Overview
Chicken's role in most recipes is a mild, chewy protein that carries the flavors around it. That is exactly what the best plant substitutes do — the question is which texture your dish needs.
Soy curls win on pure chicken-like bite; tofu wins on availability; seitan wins on chew.
Why it works
Soy curls are whole soybeans, cooked and pressed into strips — their layered, fibrous structure shreds and chews like chicken breast in a way no other pantry ingredient matches. Rehydrating them in seasoned broth instead of water drives flavor into the fibers, replacing the savoriness chicken would have brought.
Browned in a hot pan, the edges crisp just like seared chicken.
How to make it
Cover 2 cups of dry soy curls with hot, well-seasoned vegetable broth and soak 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze firmly — dry curls brown, wet curls steam. Then sear in a little oil over medium-high heat until browned at the edges.
From there, use them exactly like cooked chicken: fajitas, stir-fries, pot pies, buffalo wraps.
What you lose
Chicken's built-in savoriness. Plant proteins start neutral, so the seasoning work the recipe expected the chicken to do now falls to your broth, marinade, and browning.
You also lose the rendered fat from skin-on cooking — a little extra oil in the pan compensates.
Adjustments that matter
Season the soaking broth like you mean it — salt, garlic, a bay leaf, a spoon of poultry seasoning. Brown in batches so the pan stays hot and the curls sear instead of stew.
For breaded cutlets or fried chicken applications, switch to seitan; its dense chew holds a crust better.
Common mistakes
Rehydrating in plain water, which leaves the curls bland to the core. Skipping the squeeze, so they steam grey in the pan. Crowding the pan. And using silken or soft tofu where firm is needed — it crumbles instead of searing.