Chicken Croquette Recipe
I don’t think I’ve eaten a croquette before Spain. Ok maybe that is a lie, but if I have it was not very memorable…obviously. I actually had to get rid of these, because I kept eating them at every meal. No bueno. I used this recipe and slightly modified it. I can't wait to try this again, maybe with oxtail instead of chicken.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Salt, pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon Ras El Hanout seasoning: love this spice and thought the north African flavor would go well with this dish
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
- 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 3 cups whole milk
- Black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg: didn’t have this any nutmeg, so I skipped this step. I seasoned the chicken so it wasn’t a problem for me.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup fine breadcrumbs: I pulsed a cup of panko bread crumbs until they were fine
- Sunflower oil or mild olive oil for frying
In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Ras El Hanout seasoning, and sauté until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter to cool. Cut the chicken into pieces and finely grind with a food processor.
In a clean skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion. Cook over medium-low heat, until soft and transparent but not yet browned, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer; season with salt, pepper, and the nutmeg (if you are skipping the Ras El Hanout seasoning). Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and keep hot.
Sift the flour into the skillet over the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. It should be a compact and just-moist ball. Spread out the ball in the pan and begin slowly stirring in the hot milk until the mixture is creamy and not too sticky when touched, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and fold in the ground chicken. Cook, gently stirring, for 2 minutes. The mixture should be spongy and can be touched without sticking to your finger.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours until chilled. This will make forming the croquettes easier.
Break the eggs in a bowl and thoroughly whisk. Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl and flour in a third.
Form croquettes, wetting your hands periodically for easier handling.
Dip the croquettes in the flour, then egg, and roll in breadcrumbs to completely cover.
In a skillet or sauté pan heat oil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. This is very important! If the oil is too hot you will burn the croquettes.