step 2: Cook the mushrooms

Meanwhile, combine the tempura batter mix with water as directed on the package and stir until no lumps appear. I used a 2/3 cup of water to 1 cup of mix for a thicker coating.

vegan-lemon-chicken

Add about 5-6 cups of oil in a large wok or adjust the amount of oil needed based on the size of your pan. Once it’s heated to 350F, dredge mushroom cutlet in the batter, shake off excess, and slowly slide it in the hot oil. Fry both sides until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes total. Please check the section below for the air-fry and bake method.

To keep the crispy texture, I like to place the fried mushroom on a drain rack as soon as it’s fried. If you find that it has lost its crispiness while you make the sauce, simply toast or bake in the oven at 375F for about 3 minutes. Then, cut it into pieces. These can be enjoyed as-is or with the lemon sauce below.

vegan-lemon-chicken

Step 3: Make the vegan lemon chicken sauce

When making lemon sauce, I try to impart all the whole lemon in it – the zest and juice. While I like the acidity from a lemon, adding rice or distilled vinegar gives the sauce another dimension of tang. This is similar to mixing two types of sugar to create a more robust sweetness.

To make the sauce, mix together lemon zest, maple syrup, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, water and cornstarch in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Then slowly pour the sauce into a heated skillet. As soon as it starts to boil, add lemon slices and continue to cook until thickened. Taste and season accordingly depending on how sour or sweet you want it to be.

vegan-lemon-chicken

Then drizzle this sauce over the crispy vegan lemon chicken.

3 methods to cook the mushroom

Method 1: Deep or Shallow Fry

This is no doubt the easiest way to get the crispy texture. Be sure the temperature is hot enough (350F) when you add in the battered mushrooms. Fry in batches if you don’t have a large pan or wok. Overcrowding will make them stick together. To ensure the fried mushroom stays crispy, I drain it on a rack once I remove it from the oil. Or you can reheat or keep it in a preheated oven while you make the sauce.

vegan-lemon-chicken

Method 2: Air-fry

I’ve been using my air-fryer a lot lately when I opt for easier cleaning especially fried food. To air-fry, preheat it to 390F (the fries setting) for 3 minutes. Then, grease the inner rack. Place the coated mushrooms on it and air-fry for 6 minutes, pause the air fryer.

Remove the inner rack, brush a thin layer of oil on top of the mushrooms and continue to cook for another 6 minutes. This step will give the mushrooms a nice golden brown layer. Note: Air-fried method yields a crispy texture but will start to turn soft quicker. Similar to the deep-fried steps, you can air-fry it again before serving with the sauce.

Method 3: Bake

The baking method allows you to cook all mushrooms at once especially if you don’t have a large air-fryer or wok like me. First, preheat the oven to 425F. Lay the battered mushrooms on a lined greased pan, spray or dab oil on top of the mushrooms. Bake until golden brown for 20-25 minutes, with a flip in between if needed. To get a more brownish look, I like to broil it over low settings for the last few minutes. This method has the lightest golden brown compared to fried or air-fried.

Vegan Lemon Chicken FAQ

1. Why you need to boil the mushroom

If you have cooked with king oyster mushrooms before, you’ll notice that it’s a challenge to cut them into a cutlet shape. However, once the whole mushroom stem is cooked in water, they are very pliable. You can easily use a knife and cut them in a spiral motion like how you peel an apple. You can see how juicy it is when you cut it.

2. Tempura Batter mix

I used a store-bought crispy tempura batter mix from Kikkoman that is available at major grocery stores or online. For a no wheat version, opt for gluten-free batter mix.

Check out other recipes made from mushrooms

  • Rendang mushrooms
  • Shiitake mushrooms and gluten balls
  • 20-minute mushrooms stir-fry

This vegan lemon chicken is

  • allium-free
  • crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside
  • easily customizable to be gluten-free with a gluten-free batter mix
  • simple to make with 3 options to prepare the mushrooms
  • Unbelievably TASTY!
vegan-lemon-chicken

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!

Vegan Lemon Chicken

woonheng
Check out how you can turn king oyster mushrooms into a crispy vegan chicken drizzled in a mouthwatering tangy lemon sauce. The mushroom is prepared in a way where you can cut into a cutlet shape, then fried until crispy for that perfect crunch!
5 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g [10.5oz] King oyster mushrooms
  • 1 cup crispy tempura batter mix used Kikkoman
  • salt
  • water
  • neutral oil for frying

Marinade

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
  • dash of white pepper

Lemon sauce

  • ⅔ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar rice or distilled
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 lemon slices
  • zest from 1 lemon

