Kentucky Fried Jackfruit

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Serves: 4-6 people Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 18 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

1 x 565g (20oz) tin young green jackfruit in brine
vegetable oil
small handful parsley

For the spicy coating:

1 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

For the batter:

60g (2.1oz) plain flour, plus extra for coating
250ml (8.5fl.oz) plant-based milk
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed herbs
125ml (4.2fl.oz) water, if required

The cupboard essentials:

salt
pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F fan-assisted and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit, then slice each piece into bite-sized chunks and trim the hard core ends. Then add to a mixing bowl along along with all the ingredients for the spicy coating and stir until fully combined. Transfer the jackfruit to the lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, turning the jackfruit pieces halfway through.
Meanwhile, combine the batter ingredients in a separate mixing bowl until smooth and runny, and set to one side. You can add up to 125ml of water if the batter is too thick. Next, add a few tablespoons of plain flour to a separate plate and set to one side. Then place a frying pan on a medium-high heat and pour enough vegetable oil in so that the oil is 1cm deep.
Once the jackfruit has finished baking, test the oil is hot enough by dropping a small amount of the batter into the pan. If it sizzles it is ready for the jackfruit.
Dip the jackfruit pieces in the batter, then in the flour, then place in the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds on each side or until crispy and golden brown, then place on kitchen towel to soak up the oil. Note: we prefer to fry the jackfruit in two batches.
Roughly chop the parsley and serve the jackfruit with a sprinkling of salt, parsley and with your favourite dipping sauce, such as vegan mayo or ketchup.

18 comments

Lana February 1, 2019 - 9:20 am

Hey I tried making this but the batter is far too liquidy. I would suggest to adjust this for others’ sake. Very delicious though! Thanks 🙂

Mel February 2, 2019 - 1:12 am

What did you do to fix that?

Ben, So Vegan February 4, 2019 - 12:37 pm

Hey Lana. Yes the batter is liquidy but it should still be thick enough to coat the jackfruit. You can also add some more flour if you’re worried it’s too liquidy. Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks, Ben

Sonia February 4, 2019 - 4:48 am

Can you use an air fryer for this recipe? If so, what time and temp?

Ben, So Vegan February 4, 2019 - 12:38 pm

Hey Sonia. Sorry we haven’t tried using an air fryer, but if you give this a go then do let us know how you get on! Thanks, Ben

Amy February 4, 2019 - 9:11 pm

I have a question. I’ve been told that you need to shred, and soak/rinse/soak repeat the jackfruit, to get rid of the brine flavor.

I am intrigued to see this recipe using the actual chunks of jackfruit, rather than shredding it. What a great idea! But do you still need to soak the chunks to remove the brine flavor, or…is the brine flavor not an issue with this recipe? Thank you!! I can’t wait to try this.

Ben, So Vegan February 5, 2019 - 2:19 pm

Hi Amy! As long as you drain and rinse the jackfruit, it will be fine. We’ve never soaked jackfruit in brine. Maybe you’d have to do this for recipes without as much flavouring/seasoning, but for this recipe we use lots of spices, etc, so it’s not an issue. Hope that helps! Thanks.

Mich February 11, 2019 - 10:41 pm

They are referring to jackfruit that comes in brine already in the can (some brands pack it in water), so the worry was if the brine taste would still be there without soaking/rinsing with water first.

Ashley February 9, 2019 - 12:30 am

Can you give suggestions on which herbs to use and what is in cajun seasoning? New to vegan cooking and have not gotten to the level where I can improvise on recipes.. need every little detail written out 🙂

Ben, So Vegan February 12, 2019 - 12:02 am

A mixture of thyme, oregano and basil would work really well. If you can’t find cajun, you can try any other Southern American-style seasoning, if that’s easy to find? Cajun is a seasoning mix of various things. Hope that helps!

Jonathan February 11, 2019 - 4:58 pm

I’m a foodservice supervisor at a children’s shelter and the kids love this! (I cut back on the spices.) It’s a great alternative to those ghastly chicken nuggets. Thank you!

Ben, So Vegan February 12, 2019 - 12:03 am

Oh wow that’s awesome! So glad you and the children are enjoying the recipe!

Fiona February 15, 2019 - 2:26 pm

Wondering if you could do the baking section ahead of time and then just coat and fry before serving or is it important they are hot from the oven? Thanks.

Ben, So Vegan February 15, 2019 - 5:59 pm

Ooo good question. They might be too dry if you bake, then reheat because a lot of the moisture might escape. It might be worth experimenting on a small batch to see the results.

Mervan Yavuz March 10, 2019 - 12:58 am

Hi there,

When you say plant based milk, is there a particular you prefer?

Regards,
Mervan

Roxy, So Vegan March 10, 2019 - 8:41 pm

Hi Mervan, we tend to use soya or oat a lot but any would work in this recipe. Thanks, Roxy

Holly Van Every August 31, 2019 - 8:47 pm

Aloha Roxy! Any chance you know how to use fresh Jackfruit for your Kentucky Jackfruit recipe? I see them at my weekly farmers market here on Kauai as well as Breadfruit aka Ulu. The local culture leans towards over cooking and adulterating of the beautiful tropical produce here. My vegan palate is starving for simple, fresh prep for the gorgeous bounty available. Any ideas?

E. Blossom November 10, 2019 - 8:47 pm

Would love an answer on this as well. I am down to brine it myself.

Kentucky Fried Jackfruit