'Chicken' Parmigiana
Vegan 'chicken' parmigiana is the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table do a double take. We use big, meaty oyster mushrooms coated in panko and plant-based parmesan, then pile them high with a harissa-spiked tomato sauce and thick slices of melted plant-based mozzarella. The harissa adds just enough warmth to make the sauce interesting without blowing anyone's head off. It's ready in 40 minutes and it tastes like the kind of thing you'd order at a proper Italian-American restaurant. Make this on a weeknight and you'll be making it again by the weekend.
Before You Start
- Turn oven to grill setting
- Large ovenproof saucepan
- Deep saucepan for frying
- 2 mixing bowls
- Baking tray lined with paper towel
Ingredients
- 4 large oyster mushrooms
- 200ml plant-based yoghurt
- 80g panko breadcrumbs
- 50g grated plant-based parmesan
- 200ml vegetable oil
- Salt & pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tsp soft brown sugar
- olive oil
- salt
- 4 thick slices plant-based mozzarella
- handful of fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
Make the sauce
- Peel and dice the onions and garlic.
- Place a large ovenproof saucepan over a medium heat.
- Once warm, add the diced onion, garlic and pinch of salt.
- Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.
- At this point, add the chopped tomatoes, harissa paste and brown sugar.
- Mix well, reduce the temperature and leave to simmer while you make the chicken.
Make the batter up
- In a mixing bowl, add the plant-based yoghurt and give it a little stir to loosen it up.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Batter the mushroom pieces - Place each oyster mushroom in the bowl of yoghurt and mix well until well coated.
- Remove from the bowl and place into the breadcrumbs bowl.
- Mix well until completely coated in breadcrumbs.
Fry the mushrooms
- Place a deep saucepan over a medium heat and add all of the vegetable oil.
- Once the oil is hot enough to fry, add the battered mushrooms and cook, constantly changing over sides until all sides are golden brown and delicious.
- You can also air fry your mushrooms if you’d prefer (cooking time depends on the air fryer).
- Once cooked, remove from the oil/air fryer and place onto a baking tray lined with paper towel.
- Turn the oven to the grill setting.
Finish in the oven
- Place the cooked mushrooms on top of the sauce.
- Top each with a slice of plant-based mozzarella and sprinkle with pepper.
- Cook in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
Time to serve
- Slice the basil leaves.
- Once the mushrooms are cooked, remove from the oven and scatter in chopped basil and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Tips & Variations
- Don't rush the fry: Get your oil properly hot before the mushrooms go in. A moderate heat means the crust absorbs oil and goes soggy. You want a sizzle the moment they hit the pan.
- Press the breadcrumbs on: Really press the panko and parmesan mixture into the yoghurt-coated mushrooms with your hands. More contact means a thicker, crunchier crust.
- Sauce consistency matters: Let the tomato sauce simmer down until it's thick enough to sit on top of the mushrooms without running everywhere. A watery sauce is the enemy of a good parmigiana.
Why This Works
Oyster mushrooms are the secret here. They go properly golden and crispy in the pan in a way that most vegetables just don't, and their texture holds up brilliantly under all that sauce. The plant-based yoghurt in the coating helps the panko stick and keeps everything juicy underneath the crust. And that harissa in the tomato sauce? Trust us, it makes all the difference.