Chicken Swaps: A Grocery Store Guide to Replacing Chicken

If chicken is one of the foods you eat most often, figuring out what to replace it with can feel overwhelming. Walk into a grocery store looking for plant-based alternatives and you'll find everything from tofu and mushrooms to frozen nuggets, refrigerated vegan chicken, and ingredients you can use to make your own alternatives at home.

The good news? There isn't just one way to replace chicken. The best option depends on what you're making, the texture you're looking for, your budget, and how much time you have. Whether you're trying to reduce the amount of chicken you eat or you're transitioning to a fully plant-based diet, here are some chicken swaps to add to your grocery list.

Watch Vegan Chicken Swaps Grocery Store Tour video on YouTube.

Whole-Food Chicken Swaps

Let's start in the produce and grocery aisles because some of the most useful chicken swaps aren't packaged or labeled as "chicken" at all.

Oyster Mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are one of my favorite options when you're looking for a meaty texture. You can season them, bread them, fry them, bake them, or sauté them. They work especially well in recipes where you want something substantial and flavorful.

Try using oyster mushrooms for:

• Fried mushroom chicken sandwiches

• Tacos

• Wraps

• Bowls

• Crispy mushroom bites

Portobello Mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms are another good option when you want something substantial. Their size and texture make them useful for sandwiches, burgers, and entrees. They can be marinated, seasoned, grilled, baked, or pan-seared depending on the meal you're making.

Tofu

If you don't already keep tofu in your refrigerator, this is a great one to add to your grocery list. Extra-firm tofu works especially well for chicken-style recipes because you can press it, season it, bake it, air fry it, or pan-fry it.

One of the best things about tofu is how easily it takes on different flavors. Making barbecue chicken? Season your tofu for barbecue. Making buffalo chicken? Use buffalo sauce. Making teriyaki chicken? Give your tofu a teriyaki marinade. You can use the same basic ingredient for several completely different meals.

Tempeh

Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and has a firmer, chewier texture than tofu.

You can slice it, cube it, marinate it, crumble it, or cook it into:

• Sandwiches

• Bowls

• Stir-fries

• Wraps

• Rice dishes

If you're looking for another soy-based option to add to your rotation, tempeh is worth trying.

Seitan

Seitan gives you two options: buy it prepared or make it yourself. You can find prepared seitan in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores. It has a firm, chewy texture and can be used for chicken-style cutlets, sandwiches, strips, stir-fries, and bowls.

If you enjoy making things from scratch, look for vital wheat gluten. It's the main ingredient used to make seitan, which you can combine with seasonings and other ingredients to create your own homemade version.

Young Green Jackfruit

Young green jackfruit is especially useful when you're looking for a shredded texture. Season it for barbecue sandwiches, tacos, wraps, or other recipes where shredded chicken would normally be used. Jackfruit can be a fun option when you want to change up the texture of your meals.

Chickpeas

If you're looking for an affordable pantry staple, don't overlook chickpeas. You can mash chickpeas and make a chicken-style salad, season them for bowls and wraps, or use them in all kinds of recipes. They're also easy to keep on hand, which makes them useful for quick meals when you don't have much in the refrigerator.

Cauliflower

I already know somebody is going to have something to say about this one, but hear me out. Cauliflower can work when you're looking for something crispy and flavorful. Cut it into florets, season it, bread it, and bake or air fry it. It works particularly well for buffalo-style bites, sandwiches, and anything you want to dip into your favorite sauce.

Is cauliflower going to taste exactly like chicken? No. But it doesn't have to. If you're looking for a crispy, flavorful bite for a sandwich, wrap, or appetizer, cauliflower can absolutely work.

Packaged Chicken Alternatives

Sometimes you want to cook from scratch. Other times, you need dinner on the table. That's where packaged chicken alternatives come in.

Depending on the grocery store, you may find plant-based options in the frozen or refrigerated sections, including:

• Nuggets

• Tenders

• Strips

• Patties

• Cutlets

• Ready-to-cook chicken alternatives

Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Nuggets are one of the easiest swaps, especially when you're feeding children. Serve them with fries or vegetables, put them in a wrap, or chop them up and add them to a salad. They're also an easy option to keep in the freezer for those nights when you need something quick.

Chicken-Style Tenders & Strips

Tenders and strips are useful because you can take one product and turn it into several different meals.

Try them in:

• Wraps

• Salads

• Pasta

• Tacos

• Rice bowls

Chicken Patties & Cutlets

Patties and cutlets are especially convenient for sandwiches and quick lunches because most of the work is already done for you. Add a bun, some vegetables, your favorite sauce, and a few sides, and you've got a simple meal without having to start from scratch.

How to Choose the Right Chicken Swap

When you're standing in the grocery store wondering which option to buy, start with the meal you're actually trying to make.

Making a Fried Chicken Sandwich?

Try:

• Oyster mushrooms

• Tofu

• Seitan

• A packaged vegan chicken cutlet

Making Chicken Salad?

Try:

• Chickpeas

• Tofu

• Chopped vegan chicken

Making a Stir-Fry?

Try:

• Tofu

• Tempeh

• Seitan

• Chicken-style strips

Making Tacos?

Try:

• Oyster mushrooms

• Jackfruit

• Tofu

Need Something Quick?

Grab:

• Frozen nuggets

• Patties

• Strips

• Prepared tofu

You Don't Have to Replace Chicken the Same Way Every Time

One of the biggest takeaways from grocery shopping for chicken alternatives is that you have options. You can keep it simple with chickpeas or tofu. You can experiment with mushrooms, tempeh, or jackfruit. You can make your own seitan with vital wheat gluten. Or you can grab a package of vegan chicken when you need something quick and convenient.

The goal is to build a rotation of foods that work for your meals, your budget, and your schedule. And remember: chicken swaps don't always have to look like chicken. Sometimes the best replacement for the chicken in a recipe is simply another ingredient that gives you the texture, flavor, or heartiness you're looking for.

Want More Chicken-Free Ideas?

If you're ready to explore more plant-based alternatives, check out our newest course, Chicken Free Kitchen: A Guide to Plant-Based Alternatives. Start with a few swaps, try them in meals you already enjoy, and build from there.