This sandwich will ruin you for all other sandwiches.
I may have said this before, but this is the best sandwich I have ever had. These vegan chicken Caesar sandwiches are some next level s&*#%. So, if I have said that before, know that it was simply because I had not tried these sandwiches yet. Crispy baked chickpea “chicken” patties, the BEST vegan Caesar dressing, romaine lettuce all on your favorite bun. Super easy, healthy and packed with protein.
I could eat a vegan crispy chicken Caesar sandwich everyday for the rest of my life and never get tired of them. I have been tinkering with different “chicken” patty recipes, and this one is perfect. After baking it, it is so crispy on the outside you can hear the crunch, and the perfect firmness in the center while still being moist.
This recipe will make about 3 large or 4 small crispy chicken patties, and I recommend making them all. The leftovers are amazing, and you can even cut some up and make delicious salads if lower carb things are your thing.
Let us not forget the Caesar dressing, it is tangy, well balanced perfection. Slathered on these crispy chicken Caesar sandwiches is the best home for it. I love it all so much, and so does my whole family. My daughter is obsessed with the chickpea chicken patties, but usually wants a different topping. I live for meals that can be adapted to everyone’s liking. These sandwiches are definitely winners!
Vegan Crispy "Chicken" Caesar Sandwiches
Ingredients
Crispy Chickpea "Chicken"
- 15 oz. Can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1/3 C. Vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
- 1/2 C. Vital wheat gluten
- 1/3 C. Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. Poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- Pinch of Black pepper
- 1 C. Bread crumbs, for coating the outside
Vegan Caesar Dressing
- 1/4 C. Vegan mayo
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Capers
- 1 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
- Pinch of Salt and pepper
For the Sandwiches
- Buns
- Romaine lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Next, drain the chickpeas and add them to a large mixing bowl. Smash all of the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher. Make sure they are all mashed.
- Now add the olive oil, veggie broth, soy sauce, vital wheat gluten, panko, and seasonings to the mixing bowl with the smashed chickpeas. Leave the extra bread crumbs out, this will be used for coating.
- Mix everything together with a spoon, and then once everything starts to come together, begin to mix with your hands and then knead the mixture for about 2 minutes. It should become firm and hold together very well.
- Now place the 1 cup of bread crumbs into a bowl. You can use whatever kind of bread crumbs you want, I used half panko and half regular.
- Then, divide the chickpea mixture into 3-4 parts, depending on how large you want your patties. Roll each part into a ball, then press out flat.
- Next, press the patties down into the bread crumbs on each side, coating the patties in the bread crumbs. You may need to press down hard to get them to stick.
- Place each patty on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray. Then spray the tops of the chickpea patties with non stick spray as well.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Flipping the patties after 15 minutes. Bake until the patties are firm, crispy and brown.
- While the patties are baking, make the dressing. Add all the ingredients to a blender and pulse for a minute, scraping down sides as needed. Until it is creamy and smooth. Set aside.
- When the chickpea patties are done, take a bun, spread with Caesar dressing, then place a patty on that, then lettuce, then spread the top bun with more Caesar dressing. Serve!
Can’t wait to try these! Do you think that they can be frozen? And if so would you freeze before cooking or after? Love make ahead recipes for busy weeknights
I made this 3 days ago and my family loved it so much that I made it again last night for dinner! This is truly one of my favorite recipes! Do you recommend heating any left overs in the microwave or should it only be in the oven? THANK YOU! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You just totally made my day! I have only been reheating leftovers in the oven, just so they are still crispy. However, I bet they would still taste delicious reheated in the microwave. They probably just won’t be as crispy.
Hi, I have a question. The recipe calls for panko and then additional bread crumbs. Are all the bread crumbs panko? Or are the one used to coat the outside regular bread crumbs like “Progresso“ brand? Please advise- thanks in advance,
Karen
One is panko and the one that says bread crumbs means regular bread crumbs, like the Progresso brand!
How much did it cost you guys to make one recipe of this and where did you buy the ingredients?
The only pricy ingredient was the Vital What Gluten but remember you’re only using a half a cup. Beans are cheap and the rest are pantry staples. You can find the items at a health food store or your main grocery chain. Whole foods and Ambrosia are great places to shop for these items, too. I’d say that fifty bucks if you have to buy everything to get you rolling…
The beans if not bought in bulk range from $2.00 and under. This is the only Item that has to be replaced frequently unless you buy your beans in bulk which will reduce your cost even more. I hope this helped.
