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    Home » main course:India

    Vegan Chicken Changezi

    Published: Jan 8, 2023 by Richa 26 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Vegan Chicken Changezi – marinated baked tofu chunks are simmered in a rich, mild tomato coconut gravy to create a vegan version of the popular spicy chicken changezi. Vegan & Gluten-free + Soy-free Option.

    vegan chicken changezi in a black skillet

    For a flavor-packed weeknight dinner that is plant-based and gluten-free, try this Vegan Chicken Changezi! Chicken Changezi is a popular dish usually found in restaurants in Delhi. It is a rather spicy chicken curry for which the chicken is marinated, then cooked or pan-fried.

    While it cooks you make a sauce that varies a lot based on the restaurant. Sometimes the onions and cashews are fried together and blended up for the sauce. Sometimes  chopped onions are cooked to golden and then blended.

    vegan chicken changezi in a black skillet

    To balance the heat from the chili, some cream is added. For the cream part, you can use non-dairy cream such as cashew cream, or use cashew milk, coconut milk, or some yogurt.

    For this recipe, we use tofu that has been torn up into organic shapes and marinated in a flavorful marinade and then baked. You can also pan-fry the tofu if you like.

    The original recipe requires the premade sauce to be reheated and kind of panfried in some butter and then the tofu/vegan chicken is added to the sauce and then garnished with cilantro, chili, and some more butter and served. But for simplifying the recipe, I cook the sauce and then add the baked tofu. You can also use store bought vegan chicken subs, soycurls or chickpeas here.

    vegan chicken changezi with tofu in a black skillet

    More easy tofu curries:

    Malaysian Tofu Curry

    Shahi Tofu Kofta Casserole

    Vegan Tofu Rogan Josh (Tofu in Chili Yogurt Sauce)

    Tofu Vindaloo Recipe (Indian Tangy Chili Sauce)

    Print Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    Chicken Changezi

    Vegan Chicken Changezi - marinated baked tofu chunks are simmered in a rich, mild tomato coconut sauce to create a vegan version of the popular spicy chicken dish chicken changezi. Vegan & Gluten-free + Soy-free Option.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time35 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: chicken changezi
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 240kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    For the “chicken” tofu:

    • 14 ounces (396.89 g) firm or extra firm tofu pressed for 10 minutes, see Soyfree options in notes
    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or you can use finely minced ginger and garlic
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala or use amchur(dry mango powder)
    • 1 teaspoon paprika or use 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
    • 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

    For the sauce:

    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 1 1/4 cups of chopped red onion or 1 medium/large onion chopped
    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or you can use finely minced ginger and garlic
    • ½ hot green chili such as serrano finely chopped

    For the spices:

    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2-3 tablespoons water
    • 1 cup (245 g) canned tomato puree or unseasoned tomato sauce ,
    • 1 cup (236.59 ml) coconut milk (Use atleast 1/2 cup coconut cream) , or 1/3 cup yogurt + 2/3 cup water
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves or omit if you don't have it
    • 1 teaspoon vegan butter

    For garnish:

    • 1 green chili thinly sliced
    • Generous pinch of chaat masala or garam masala
    • Chopped cilantro

    Instructions

    • Make the tofu chicken; press the tofu if you haven’t already then tear the tofu using your hands into organic shapes. Add the tofu to a bowl and add the ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and oil and toss well to coat. To a small bowl add all the spices and cornstarch and mix really well. Sprinkle the mixture all over the tofu pieces and toss well to coat.
    • Spread the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400ºF (205ºC) for 22-25 minutes until crispy to preference.
    • Meanwhile, make the sauce; add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is evenly golden brown. Keep stirring occasionally and add splashes of water to help the heat get conducted evenly so that the onions brown evenly. 8-12 minutes
    • Add in the ginger garlic paste and green chili and mix well. Add all the spices and 2-3 tablespoons of water. Mix really well and cook for one minute to roast the spices and the ginger garlic paste. Mix in the tomato puree and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. (If you are using pureed crushed or fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomato puree, add just the tomato puree first and cook for 5-6 minutes to thicken a bit and then add the coconut milk.)
    • Once the sauce is boiling consistently, mix really well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Then add in the fenugreek leaves, vegan butter, and the baked tofu. Toss well to coat and switch off the heat.
    • Garnish with garam masala, chaat masala, cilantro, and sliced green chili. Serve with roti, Naan,  flatbread or rice. 

