Breaded Chicken Zucchini Patties With Rice: Try these homemade crispy breaded chicken patties if you enjoy chicken croquettes and burgers! Lean ground chicken, zucchini, carrot, spices, rice, and breadcrumbs are combined to create a crispy patty that retains its rich interior flavor.
Breaded Chicken Zucchini Patties With Rice
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ pound ground chicken mince, or sub with turkey
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ cup medium grated carrot
- 2 cups large grated zucchini
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs, or panko
- 1 cup cooked rice, short grain better
- 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil, I used olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes,
INSTRUCTIONS
- Get the zucchini ready. Peel and wash the zucchini. Grate it medium-thin into a bowl, then cover it with cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel to wring out extra moisture. Put aside.
- Optional: If you’re in a hurry, feel free to add the onions and carrots raw, but I prefer to sauté them before combining everything. Sauteeing intensifies the flavor and makes the vegetables extremely soft.
- Mix: Combine cooked rice, ground chicken, red chili flakes, garlic powder, paprika, onions, zucchini, carrots, and black pepper in a big bowl.
- Roll: Using your hands, form the mixture into medium-sized balls (moist your hands before shaping the balls). My preference is for fatter patties, so I use roughly a spoonful and a half of ingredients.
- Just before placing each chicken patty in the pan, place it in a tiny plate or bowl filled with breadcrumbs (use a spoon as the croquettes are very delicate and tender).
- Fry: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken croquettes to the skillet and gently press down to slightly flatten them. Cook, uncovered, for 4 minutes on one side and then 4 more minutes on the other side. After that, take it to a dish covered with paper towels to drain off any extra moisture.
ALSO SEE
NOTES
- Place the patties on a side dish with a paper towel for a minute or two so that any excess oil is soaked up to prevent soggy chicken patties.
- Leftover chicken patties will lose some moisture once cooked, stored in an airtight container, and then reheated on medium-low heat or in an air fryer basket.
- You can achieve a golden crispy crust by air frying these patties. It’s a great way to reduce the hot oil used, and air fryer chicken patties taste as good as the pan fry method.
- These patties are fragile, but once coated with breadcrumbs, they will be easier to transfer to the skillet.
NUTRITION
- Calories: 168kcal
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Protein: 13g
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
- Monoun saturated Fat: 4g Trans
- Fat: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 53 mg
- Sodium: 99mg
- Potassium: 433mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 1g
- Vitamin A: 1134IU
- Vitamin C: 5mg
- Calcium: 26mg
- Iron: 1mg
FAQs AND Questions
Can you make chicken patties in the oven?
- Yes, you can make these in the oven as well.
- As directed by the recipe, combine all ingredients, form into patties, and preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) in place of frying.
- Place the patties on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the patties halfway through, or until they are golden brown. Before serving, allow to cool.
TIPS
- Don’t overcook the croquettes. 4 minutes is enough for these to cook through which keeps them nicely moist and tender. If you make burger-sized patties, add an extra couple of minutes to cooking on each side.
- Place the patties on a side dish with a paper towel for a minute or two so that any excess oil is soaked up to prevent soggy chicken patties.
- Use a good nonstick skillet which helps with perfect browning and crispiness without burning the patties.
- Serve these breaded chicken patties with ranch sauce, avocado crema or another delicious sauce. I provide some ideas below!
- For a little spicy kick I’ve added red chili flakes, but feel free to double the amount or use chili powder or cayenne instead.
- Leftover chicken croquettes will lose some moisture once cooked, stored in an airtight container, and then reheated on medium-low heat or in an air fryer basket.
- These patties are fragile but once coated with breadcrumbs, they will be easier to transfer to the skillet.
- I haven’t added eggs as a binding agent because the chicken mince and grated zucchini keep the patties intact.
- You can achieve an even more crispy exterior by air frying these patties. It’s a great way to reduce the hot oil used, and air fryer chicken patties taste as good as the pan fry method. However, after testing, I found that cooking patties in skillet makes them more juicy and moist inside.
- The use of a meat thermometer is a good idea to test whether the internal temperature of the patties has reached 165F.