Also, I just use white AP flour and it works great!
Can I make reservations??
Is there any way to make these gluten free? They sound soooo good!
I’m not 100% sure, since I have not tested a gluten free recipe. However, I think you could skip the vital wheat gluten and use double the bread crumbs using gluten free ones instead. Then using an egg replacer as a binder. I like to use flax eggs. The texture would not be the same, but I would bake until they are firm. They would have the same flavor, but maybe more like a veggie burger consistency. I hope that is kinda helpful!
This gluten free advice is stellar! I’m trying this weekend 🙂 Thank you so much!
Hi Daniela, I just made these gluten-free and I used Bob’s Red Mill gf flour in place of the vital wheat gluten, gluten-free bread crumbs, and tamari. I added an additional two tablespoons of breadcrumbs to the patty mix for stability. They came out well!
Thanks Susan! I’ll give it a try! Did you use any eggs/egg replacement?
I didn’t but you could try it if you want, maybe instead of the extra breadcrumbs? I might aso try these again with a little extra flour instead of the extra breadcrumbs just to play around 😀
I pan fried mine. My husband requested that I make them AGAIN tonight for dinner! Thanks! I used the gf subs another person commented, it worked great.
Thanks, Susan! I was going to ask the question about wheat (my problem is wheat not gluten) and so delighted they turned out well. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
This did the trick. Have you tried freezing them? I am a new plant-based eater — not necessarily by choice but because I had major surgery and now, meat and cheese make me incredibly sick. I am also allergic to tomatoes and potatoes, so I can’t eat a lot of recipes, making plant-based a little difficult. These were delicious. I found a brand of veggie burgers that at first i could eat but then, i had an allergic reaction. I can make these over and over and have no problem. My husband and kids are not plant-based, so it’s nice to make something we all enjoy and have an option for when they’re eating burgers or brats. If you have any advice for freezing, I would appreciate it! Would love to make a big batch and freeze if possible. Thank you for the great recipe.
I have not tried freezing them, but I definitely think they would freeze well. I have frozen some similar recipes. I bake them, then freeze and re-bake when ready to eat.
Have you tried putting the chickpeas in a food processor instead of mashing them?
I like to mash them since they can very easily turn to a hummus like texture in the food processor. These really need the texture. If you do them in the food processor, I would just do a few quick pulses so they maintain some texture.
I just made this recipe today and I made it gluten free. I used tapioca starch in place of vital gluten, rolled it q little in some gf ap flour then dipped in gf breadcrumbs. They turned out crispy and delicious! Highly recommended these.
This is, BY FAR, our absolute most favorite vegan recipe. We make this at least once a week. It’s FANTASTIC fresh out of the oven and still delicious. leftover the next day. Don’t skip the yummy sauce! I have RA so I pulse the chickpeas a few times in the food processor rather than mash them and it comes out perfect every time! We make the recipe as written because there is nothing we would change. We struggle with the “mushiness” of the texture of so many of our other vegan meals. We love that this is the closest we’ve ever had to real chicken and it gives a great solid and fulfilling meal with a firm bite! It really tastes like crispy chicken!!!
How big are the patties? Like 3 inches? 4 inches? I’m wondering how many small “slider” sized patties these would make – thinking of doing like an English muffin size for lunches 🙂
Maybe about 4 inches. I bet you could make 6-8 sliders!
Mmm mmm! This was amazing! It made 4 BIG patties for me. Crunchy coating right out of the oven. Topped with fresh lettuce, juicy tomato and lots of your Cesar dressing…PERFECT! Thanks for a great recipe
I made this and it was fabulous. My husband ate two, I took the last one for lunch the next day. (Shared on IG)
Woot woot!
Saw this recipe posted in a vegetarian Facebook group and on a whim I decided to try them. They’re amazing!! I did add a bit more spice but the patty itself is so delicious. I am blown away!!
Yay! This make me incredibly happy!
Need some good side recommendations to go with these?? Trying the crack broccoli tacos tomorrow!
I love to just serve these with veggie chips or veggie fries. Sweet potato fries are great! Or sometimes I do a side salad or pasta salad!
