Press and cut the tofu. Remove as much excess liquid as possible from your block of tofu. Cut it into quarters (you should get 4 pieces from a standard package). If you prefer a thicker bite, cut into thirds, or slice smaller pieces, depending on your preference. At this point, I like to drizzle mine with a little low-sodium soy sauce to infuse it with more flavor for a few minutes, but this is optional.Other marinating sauces can also be used, like my oil-free teriyaki sauce or this homemade Asian Sauce.

Prepare the garbanzo batter. Pour the liquid from a can of chickpeas (aquafaba) into a blender, then add half of the chickpeas. Add in ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp garlic powder, and blend.Blend until smooth, like a baby food puree. If needed, add a splash of vegetable stock to help it blend.

Set up dredging stations. In one bowl or plate, place your flour. In a second one, pour the garbanzo batter. In a third, spread out the panko and sprinkle ½ tsp salt over it. You now have three “stations”: flour, garbanzo batter, and panko.

Take one piece of tofu and first coat it evenly with flour on all sides.Next, dip it into the garbanzo batter, making sure it’s fully coated.Finally, press it into the panko, covering it completely. Repeat this process with the remaining tofu pieces.

Place the coated tofu pieces in the air fryer, making sure they don't touch each other, and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy. If using an oven, place the tofu on a rack so the heat can circulate evenly, and bake at 400°F (200°C), flipping halfway through, until they are golden and crispy.