Homemade Chicken Croquettes, Small patties of creamy, buttery chicken filled bites, coated in crispy breadcrumbs then fried. A popular Spanish Tapas dish.
Where do croquettes originate from?
Chicken croquettes, or croquetas de pollo originate from Spain. It's the kind of food you get served in a bar alongside an ice-cold beer or glass of Spanish wine.
It makes up one of many dishes in a Tapas menu, so it's usual to serve 3 - 4 of these chicken croquettes together with a variety of other tapas dishes. Often served with a small fork or toothpicks, these are delicious mini bites.
What are croquettes?
Croquettes are usually made up of a creamy filling, in this case, it's chicken, and then dipped in egg and coated in breadcrumbs and then deep-fried. The creamy filling is an unexpected surprise when you bite through the outer crispy breadcrumb coating, and it's absolutely delicious! Seasoned perfectly, these little croquettes pack a full flavor and texture in every bite.
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For this recipe, we've added some chili flakes to the filling. We've left it optional so if you're cooking for children, then perhaps you can make half a batch with and half without the chili. Alternatively, add a chili sauce on the side for the adults to dip the croquettes into.
Can I use leftover chicken?
We've used leftover cooked chicken, together with a sauce similar to a white béchamel sauce, which gives the filling a buttery, creamy texture. You can also use ground chicken or even leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!
Can I oven-bake croquettes?
It's traditional to deep fry the croquettes in hot oil. Some may prefer to oven bake these, so you just need to use the same temperature stated below, and turn halfway through for even browning.
This delicious recipe has been generously shared by one of our Lovefoodie supporters, Melanie Springer.
Melanie's a wonderful cook and she sure knows how to put smiles on her family's faces when she rustles up her homemade chicken croquettes! So let's see how Melanie makes her delicious recipe.
Recipe by Melanie Springer.
Prep Time
5 minutes plus ½ hr chill time
Cook Time
5 - 10 minutes
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons butter
⅓ cup or 20 g flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup or 235 ml milk
2 cups or 380 g chopped cooked chicken
1 Tablespoon minced onion
2 Tablespoons minced parsley
¼ teaspoon hot chili pepper seeds (optional)
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
⅓ cup or 40 g fine dry bread crumbs
Instructions
1. In a pan, melt shortening, blend in flour and salt.
2. Add milk. Cook on a low heat, stir constantly till smooth and thickened.
3. Add chicken, onion, parsley and chili peppers if using.
4. Spread in a greased shallow pan so it can completely chill. This will make it much easier to roll in to shape.
5. Shape into 8 logs.
6. In a bowl, beat eggs and lemon juice lightly with fork.
7. Dip logs into egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs.
8. Heat deep fat to 365 F / 190 C /Gas 5, fry croquettes for about 5 minutes or till golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve whilst still hot.
You can also bake these in the oven, spray with some oil and bake at the above temperature until golden brown.
Serve as an appetizer or entree, with your favorite sauce or my personal favorite, alongside a salad such as pico de gallo.
Recipe Card
Homemade Chicken Croquettes, Croquetas de Pollo
Homemade Chicken Croquettes, Small patties of creamy, buttery chicken filled bites, coated in crispy breadcrumbs then fried. A popular Spanish Tapas dish.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup or 20 g flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup or 235 ml milk
- 2 cups or 380 g chopped cooked chicken
- 1 Tablespoon minced onion
- 2 Tablespoons minced parsley
- ¼ teaspoon hot chili pepper seeds (optional)
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup or 40 g fine dry bread crumbs
Instructions
- In a pan, melt the butter, blend in flour and salt.
- Add milk. Cook on a low heat, stir constantly until smooth and thickened.
- Add the chicken, onion and parsley and chili if using. Spread in greased shallow pan.
- Chill completely. This will help the mixture cool down fast and make it easier to shape in to rolls.
- Shape into 8 logs.
- In a bowl, beat eggs and lemon juice lightly with fork.
- Dip logs into egg mixture, then coat with crumbs.
- Heat deep fat fryer to 365 F / 190 C /Gas 5, fry croquettes about 5 minutes or till golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels. Serve hot
Notes
You can also bake these in the oven, spray with some oil and bake at the above temperature until golden brown.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 396mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 15g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate
Delicious Tapas Recipes
Here's a delicious selection of Tapas recipes, perfect for hosting a Tapas party!
Spanish Meatballs in Garlic Tomato Sauce, Albondigas is a lovely easy dish typically served as Tapas in bars. Great for party food, main meals and appetizers!
Breaded Chicken Skewers. These are a wonderful little appetizer or party food. Quick and easy to make and juicy to the bite too! Serve warm with your favorite dips. These always go fast at parties so be sure you make plenty!
Classic Spanish Seafood Paella.
In this version of the classic Spanish dish, chicken, chorizo sausage, and shrimp combine with rice simmered in broth and flavored with saffron threads, garlic
Mojo Picante, Spanish Red Pepper Sauce. This is a lovely tasting sauce popular in the Canary Islands. Serve with Tapas, goes great with seafood, chicken and pork. It's delicious! Will also keep refrigerated if you want to make ahead. Simple ingredients, easy recipe and out of this world in flavor!
Beef and rice stuffed peppers are deliciously oven-roasted and filled with a mix of ground meat, rice, garlic, and seasonings making for a perfect lunch or supper.
Spanish Garlic Mushrooms is a wonderful Tapas dish, often served as party food. Easy and quick to make and fantastic flavors. Also great as a side dish!
Spanish Omelette Casserole. A very easy and flexible baked casserole with eggs, cheese, potatoes and sausage. Suggestions for you to choose other ingredients to make it just how you like! Serve warm or chilled, suitable for a main meal or party food. You choose! Great for using up leftover roast dinners too!
Bacon Wrapped Dates. These make for wonderful party food or part of a Tapas meal and incredibly easy to make. the sweet and salty flavor combination is so delicious!