The Best Vegan Chicken Nuggets Are... (13-Nugget Taste Test)

For many of us, chicken nuggets conjure nostalgic childhood memories. So while faux-chicken nuggets may not be the healthiest snack food option, they can definitely satisfy those cravings for something familiar. Vegan versions of chicken nuggets are also easy to find in most grocery stores, and easy to prepare, so they're perfect when you don't have a lot of time.

Well, I got together with a friend (Dominique, also vegan) to try 13 brands. Of course, with so many options, it was a difficult task just to narrow it down to just 13 nuggets for our taste test.

Together we break down the taste and texture of each nugget's vegan meat and breading for you. We'll also tell you how much they taste like the real thing, if that's what you're looking for. (Because we think that there's also a place for nuggets that don't taste like chicken, but still taste good in their own right).

If you're interested in some of our other vegan food taste tests, we've also tried:

• The best vegan cheese for grilled cheese

• The best vegan coffee creamer (sweetened and unsweetened)

• The best vegan mac and cheese

• The best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe

• The best vegan cheese for pizza

• The best vegan vanilla ice cream pint

Testing Methods

I prepared each nugget according to the package instructions. Many of these vegan nuggets offer a variety of ways to prepare them, so I baked most of them on a baking sheet in the oven. Only Daring didn't provide a baking option, so I pan-fried those nuggets.

This was not a blind taste test. Both Dominique and I tasted all of these nuggets knowing which brands they were. I had not tasted any of these nuggets previously, but Dominique had tried a few of them.

We tried each nugget on its own to get a pure sample of the flavor, texture, and breading. But I also prepared a vegan honey mustard sauce (made by replacing the mayo with vegan mayo and the honey with maple syrup) for dipping.

Vegan Nugget Similarities and Differences

Most of the nuggets we tested contain both soy and wheat. However, Like Meat Like Nuggets is gluten-free and wheat-free. Beyond Chicken tenders also doesn't list soy in its ingredients list, but it does say "may contain soy." So you should still avoid these tenders if you have an allergy. Field Roast Classic Nuggets are soy-free as well, but we don't recommend those.

We used a broad definition of "nuggets" for our taste test; while most of the vegan chicken we tried is nugget-shaped, we did include a couple of options that are tender-shaped, and one that's similar to popcorn chicken in size.

Traditional chicken nuggets usually use ground chicken pieces rather than whole pieces. And many of the meat-free nugget options here try to replicate that processed texture. However, several also went for a texture more like whole, unprocessed chicken pieces.

The serving size on the package of each of these products is different, which makes it more difficult to compare price and nutrition. So for comparison purposes, I estimated the nutrition facts below using an 85-gram serving size. Therefore, the nutrition facts you see will vary slightly from the package.

Note: I've seen a few taste tests on the internet that include Quorn nuggets as a vegan option. Please be aware that as of the time of this writing, Quorn nuggets are only vegan in the UK, and the Quorn nuggets in the US are still made with egg and milk.

Taste Test Results

Please keep in mind that these results are based on our own personal preferences; your opinion might vary!

1. Winner: Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Chick'n Nuggets

These nuggets are approximately the size of popcorn chicken, but their small size packs an impressive taste. These nuggets are so chicken-like that if they were served to us in a restaurant, we might think they gave us real chicken instead. Gardein Ultimate Nuggets are made with non-GMO soy, wheat, and pea protein, which produces a texture with just the right amount of fibrosity. The vegan chicken also springs back without being overly rubbery.

In all aspects, from the texture to the flavor to the appearance of the "meat" as well as the flavor and texture of the breading, we simply couldn't ask for more from a vegan chicken nugget. They're hands-down the best vegan chicken nuggets in our taste test, and we enthusiastically recommend them, 10/10.

The bag itself is on the pricier side, but the bag is quite large, so the Gardein Ultimate Nuggets work out to be middle-of-the-road (price by weight) compared to most of the other options in our test.

1. Overall rating: 10/10 (best)

2. "Meat" texture: 10/10 (best)

3. "Meat" flavor: 10/10 (best)

4. Breading texture: 10/10 (best)

5. Breading flavor: 10/10 (best)

6. Price (US): $7.92-9.99*

7. Package size: 14.7 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $1.61-2.04* (approximately average)

9. Preparation options: oven**, air-fryer

10. Per 85 g.:***

    1. Calories: 170 (lower than average)

    2. Fat: 7 g. (lower than average)

    3. Sodium: 520 mg. (higher than average)

    4. Carbohydrates: 14 g. (lowest)

    5. Protein: 13 g. (higher than average)

11. Allergens: soy, wheat, pea protein

2. Runner Up: Daring Breaded Plant Chicken Pieces

If it's true that we eat with our eyes first, The Daring Breaded Plant Chicken Pieces are quite convincing. Each piece is a slightly different size and shape, and the "chicken" texture inside resembles whole chicken. (Of course, if you prefer the processed nugget texture, then this one might not be the plant chicken for you.)