Instructions
 

  • To prepare the mushrooms, clean them with a brush or paper towel to remove debris.
  • Prepare a bowl with ice water and set it aside. Then, fill a wok or large skillet with water with ¼ – ½ teaspoon of salt, and bring it to a boil. Cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes. The mushrooms should have a glossy outer layer once cooked. Remove and soak it in the ice water bath to stop the cooking.
  • Before cutting the mushrooms, pat dry with a cloth or paper towel to remove moisture. Give them a gentle squeeze if needed.
  • Next, prepare the marinade by combining soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, and pepper in a large shallow plate or baking pan.
  • To cut the mushroom into a cutlet shape, place it on a sturdy work surface. Using a sharp knife, make a slit from the cap to the stem. Slice it in a spiral motion like how you peel an apple to get a 1cm thick piece. Then, gently score both sides so they better absorb the sauce.
  • Transfer mushrooms cutlet to the marinade, then rub both sides generously with the liquid. Marinate for 15-20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together tempura batter mix with water until no large lumps appear.
  • Now, fill a large wok with 5-6 cups of oil and turn on the heat. Once the oil is heated to about 350F, dredge a mushroom cutlet in the batter and slowly slide it into the oil. Fry both sides until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes, with a flip if necessary. Remove and transfer to a drain rack to cool down a little before cutting. The drain rack will keep it crispy while you make the sauce.
  • For other ways to cook the mushroom cutlet, please refer to the ‘3 ways to cook the mushroom’ section.
  • To make the lemon sauce, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl (except lemon slices) until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the sauce in a heated small skillet and bring it to a boil. Once the sauce starts to simmer, add in the lemon slices and continue to cook the sauce until thickened. The sauce will start to thicken as soon as you see large bubbles. Turn off the heat and spoon this sauce over the cut mushrooms cutlet. Serve warm with rice or as-is.

Video

Notes

  • Place the batter in the fridge to keep it cold while you fry the mushrooms cutlet, especially when you are frying in batches.
  • Adjust the sweetness and tang of the lemon sauce by adjusting the maple syrup and lemon juice accordingly. 
Keyword King oyster mushrooms
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
vegan-lemon-chicken

Products I used:

Kikkoman Crispy Tempura Batter mix

Vegan oyster sauce

Note: The new version of this at the store is gluten-free but not online. Alternatively, you can make your own using this recipe.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means if you decide to purchase through my link I will receive a small commission for qualified purchases. Some products shown may have different brands from Amazon that I recommend as a suggestion. The links are embedded in the picture or shown as hyperlinks.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Savory

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pam

    September 24, 2021 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    This was absolutely amazing!! Have made 3 times so delicious!! Try it!😀

    Reply
    • WoonHeng Chia

      September 24, 2021 at 10:25 pm

      woohoo, thanks so so much Pam! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Nicki #dimsum_dreams

    September 18, 2021 at 9:37 am

    5 stars
    Such a delicious recipe! Fantastically crispy and so perfectly lemon. Everyone wanted second servings. I will definitely make this again.

    Reply
    • WoonHeng Chia

      September 18, 2021 at 11:55 am

      Thanks so much, Nicki! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Yay!

      Reply
  3. Kay

    September 14, 2021 at 3:34 pm

    Hi this looks delicious although I can’t find any nutritional advice. Any information on how many calories there are per portion would be great 👍

    Reply
  4. Daniela

    August 26, 2021 at 5:11 pm

    5 stars
    I made this recipe twice. I didn’t have the tempura batter, but I found a recipe to do it. Was completely game changer to marinate the mushrooms before frying!!’ So good, crispy, juicy and lemony 😋😋

    Reply
  5. JJ Stewart

    August 13, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    5 stars
    Simply amazing! Hands down this has become our go-to dish when we want to have a tasty, dine-in dinner that tastes like it came from our favourite take-out. Y U M !!!

    Reply
    • WoonHeng Chia

      August 16, 2021 at 12:37 pm

      Many thanks JJ. I’m so happy you gave this a try and loved it – yay! Thanks a lot and have a beautiful day. Best, WoonHeng

      Reply
  6. Marion

    July 29, 2021 at 5:15 am

    5 stars
    This was SO delicious and plan to use this fried king oyster mushroom technique for every fried chicken recipe we can think of. Thank you so much! An amazing recipe.

    Reply
    • WoonHeng Chia

      August 1, 2021 at 10:00 am

      Hello Marion, many thanks for your sweet feedback. Mushrooms are what we use to make a lot ‘chicken’ recipe at home. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Cass

    July 27, 2021 at 12:16 am

    5 stars
    Hi from Singapore!
    This vegan lemon chicken recipe is ridiciously delicious! Thanks for sharing! ♡

    Reply
  8. Mary

    July 24, 2021 at 9:10 am

    5 stars
    I love mushrooms and especially king mushrooms. What a great way to prepare and cook this ingredient. It turned out just like the ones in the recipe picture.

    Reply
    • WoonHeng Chia

      July 26, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      Thanks so much, Mary! I’m so happy you gave this a try and yours turned out so so well! wow. Many thanks for your share. Wishing you and daughter all the best! Best, WoonHeng

      Reply
  9. Matthew A Owens

    July 14, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    5 stars
    I would love more recipes

    Reply
  10. J

    June 27, 2021 at 7:35 pm

    5 stars
    This was tasty! Definitely will keep this recipe in rotation.

    Reply
    • woonheng

      July 1, 2021 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks so so much J!

      Reply
    • Kris

      July 3, 2021 at 11:37 am

      Can you batter the cutlets and then freeze them?

      Reply
      • woonheng

        July 7, 2021 at 1:23 pm

        Hey Kris, that’s a great question. I haven’t tried it that way yet. If you give it a try, please share your feedback with us here. 🙂 Best, WoonHeng

        Reply

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My name is WoonHeng and I share Asian plant-based deliciousness that you can make in your kitchen. My goal is to inspire you to try a meatless dish, one meal at a time. Let's get cooking with these recipes!

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