    Notes

    - For a thicker sauce, Mix 1 teaspoon of flour into the coconut milk and then add it to the pan.
    -Soy-free you can use other vegan chicken or chicken substitutes, seitan or chickpeas, or cauliflower or chickpea tofu. If using cauliflower bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through. Then add it to the sauce.
    If using chickpeas, marinate for about 5-10 minutes then add them to the sauce.
    Soy curls (5-6 ounces); rehydrate the soy curls in hot broth and squeeze to remove excess moisture, then proceed with the recipe to marinate and bake.
    Oil-free: omit the oil in the tofu. Sauté onion with 2-4 tbsp broth. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Chicken Changezi
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 240 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Sodium 802mg35%
    Potassium 234mg7%
    Carbohydrates 16g5%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 12g24%
    Vitamin A 700IU14%
    Vitamin C 8mg10%
    Calcium 168mg17%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients

    • firm or extra firm tofu, pressed for 10 minutes at least
    • for the tofu marinade, we mix ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, garam masala, pepper, chaat masala, paprika and cornstarch
    • for the sauce, we fry chopped red onion ginger garlic paste and green chili
    • To season the sauce, we add turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander, Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
    • tomato puree, canned kind for best result
    • for creaminess, we add coconut milk and yogurt
    • a small amount of vegan butter makes the gravy taste extra rich

    Tips:

    • For the chili, you can use milder or more spicy ones. I went with serrano chiles.
    • if you want a thicker sauce and your coconut milk isn’t fatty enough or doesn’t thicken the sauce. Mix 1 teaspoon of flour into the coconut milk and then add it to the pan.
    • to make this recipe soy-free you can use other vegan chicken or chicken substitutes, seitan or chickpeas, or cauliflower. If using cauliflower bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through. Then add it to the sauce. If using chickpeas, marinate for about 5-10 minutes then add them to the sauce.
    • You can also make this recipe with soy curls (5-6 ounces); rehydrate the soy curls in hot broth and squeeze to remove excess moisture, then proceed with the recipe to marinate and bake.

    ingredients for making vegan chicken changezi

    ingredients for making vegan chicken changezi sauce

    Make the tofu chicken; press the tofu if you haven’t already then tear the tofu using your hands into organic shapes.

    torn up tofu in a white bowl

    Add the tofu to a bowl and add the ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and oil and toss well to coat.

    To a small bowl add all the spices and cornstarch and mix really well. Sprinkle the mixture all over the tofu pieces and toss well to coat.

    torn up tofu sprinkled with cornstarch and spice mix

    Spread the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400ºF (205ºC) for 22-25 minutes until crispy to preference.

    torn up marinated tofu in a white bowl


    marinated tofu chunks on a baking sheet

    Meanwhile, make your sauce; add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is evenly golden brown. Keep stirring occasionally and add splashes of water to help the heat get conducted evenly so that the onions brown evenly as well.

    diced onion in a black sauteeing pan

     

    diced onion and spices frying in a sauteeing pan

    Add in the ginger garlic paste and green chili and mix well. Add all the spices and 2-3 tablespoons of water.

    Indian spices being added to a frying pan with sauteed onions

    Mix really well and cook for one minute to roast the spices and to cook the ginger garlic paste.

    minced onions frying with spices in a black pan

    Mix in the tomato puree and coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

    tomato puree being added to spiced onions in frying pan

    coconut milk and tomato paste simmering in a pan along with spices to make gravy

    Once the sauce is boiling consistently, mix really well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Then add in the fenugreek leaves, vegan butter, and baked tofu. Toss well to coat and switch off the heat.

    vegan chicken changezi gravy in a black sauteeing pan

     

    marinated baked tofu chunks being added to tomato gravy in a skillet

    vegan chicken changezi simmering in a black frying pan

    Garnish with some garam masala, chaat masala, cilantro, and sliced green chili. Serve with roti, Naan,  flatbread or rice.

    vegan tofu chicken changezi in a black skillet served sprinkled with cilantro

    Storage

    Store in a closed container refrigerated for into 3 days.