Not going to pick a rating as I tried only the patty part of the recipe. I had pretty much none of the ingredients for the rest — not even lettuce. Guess it’s time for a grocery shop. 😲
The patties are a solid 5 stars, though. At least as good as store bought “chicken” burgers, and I’d say they are better. Super easy, too.
Thanks for another excellent recipe!
Cheers.
I made this today and they were so delicious! I’m so happy I found your blog, your recipes are amazing. 🖤🌱
I’ve recently decided to try and get healthy! I’m easing into removing most meat from my diet – maybe eventually all. Don’t judge. I’m learning and trying to find ways to make it work. As such, I’ve just begun and this was one of the first recipes I tried as a meat substitute. I only made the patties and used a yogurt caesar dressing I had on hand. If I was really being picky, I could tell it wasn’t meat, but really, it so made me feel like I was eating a chicken sandwich (which is a good thing – taste wise). Thanks for opening up the possibilities. Yay. Also, so happy that the patty ingredients are pantry friendly. Thanks so much. I’d be interested to know if you can freeze these too and how that would work.
Thank you so much for this incredible recipe! My boyfriend told me about 5x how much he loved it and even “felt bad finishing it” because he didnt want the sandwich to end 😂 Will be in solid rotation! Thanks again!!!
looks so good!! what bun do you use? Thank you for the recipe!!
I usually use the organic ones from Trader Joe’s.
THANK YOU!!
Wow! I made them and wow! Is my reaction
Thank you!
Yay! You are so welcome!
I been experimenting for years making different veggie burgers. Most of the recipes were quite good, but always seem to miss some texture. I came across this recipe and can’t get over how much I love them! Texture and taste is unbelievable. I can’t make enough of of these! Thank you for all your recipes!
I started eating plant based about 18 months ago and this is the best recipe I have tried. This is going to be something I make weekly from here on out. I had never heard of or used vital wheat gluten before and it’s game changer for me. I added it to a black bean burger recipe I use frequently and they were really just so much better. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m not vegan, or even vegetarian, but I’ve just made these and they are incredible!
These are amazing. Ever since I found the recipe a few months ago I’ve been making them every week. So easy & very quick to make! I’ve been mixing everything together in my food processor and that seems to be working well.
I also tried freezing one to see how that would work & they freeze very well! The texture might have changed a bit but they’re still crunchy & delicious.
Man these are fantastic my husband said there better than the vegan restaurants we’ve tried, they heat up great in the microwave for leftovers. Thank you for the recipe
I am wondering if I could use flour instead of gluten?
Regular flour will not work the same way. Vital wheat gluten is the protein from regular flour, and it makes it firm and meaty. I haven’t tried it with flour, but it won’t have the same texture, and I’m not sure if the “chicken” patties would hold together. You can try it out, I just don’t want to steer you in the wrong direction!
I left a comment asking the same thing, but found this so no need to reply to that one! Where are you finding your vital wheat gluten, I cant seem to find it anywhere!
I used regular flour and I enjoyed it.
Do you peel the chickpeas first? It didn’t say so I did the recipe with peel intake but I think next time I will peel them. Loved the taste!
I don’t peel the chickpeas, but you definitely can if you prefer! I’m so glad you liked them!!
Can you freeze them for meal prepping?
I have not tried freezing them, but I do think they would freeze well!
These look great; do you think the extra patties could be frozen?
I have not tried freezing them myself, but I do think it would work and have frozen similar recipes with good results.
Just made these, so delicious!
Just made these and they turned out great my husband and I both loved them.
Made mine into nugget sizes and they were SO good! Even my skeptical husband kept geting more! I only used 1/4 cup of the vital wheat gluten because I usually don’t like it and subbed 1/4 cup of ww pastry flour to make up for the rest and they still turned out perfectly! Can’t wait to make them for my grandkids♡. Thanks so much!
This was so good and super easy to make! Winner dinner from the whole family and 100% will be a staple meal. Thanks so much 💗
Can I share this recipe on my blog under the recipe section, you’d get full credit for it and visitors would be taken to your page.
These were indescribably delicious! Definitely adding then into pur rotation
Isa Chandra Moskowitz has a version of this that I’ve made for years. I can’t wait to make yours!
one word… AMAZING! I used almond flour instead of the gluten as I live on a remote base. I used balsamic capers, IT WAS AMAZING! I also used lettuce.