But the goodness doesn't stop with the Daring's appearance. When we tasted them, we found that the breading on these plant pieces is flavorful and crunchy. And the plant chicken inside (made from soy protein) has a tender, juicy texture and flavor that resembles chicken. However, the texture is not as fibrous as chicken, and it's a bit chewier than real meat.

Despite the fact that it's not a dead ringer for actual chicken, it definitely gives us chicken vibes and tastes mouth-wateringly good. It may not fool anyone, but even omnivores should still enjoy these vegan chicken pieces. Overall, Daring gets our stamp of approval.

1. Overall rating: 9/10

2. "Meat" texture: 8.5/10

3. "Meat" flavor: 8/10

4. Breading texture: 10/10

5. Breading flavor: 10/10

6. Price (US): $5.94-6.99*

7. Package size: 8 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $2.22-2.62* (higher than average)

9. Preparation options: pan-fry**, air-fryer

10. Per 85 g.:

    1. Calories: 180 (lower than average)

    2. Fat: 7 g. (lower than average)

    3. Sodium: 610 mg. (highest)

    4. Carbohydrates: 19 g. (higher than average)

    5. Protein: 10 g. (lower than average)

11. Allergens: soy, wheat

3. Great Option: Beyond Chicken Plant-Based Breaded Tenders

If you're looking for chicken flavor in a vegan tender, Beyond Chicken Tenders have it. Not only does it have a lot of chicken flavor, but the flavor tastes more authentic than many of the others that we tasted. (For example, the Like Chicken Nuggets have a similar amount of chicken flavor, but the flavor tastes more fake by comparison.)

The plant-based meat texture is also quite good, although not as good as the Daring or Gardein. Made from non-GMO faba (aka fava) bean and wheat protein, the vegan chicken texture is a little bit on the rubbery side, which is made more noticeable because the pieces are so thick.

All-in-all, we recommend the Beyond tenders. Their flavor and texture are both good, making them significantly better than the next-best option in our taste test, (despite the higher price tag).

1. Overall rating: 8.5/10

2. "Meat" texture: 7.5/10

3. "Meat" flavor: 9/10

4. Breading texture: 9/10

5. Breading flavor: 9/10

6. Price (US): $6.29*

7. Package size: 8 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $2.36* (higher than average)

9. Preparation options: oven**, air-fryer, microwave

10. Per 85 g.:***

    1. Calories: 220 (higher than average)

    2. Fat: 13 g. (higher than average)

    3. Sodium: 480 mg. (higher than average)

    4. Carbohydrates: 16 g. (approximately average)

    5. Protein: 12 g. (approximately average)

11. Allergens: pea protein, wheat, may contain soy

4. Good Fast-Food-Style Option: 365 Chicken-Style Plant-Based Nuggets

These nuggets don't resemble chicken at first bite, but they do somehow get a little closer the more you chew them. They have a meatier flavor than many of the other options on this list, and the plant chicken is juicy, not dry. Made from non-GMO soy and wheat protein, the texture of the vegan meat is closer to the ground chicken that you'd see in a traditional chicken nugget, so this is a good option if you prefer that type of nugget.

These nuggets are also on the oily side, which can be good or bad depending on what you like. They're definitely giving McDonald's-nuggets vibes in taste and texture, rather than a gourmet-style nugget.

The breading on these is just okay. It's not bad, but it is a little thin, and lacking the crunch of some of the others. Despite its shortcomings, we still felt that the 365 nuggets are an overall good option that even non-vegans would enjoy (even if they won't be fooled by it).

The 365 nuggets also happen to be the least expensive option (by weight) on this list. So they're not only a good fast-food-style option, but they're our best budget option as well.

1. Overall rating: 7/10

2. "Meat" texture: 7/10

3. "Meat" flavor: 7.5/10

4. Breading texture: 5/10

5. Breading flavor: 7/10

6. Price (US): $4.19*

7. Package size: 10.5 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $1.19* (lowest)

9. Preparation options: oven**

10. Per 85 g.:***

    1. Calories: 150 (lowest)

    2. Fat: 6.5 g. (lowest)

    3. Sodium: 450 mg. (higher than average)

    4. Carbohydrates: 14 g. (lowest)

    5. Protein: 13 g. (higher than average)

11. Allergens: soy, wheat

5. Unique Taste: Jack & Annie's Crispy Jack Nuggets

The texture of the plant chicken in the Jack and Annie's nuggets is slightly meaty, but has elements of a fruity texture as well. Chewing through the jackfruit-based chicken doesn't provide the resistance that ordinary meat would.

The flavor is also not super chicken-like. But considering the flavor on its own, without comparing it to chicken, we really enjoyed the taste of this nugget. We also liked that this nugget is fairly juicy because some of the other options were too dry.

The breading on these was a bit mushy when prepared in the oven, however, the texture of the breading doesn't take away from the nugget (the way the Impossible breading does). On the other hand, it also doesn't add much. If you have an air fryer, you may get a better result, though. Dominique has made the Buffalo flavor before in the air fryer, which produced a much crunchier breading.

Ultimately, whether you like these nuggets will depend on your expectations. If you're looking for a vegan replica of a chicken nugget, you'll probably be disappointed. But if you consider this as a unique food option, the flavor and texture are quite enjoyable.

