Name: Chicken Croquettes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. butter; 3 tbsp. flour; 1 cup milk; 2 cups chicken, cooked and finely diced; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. onion powder; 1/8 tsp. pepper; 5 tbsp. canola oil; 2 cups bread crumbs; 2 eggs, beaten

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These Chicken Croquettes boast a crispy crumb exterior with a delicious chicken filling. It’s the perfect way to use up leftover cooked chicken or turkey!

Looking for a unique or different, maybe even a new recipe to try?

We’ve got you covered.

This recipe for homemade from scratch chicken or turkey croquettes is a Mennonite classic, made with ordinary common ingredients you probably already have on hand!

At first glance, this recipe may look intimidating if you’re anything like me. (I was definitely intimidated the first time I made these!) Good news is, the more you cook and try new recipes, the easier and more fun it gets!

“If you can read, you can cook,” they say.

And it’s true.

Though it does take a little bit of time and planning ahead to make this chicken croquette recipe and it doesn’t exactly fall into the “easy meals” category, the results are worth it!

Chicken croquettes make a great appetizer.

It’s also a great way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or leftover chicken from a whole chicken roast.

Growing up, I always enjoyed coming to the dinner table to find homemade chicken croquettes. We ate mostly beef, and some pork, so the occasional meals made with chicken were special!

What are some of your fond memories surrounding mealtimes? We’d love to hear about them; leave a comment below.

What is a chicken croquette?

In case you’re wondering, a croquette is a small, crumb coated, deep fried minced meat or vegetable patty.

If you’ve never had a classic chicken croquette, you’re missing out!

fried crispy chicken croquettes on a pan

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Ingredients for our Crispy Chicken or Turkey Croquettes Recipe

Butter – salted butter

Flour – all purpose flour to use as a thickener

Milk – whole milk

Chicken or Turkey – cooked and finely diced chicken or turkey

Salt – we used regular iodized table salt

Onion powder

Pepper – black pepper

Bread crumbs – from the store or it’s also very simple to make your own bread crumbs!

Eggs – beaten eggs

Cooking oil – we use canola oil, since it has a high smoke point. Other good options include peanut, avocado, or coconut oil. Learn more about cooking with oil and smoke points here.

Supplies we used

Heavy saucepan
Whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
Silicone spatula
Glass dishes to use for food prep
Large skillet or non-stick pan
Silicone tongs to use for flipping (two forks work great as well!)
Small baking sheet (this was our serving platter!)
Paper towels

Crispy Chicken or Turkey Croquettes Recipe Instructions

The base of the creamy chicken filling is simply a basic white sauce. In a heavy, medium saucepan, melt butter.

Whisk in the flour, followed by the milk. Stir until the filling mixture becomes slightly thick.

Stir in the cooked and chopped chicken, salt, onion powder, and pepper.

Chill the chicken mixture in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Once the croquette mixture has cooled and you’re ready for deep frying, heat the oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet on the stovetop on medium heat.

Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make 12 croquettes, dredging each one individually in bread crumbs first of all, then in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumbs again, forming them into little patties in the process. (This part can be a little tricky!)

Fry croquettes in hot oil, about 5 minutes per side, or until they are crispy and golden brown. (You may need to turn the burner down to low heat or use a splatter screen or lid on the pan, to avoid getting splattered!)

Transfer the hot croquettes to a serving platter (we lined ours with paper towels to soak up extra grease) and enjoy with ketchup, ranch or bbq sauce!

Notes

It’s important to chill the filling mixture so it’s easier to deal with.

These are best fresh, as you can imagine. However, the leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Chicken Croquettes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Crispy on the outside with a creamy chicken filling,these chicken croquettes make a delicious appetizer or main dish.

Ingredients

Creamy chicken filling

2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken, cooked and finely diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. pepper

Crispy exterior

5 tbsp. canola oil
2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter.
Whisk in the flour, followed by the milk. Stir until the filling mixture becomes slightly thick.
Stir in the cooked and diced chicken, salt, onion powder, and pepper.
Chill the filling mixture in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet on the stovetop on medium heat.
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make 12 croquettes, dipping each one in bread crumbs first of all, then in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumbs again.
Fry the croquettes in oil, about 5 minutes per side, or until they are crispy and dark brown.
Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy with ketchup, ranch or bbq sauce!

Notes

It's important to chill the filling mixture so it's easier to deal with.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 437Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 757mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 19g

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.