Chicken Croquettes

Chicken croquettes are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and jam-packed with flavor. So move over chicken nuggets! There’s a new family favorite in town. 😆

Contents… Why Make Chicken Croquettes Chicken Croquette Ingredients Alternative Ingredients Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storing Instructions FAQs More Recipes to Try How to Make Chicken Croquettes Watch How To Make It

Chicken croquettes make a great main course for dinner that even the pickiest members of your will love, but they also work great for breakfast or a side dish. I love taking these to game-day parties as an appetizer, too, because they’re always a hit.

Why Make Chicken Croquettes

Honestly, there are so many things to love about chicken croquettes. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also easy and inexpensive to make and use simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. They’re also a great way to transform any leftover chicken you aren’t sure what to do with into a brand new dish. 👌

Chicken Croquette Ingredients

Remoulade

• Mayonnaise – A thick, creamy sauce made of egg yolks and oil is the perfect base for sauces of all sorts.
• Creole Mustard – This spicy whole grain mustard with a vibrant flavor is typical in the southeast.
• Hot Sauce – A spicy condiment made with chili peppers packs some heat.
• Paprika – Pungent and sweet at the same time, paprika adds color and flavor to recipes.
• Horseradish – A plant from the mustard family, this spicy root vegetable adds a distinctive tangy flavor.
• Dill Pickle Juice – Slightly sour but tasty; dill pickle juice is another tangy ingredient that is surprisingly nutritious.

Chicken Croquettes

• Butter – A kitchen staple that adds loads of flavor to any dish, no matter how you use it. You can use oil if you prefer
• Onion – This fresh and tangy ingredient will add a slightly sweet, slightly sharp flavor to your recipe. Learn how to cut onions safely and with fewer tears here.
• Green Onion – Pungent and straw-like, this veggie is often used as a garnish and adds a nice, extra layer of flavor to any dish.
• Garlic – Earthy and pungent, nothing says home cooking like the smell of garlic wafting from the kitchen. 🤤
• Thyme – This herb’s unique earthy, minty flavor really adds a beautiful touch to this recipe. Fresh thyme is best, but it will work dried, too.
• Creole Seasoning* – This mix of herbs and spices will add a kick of heat and a burst of flavor to your croquettes. Learn to make your own here.
• Flour – Flour isn’t just for baking, friends! This pantry staple also makes many a savory dish thicker, crispier, and better. 😎
• Milk – Creamy and tasty, milk makes a frying batter the perfect texture without sacrificing flavor. We want it hot for our chicken croquette recipe.
• Cooked Chicken – Get ready to put your leftovers to work because this protein-packed meat is highly versatile for a plethora of dishes.
• Salt – Intensify your dish’s delicious flavors with salt, a kitchen staple that brings out the best in every dish.
• Pepper – Mild heat and plenty of flavors make pepper a popular ingredient in American cooking.
• Eggs – Not just for breakfast, eggs work as a binder in several dishes of both the sweet and savory varieties.
• Breadcrumbs – Dried, crumbled bread gives croquettes that classic crunchy texture that IMO makes this dish really come to life.
• Oil – Regular old cooking oil won’t affect the flavor of your dish as you fry your croquettes to golden-brown perfection. 💯
• Parsley – A distinctive herb, parsley’s flavor can emphasize or contrast other flavors in a meal. Plus, it makes for a beautiful garnish.

Alternative Ingredients

• Creole Mustard – Couldn’t find Creole mustard at the grocery store? Use whole grain mustard instead because it has a similar flavor profile and texture.
• Breadcrumbs – Substitute breadcrumbs with whole oats pulverized in your blender or food processor for a gluten-free, fiber-filled alternative. You could also crush cornflakes, pretzels, potato chips, or crackers to get that crunchy outer layer. If you love breadcrumbs, best of all, you can also toast and pulverize regular slices of bread in a pinch.
• Milk – Half and half or heavy cream will work in place of milk, or you can use dairy-free milk. Keep in mind that some dairy-free milks, like coconut milk, could affect the flavor of your croquettes.

Tips and Tricks

• Whisk away! Feel free to give your chicken mixture and the eggs for the outer layer a hearty whisk. 💪 Use a whisk rather than a fork if possible, too. The more air you incorporate, the lighter the mixture and outer coating will be and the crispier the crust.
• Watch your oil. Try to keep its temp right around 350℉/177℃ the whole time you are frying. Any cooler and the batter will be less crispy and taste oily. Any hotter and the batter will burn before the croquette is thoroughly cooked.
• Don’t overcrowd your frying pan. Adding too many croquettes at a time will lower the oil’s temperature and make it harder to maneuver the croquettes in and out of the pan.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can make the chicken mixture the day before if you would like to. Simply follow the recipe instructions, then store the mixture overnight in the fridge. When you are ready to fry, pick up the instructions where you left off, dredging and frying the mixture. These bad boys taste best freshly fried, so make time to fry them up the day you plan to eat them.

Serving and Storing Instructions

Serve chicken croquettes piping hot, fresh out of the fryer. Just give them a minute or two on a paper towel to remove any excess oil, and then they’re ready to dip into that delicious remoulade you made!

Store any leftover croquettes in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for 3-5 days.

Fried foods don’t reheat well in the microwave, but there’s still a couple of ways to enjoy them just as much as the first time around. My favorite way to reheat them is to pop them in the air fryer at 350℉/177℃ for 4-5 minutes. You could also heat them in the oven at the same temperature.

FAQs

More Recipes to Try

• Salmon Croquettes
• Potato Croquettes
• Sausage Balls
• Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
• Coconut Shrimp

How to Make Chicken Croquettes

Make the Remoulade

• Mix Ingredients – Add all the ingredients for the remoulade sauce to a small bowl. Whisk until combined and set aside.

Make the Chicken Mixture

• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add Veggies – Add the onions, garlic, and thyme to the pan and frequently stir, cooking for 3-4 minutes or just until the onions are soft.
• Whisk in the Flour and cook for 3-4 more minutes, frequently stirring, until the mixture is golden brown.
• Add Milk – Reduce the heat to low and begin adding the hot milk a little at a time, followed by the Creole seasoning.
• Continue to mix until the liquid thickens and is smooth and creamy.
• Season – Remove from heat and stir in the chicken, salt, and pepper.
• Cool – Let the chicken mixture cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Fry the Croquettes

• Heat the oil to 350/177℃.
• Beat Eggs – Place the eggs in a shallow bowl and whisk them.
• Prepare Breadcrumbs – Then place the breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl.
• Form the Croquettes – Scoop out about two tablespoons of chicken mixture for each croquette and roll it into a ball.
• Bread the Croquettes – Dip the croquette into the breadcrumbs, followed by the egg wash, and then into the breadcrumbs again.
• Fry the croquette until golden brown.
• Serve – Place on a plate lined with paper towels until cool enough to consume and enjoy!

Watch How To Make It