We also like Jack & Annie's nuggets because they have jackfruit as their first ingredient, rather than depending entirely on processed food to recreate the texture of meat. This option feels like the healthiest of the bunch to us. We gave these nuggets the 5th-place spot because of this, but if you're going on chicken-like flavor and texture alone, it would drop a couple of places. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that because it contains less soy than the others, it doesn't have as much protein as the other options on this list.

1. Overall rating: 6.5/10

2. "Meat" texture: 5/10

3. "Meat" flavor: 7/10

4. Breading texture: 4/10

5. Breading flavor: 7/10

6. Price (US): $5.99-7.39*

7. Package size: 10.1 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $1.77-2.19* (higher than average)

9. Preparation options: oven**, air-fryer, microwave

10. Per 85 g.:***

    1. Calories: 180 (lower than average)

    2. Fat: 9 g. (approximately average)

    3. Sodium: 410 mg. (approximately average)

    4. Carbohydrates: 18 g. (approximately average)

    5. Protein: 7 g. (lowest)

11. Allergens: soy, wheat

6. Meaty & Gluten-Free: Like Meat Like Chick'n Nuggets

These vegan nuggets are the only gluten-free option in our test, and fortunately, they're a good option. The vegan chicken does taste quite chicken-like. Our only complaint was that they might have gone a little overboard with the chicken flavor, and the flavor isn't quite right (in an artificial way).

The texture of Like Meat's vegan chicken (made from non-GMO soy) is not quite as meaty as the flavor is, and it's a bit too firm. However, it's still not a bad texture.

The breading is a really unique one in this bunch; it's made with cornflakes for a crispy but flaky and all-around good breading. The breading also doesn't fall off of the vegan chicken when you're trying to eat it (major plus). If breading is important to you, the breading on these Like Chick'n Nuggets beat out the 365, Jack & Annie's, and Impossible breadings.

Overall, we thought that the Like Chick'n Nuggets should be ranked about the same as the Jack & Annie's nuggets, but for different reasons. This one bears more of a resemblance to actual chicken, while the Jack & Annie's nuggets are enjoyable because of their unique flavor and texture.

We ranked the Like Chick'n Nuggets above the Impossible nuggets because they have more chicken-like flavor and better breading. However, the Impossible nuggets do have a more convincing vegan chicken texture.

I purchased the Like Chick'n Nuggets frozen like all the other nuggets on this list. However, these are the only nuggets that need to be defrosted in the refrigerator before baking. You might want to keep this in mind if convenience is a major factor for you.

1. Overall rating: 6.5/10

2. "Meat" texture: 5/10

3. "Meat" flavor: 7.5/10

4. Breading texture: 8/10

5. Breading flavor: 7/10

6. Price (US): $5.99*

7. Package size: 7 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $2.57* (highest)

9. Preparation options: oven**, microwave

10. Per 85 g.:***

    1. Calories: 190 (approximately average)

    2. Fat: 8.5 g. (approximately average)

    3. Sodium: 370 mg. (lower than average)

    4. Carbohydrates: 21 g. (highest)

    5. Protein: 10 g. (lower than average)

11. Allergens: soy

7. Good Option: Impossible Chicken Nuggets

The soy-based vegan chicken in these Impossible nuggets is pretty good. It has a very meaty texture; meatier than the 365 nuggets (but not as good as the Daring pieces). While the flavor resembles chicken, many of the others, including Gardein, Daring, and 365 have a more pronounced chicken flavor.

Unfortunately, Impossible lost us with the breading. The breading has a texture that's almost sandy and crumbled into little sandy pieces in our mouths, which was a bit of a weird experience. If it weren't for the breading, this one definitely would have ranked a few spots higher. But the breading is pretty important in a nugget, so the Impossible nuggets ultimately landed in the middle of our rankings.

Although I was able to find these nuggets at many different stores, the price varied widely from store to store (from $7.69 to 9.99). So if you want to try these, it might be worth checking the prices before you go.

While the Impossible nuggets aren't a standout nutritionally as far as calories, fat, and protein, they do have quite a few added nutrients, including Vitamin B12, which is notoriously difficult to find in vegan foods.

1. Overall rating: 6/10

2. "Meat" texture: 8/10

3. "Meat" flavor: 7/10

4. Breading texture: 2/10

5. Breading flavor: 5/10

6. Price (US): $7.69-9.99*

7. Package size: 13.5 oz.

8. Price per 85 g.: $1.71-2.22* (approximately average)

9. Preparation options: oven**, air-fryer, microwave

10. Per 85 g.:***

    1. Calories: 210 (higher than average)

    2. Fat: 11 g. (higher than average)

    3. Sodium: 430 mg. (approximately average)

    4. Carbohydrates: 17 g. (approximately average)

    5. Protein: 12 g. (approximately average)

    6. Note: Also contains added nutrients including vitamin B12 and zinc.

11. Allergens: soy, wheat

8. Decent Budget Option: Trader Joe's Chicken-less Crispy Tenders