I just made these!!! So good! Will definitely make again.
Wow!! These are awesome! And the dressing!!!!😎
I have tried some other “chik” patties but these are much better!! Will be a recipe used regularly!
Thank you!
This was so good! Great recipe!
I don’t personally like sandwiches, but thus is one I would eat because they are THAT good. If you haven’t tried these for a “chicken parm” dinner, you should!!! Again…tbey are THAT good!!! Thanks for the recipe.
My boyfriend and I seriously love this recipe!!! This is our 3rd time making these and it gets better every time and the mayo sauce is so good. We also like to add tomatoes, lettuce and onions to ours as well 🙂
Am going to make this weekend. Can these be cooked in an air fryer?
Yes! That should work out great! I’m not sure about the timing, but I would check after like 15 minutes, and make sure they are firm and crispy.
Wondering if you tried the air fryer and how they turned out?
Hey….just wanted to let you know that these are amazing. I have been making them extra thin and using them to make Schnitzel. Sooooo good! Thanks for the wonderful recipe,
These came out amazing!! I was a bit nervous because the recipe reminds me of seitan and I have had little luck with those recipes but this was soooooo good and super easy! Personally I halfed the bread crumbs that the “chicken” was coated in and still had some left over. As well, I had it with some homemade vegan nacho cheese sauce from the Nora Cooks website but these are good just as themselves!
Thank you for creating and sharing!
These were so good my second time making I used regular flour and everything else stayed the same but
before I did last step I dip in hot sauce and then
batter with the bread crumbs. So So good!
Can these be pan fried of baked (no oven) ?
I don’t usually recommend just pan frying, I feel like they never get quite firm enough. However, if you want to try it out, I would just make sure to cook them long enough so they are nice and firm in the center. That might take a while to do, and maybe make sure they are thinner than how I usually make them(what is in the photos). I hope that helps and let me know if you try it out!
These were super yummy! I loved them 🙂
Wow best recipe ever Ive been vegan 8 years and this is the best .. thank you!!
These were delicious. The only problem I had was way too salty and I think it’s because my poultry seasoning has salt in it… what poultry seasoning do you use?
I made four patties today. I don’t eat vegan, however, I have been curious about different recipes. I am surprised. Surprised I say! The first small bite I had mixed feelings. Then I kept eating away at a patty. When I added the dressing and bread I was done for. By the 2nd patty I was sold. I will be adding this recipe to my Vegan Recipe notebook. When you can get a carnivore to like it, that’s something!
Thank you for sharing!
I cannot find vital wheat gluten anywhere around me, I’ve gone to three stores looking haha I was determined to have the crunch. Is it necessary? Am I able to substitute it with regular flour? What do you recommend
This dressing is SO good! The burgers were great, too, and very quick to pull together. I used the GF edits as recommended above and was very happy with the end result.
Thank you for sharing!
These were so yummy! I added a little more mayo as my sauce was too thin. Also piled lots of lettuce for extra crunch! Will make these again and again!
We love these! Have a batch in the oven right now that I’m trying a “fish” version of. Subbed Old Bay for poultry seasoning and added some seaweed.
I have probably made these 10 times now! I sincerely apologize for not commenting sooner :). These are so so good (as are your “chicken” nuggets, “chicken” parm, etc.). I don’t change a thing, other than what sauce I put on them to change it up! So good with caesar, ranch, buffalo sauce, etc. I haven’t tried freezing these, but they do well in the fridge for a few days, then reheated in the toaster oven. Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Hey is it possible to use vital wheat gluten flour? If so should I use the same amount or?
Amazing! You saved my life, lol. I become tired on a meat-based diet. My husband and I always ate chicken burgers together. He still does and I did not want to felt left out, lol. Great recipe. Hands down.
Made a double recipe, and turned half into nuggets for the kiddos.so good!!
This was the best recipe I’ve ever made!!! I’m 15, and I went vegan about half a year ago. I’ve been trying new recipes, but this was my favorite! Thanks for helping people save the animals with delicious recipes!!!
I made these tonight. Served ’em on a salad instead of a bun with the dressing. So good! Thank you 🙂