     

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    1. Kaylie

      January 22, 2023 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I used dried pea protein and had to leave out the chilies for my young children but my husband had three helpings and cleaned the pot.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 23, 2023 at 10:23 am

        Hahaha love to hear it!

        Reply
    2. Jade

      January 22, 2023 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      Richa’s recipes are always a slam dunk and this one was no exception. The tofu got so perfectly crispy in the oven, the sauce came together really quickly, and we added in some veggies and rice. I find Richa’s recipes to be so flexible and versatile. We skip spices that we don’t have and add in or substitute ingredients if needed, but the recipes still always turn out incredibly delicious. We will for sure be making this again!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 23, 2023 at 10:17 am

        Thank you for your kind comment, Jade! 🙂

        Reply
    3. William W

      January 21, 2023 at 7:21 am

      5 stars
      Made this with soy curls. Amazing! There is a learning curve to soy curl cooking, and this really seasons them right!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 23, 2023 at 10:10 am

        Definitely! So glad you enjoy the recipe.

        Reply
    4. Susan V

      January 11, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      This is WOW delicious! It’s a bowl of sheer yum and it’s going to be made very frequently at my house! You should double it to start!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 13, 2023 at 10:40 am

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    5. Linnea

      January 10, 2023 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      My daughter and I loved this dish! We used soy puffs, because that’s what we had on hand, and it was delicious!

      Reply
      • Richa

        January 10, 2023 at 10:39 pm

        Awesome

        Reply
    6. Marg James

      January 10, 2023 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      Another great recipe! Your recipes never let me down! I did not have Chaat masala so I just put in extra garam Masala and it was excellent!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 11, 2023 at 3:49 pm

        I’m happy to hear you like the recipe!

        Reply
    7. Kristine

      January 10, 2023 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      Was so delicious and comforting! My son didn’t even realize it wasn’t chicken..lol
      **Couldn’t find fenugreek leaves, so I subbed in spinach.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 11, 2023 at 3:42 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    8. Kim

      January 09, 2023 at 8:44 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and it was delicious. I used amchur instead of chaat masala. I didn’t have canned puréed tomatoes, so I blended a can of diced tomatoes. It worked out perfectly.

      Reply
    9. Janice

      January 09, 2023 at 9:20 am

      5 stars
      Made this last night and absolutely loved it! Added some air fried cauliflower as it needed using up and a few frozen peas.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 09, 2023 at 6:31 pm

        Yummy!

        Reply
    10. Lizzie

      January 09, 2023 at 6:15 am

      5 stars
      So good! Made this yesterday for our family Sunday dinner. Didn’t have fenugreek leaves so left them out, and no vegan butter, but substituted with butter flavored coconut oil. Used amchur instead of chaat masala as it’s what I had on hand, and it tasted amazing! Will definitely be making this again!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 09, 2023 at 6:31 pm

        Fantastic!

        Reply
    11. Eric

      January 08, 2023 at 7:13 pm

      It isn’t Soy free if you’re using tofu.

      Reply
      • Richa

        January 08, 2023 at 7:59 pm

        See recipe notes for Soyfree optio.

        Reply
      • Mary

        January 09, 2023 at 2:08 pm

        There’s also soy free tofu options. We like Big Mountain Foods soy-free tofu, which is made from favs beans.

        Reply
    12. Marg James

      January 08, 2023 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this….delicious! I did not have chaat masala so I just used the garam masala.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 09, 2023 at 6:25 pm

        Yum!

        Reply
    13. Justin

      January 08, 2023 at 7:23 am

      Hi! This looks amazing. Do you have an instant pot recipe for it please?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 09, 2023 at 6:21 pm

        Hi Justin! I currently do not have an Instant Pot version of the dish.

        Reply

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