Roast “Chicken” Rolls – Made with Jackfruit

Difficulty: Easy

Makes 6

Is it just me or am I really harping back to my childhood and growing up in Newcastle lately? That may be why I had the sudden urge to recreate and veganise the chicken and mayo rolls from Henny Penny, a chain of fast food chicken restaurants in the Hunter.

I hadn’t really thought about roasting jackfruit until now but it really does have a different vibe when it’s cooked/stewed on a stovetop. A few crunchy bits around the edges and a much deeper flavour mean that this does recreate chicken quite well and is a great alternative because we should be looking after our feathered friends, not eating ’em!

Ingredients

• 2 560gm cans young jackfruit in brine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 6 soft long rolls
• 1 small iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Vegan mayonnaise

Method

1. Drain the jackfruit and while still in a colander, break the chunks apart so you have stringy bits. Squeeze to remove excess water and place into a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs, nutmeg, cayenne, pepper, salt and nutritional yeast. Mix well to create a weird looking paste.
3. Pour the paste over the jackfruit, mixing well to make sure it’s evenly coated. Cover and place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
4. Preheat your oven to 160°C and grease a baking tray with olive oil spray or line with baking paper.
5. Take the jackfruit out of the oven and spread it evenly onto the tray. Spray with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with a little more brown sugar (optional).
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Some crunchy bits are good but you still want majority of the jackfruit to be tender.
7. Cut the rolls and stuff with shredded lettuce before adding the jackfruit and a generous drizzle of vegan mayo. You can also use gravy if you want an extra saucy roll.

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