It’s actually called General Tso’s Vegan Chicken and it’s one of my favorite food discoveries in the city. The purveyor of this dish is almost as shocking as the meatless recipe itself. Beside the chicken salad and slices of pizza in the Prepared Foods Section at Whole Foods, Genaral Tso’s Vegan Chicken sits humbly waiting for your approval.
Oh, and don’t be set back by the word “vegan” in the name. Limiting yourself here would be a shame. This recipe isn’t about sacrifice or restriction, it’s about the idea that anything is possible with the right preparation.
Golden brown, the sauce on the surface glistens like the sea in moonlight. Even more enrapturing is that the tofu breaks cleanly in your mouth, revealing a soft texture with just the right amount of resistance.
In a distinctly Asian flavor profile, fried soy is mixed with ingredients like garlic and ginger. Bright notes originate from rice vinegar and soy sauce but are followed by a subtle spice. Each bite is well rounded, perfectly balanced and effortlessly handed to you in a plastic container. No pots and pans involved.
If you haven’t yet, take a chance and let the surprising texture and flavor of General Tso’s Vegan Chicken pour over you as it did me. And then let me know what you think.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, I had previously heard such fantastic things about this Vegan GTC, so I tried it a while back. I’m willing to hope that I just caught it on a bad day, but I thought it was revolting. I actually bought it to eat it at Whole Foods (where I often have lunch), and I nearly gagged. I threw the whole serving out and went back to get something else instead, and I very rarely do that (last night’s cake debacle notwithstanding).
Did you heat it or eat it cool? Did you do anything to adjust the spice at all? Curious..maybe I’ll have to retry it.
While surprised to hear of your unfortunate experience, I like the controversy! What didn’t you like about it? I have often thought that they should rename it from “chicken” to something else because I think it sets false expectations. I eat it warmed or cold and have never had a bad batch. Anyone else have an experience to share?
The vegan “chicken” at WFM is full of crap. Caramel color, sugar, and from what I remember with a run in with the dish…MSG (not clear completely on that but if memory serves me correctly..). MSG is disguised under many different names….I kind of remembering taking it back after I read the ingredient list and talking to the chef about it.I thought these folks were a bit more aware of what is probably not a good idea to consume…but apparently not….
Actually, Whole Foods doesn’t use MSG in any of their products. There are also no artificial colors in this product. Whole Foods receives a soy wheat protein nugget and then adds a General Tso’s sauce in house. The sauce is made about an hour away at their commissary to ensure consistency, and is shipped in fresh every day. Ingredients are white wine vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, chile garlic sauce, sugar, canola oil, garlic, green onion and corn starch.
Yeah, I have never had a problem with MSG or a lot of artificial components in my Whole Foods food either. Actually, I have a slight allergy to MSG, so when it’s in something I’m eating, I absolutely have a physical reaction. I didn’t experience that with the WF GTC, so I don’t think it was there in mine.
But to answer your questions, Courtney, I felt like it was mainly the texture that did the dish in for me. And I don’t normally have an issue with textured protein substitutes (actually, embarrassingly, Morning Star Farms’ “Spicy Chick’n” and “Buffalo Wings” are some of my favorites – gross, right?)…but this was just off-putting to me somehow. And the sauce when I had it was too sweet and had no real spice component to the flavor at all. Any trace of the chilis was lost, so that was a disappointment.
But…because I trust your taste, I think I will give another try and report my findings (once I’m back in the vicinity of a WF!).
Extremely hlpuefl article, please write more.
We don’t have a Whole Foods here in South Jersey (deep south Jersey) *huge pout* so it wasn’t until today’s trip to Philadelphia that we got to go to Whole Foods and experience the heaven of their GTC… I’m making another trip back next week and I WILL be stocking up on that and Veggie fried rice for dinner (and leftovers!) when I get back home!
I’ve been a vegetarian for a little over a year and just tried these bites of heaven the other day- and went back the next day for more. and i’ll probably eat leftovers for dinner again tonight. i’m very picky about meat-like food, some are simply revolting… but this is the most chicken-y thing i’ve eaten since actual chicken. the sauce is delicious, with just a tiny hint of kick- which is fine by me, since i’m not into spicy food. i’d have to guess that anyone who didn’t like it on a first try maybe got a bad batch- i can’t imagine someone knowing it’s vegetarian, and liking general tso, not liking it. i got mine at the whole foods in philadelphia in fairmount.
I found this dish at in May and absolutely LOVE IT. I love everything about it. I have had from several stores and they have been pretty consistent with flavaor and the amount of sauce which is pretty impressive since the stores are seven hours apart from one another. When I travel now I always check to see if there is a WFM near where I am so I can get my GTVC fix!
I sampled this for the first time tonight from WFM and am delighted at the flavor and texture of this yummy yummy meat alternative. I have been eating strictly vegan for one month now, am pleased with how I feel, and pleased with the wealth of alternatives now available. Unfortunately, I am at the point where I feel like I’m burning out from the 2-3 reliable dishes I’ve learned to cook at home. This version of General Tso’s has made me very happy! I look forward to finding more dishes just like this….how about a recipe? Do share!
I am a non vegetarian GTC addict.
I suck it down any chance I get. I sneak over at lunch and put away a pint at least once a week. What I do not get is how bad for you it is. I have to believe it is deep fried – ergo the delicious crispiness but cannot find nutritional information like calories, sugars, carbs etc.
Where can I get some nutritional data to help convince me to kick the GTC habit?
This is one of my favorite things at Whole Foods. I can eat it by itself, with rice, hot or cold.
Does anyone know what happened to the brussel sprouts that they used to serve at Whole Foods deli area?
I love it too!! I found this site because I was wondering about how bad it is for me. Too good to be healthy??? Either way, a great vegan treat.
I love the Vegan GTC (which has a nickname among those that have loved it for a long time), but you know what I love even more that is hanging out in the glass case 4 prepared dishes away…..the vegan chicken salad. My friends have tried it, and they are ADDICTED. But, I am on a quest to figure out the producer of the Vegan Chicken. Who manufactures it? I think I know the process behind their swinging door. Boiled so spongy on the inside, then deep fried for texture and immediately slung into the sweet and sassy sauce. If you know where they get the vegan chicken from, please, let me know. I’m on a quest. (:
Sara, quite possible the texture is not for everyone. I was a vegetarian for 4 years so I am generally pretty open to the soy texture. Although since you eat Morning Star Farms food, maybe you are too. No judging here! One interesting thing is that Whole Foods only recently standardized their GTC sauce, so it may be that we have tasted different versions. One thing I will concede to is that I would definitely add more spice if I could. Thanks for your follow up.
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