I saw the non-vegan version of this chicken cupcake and thought it would be a great recipe to try. It’s very easy to make and quite flavorful with the sauce.
If you don’t like truffle, exclude it from the ingredients below and use truffle-free alternatives. If you like truffle but don’t have these specific ingredients, you can add a drizzle of truffle oil to the BBQ sauce mixture.
Instead of making my own cornbread, I went to Whole Foods and got an Abe’s corn muffin. They make different sizes, and while I used their individually wrapped big corn muffin, I think their mini muffins could’ve been even better. It was impossible to get this whole thing in my mouth since the corn muffin was large.
The measurements below are estimates and enough to make about four large cupcakes. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Savory Vegan Cupcakes
For the chicken
1 package of any faux chicken of your choice that’s at least two inches long (I used Nowadays chicken)
1 tsp Truff Hot Sauce (I used their extra hot but regular hot sauce is also fine)
1 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Truffle BBQ sauce (or regular BBQ sauce)
1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Toothpicks
Parsley (dried or fresh for garnish, optional)
For the mashed potatoes
2 medium yukon gold potatoes
1 tsp sea salt (divided)
Water to cover
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 clove raw or roasted garlic
2 Tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
For the cornbread
Abe’s One Big Corn Muffin (or make your own cornbread cupcakes)
Peel the skin off of your potatoes.
Bring to a light boil over high heat and add 1 tsp of sea salt, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until very tender. They should effortlessly slide off a knife when pierced with a knife.
Once tender, drain your potatoes and place them back in the hot pot off the heat for 1 minute to evaporate any additional water.
Mash your potatoes using a potato masher until fluffy.
Add in vegan butter, garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside
Follow the package instructions to cook your vegan chicken.
While it cooks, combine hot sauce, BBQ sauce, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
Remove the paper wrapping from your corn muffin and place on a plate. Take a scoop of your mashed potatoes and place it on top of the corn muffin. Using a spoon and your fingers, mold the mashed potatoes until they are flat at the top to accommodate the vegan chicken.
One at a time, dip two pieces of your vegan chicken into the BBQ sauce mixture and stack them on top of the mashed potatoes. Insert a toothpick to secure in place and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley.