Description
These Cheesy Chicken Mince Fritters with Broccoli are a delicious and nutritious baked snack or meal option, combining lean ground chicken with finely chopped broccoli, mozzarella cheese, and aromatic shallots. They are baked to golden perfection, offering a crispy outside and tender, flavorful inside. Perfect served with a tangy homemade yoghurt ranch sauce, these fritters make for a satisfying and wholesome dish that’s easy to prepare and packed with protein and vegetables.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Fritters:
- 500 g / 1 lb chicken mince (ground chicken), or turkey or pork
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 packed cups broccoli, soft cooked & finely chopped (approx. 1 medium head)
- 3/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella (or other cheese of choice)
- 3/4 tsp salt (reduce to 1/2 tsp if using a flavoured cheese)
- Black pepper, to taste
Cooking:
- Oil spray
Yoghurt Ranch Sauce (optional):
- 2/3 cup plain yoghurt
- 1/8 tsp dried dill
- 1/8 tsp dried parsley
- 1/8 tsp dried chives
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 - 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper or spray it with oil to prevent sticking.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the chicken mince, minced garlic, egg, panko breadcrumbs, finely chopped cooked broccoli, shallots, shredded mozzarella, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Form Fritters: Measure out about ¼ cup of the mixture and pat it into fritter shapes approximately 6 cm (2.25 inches) wide and 1 cm (2/5 inch) thick. Note that they will shrink slightly and become thicker during baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Arrange the formed fritters on the prepared baking tray. Generously spray the tops with oil to aid browning and crisping.
- Bake First Side: Bake the fritters in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to start cooking through and develop a golden crust.
- Flip and Finish Baking: Flip the fritters over, spray the tops again with oil, and return them to the oven. Bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes until they are golden and cooked through.
- Prepare Sauce: While fritters bake, mix all yoghurt ranch sauce ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes to develop flavors.
- Serve: Serve the warm fritters immediately with the yoghurt ranch sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
- Chicken mince sold in supermarkets can be very wet; choose packets without added water to ensure freshness and better texture.
- Use about 1 medium head of broccoli florets. Cook until soft by boiling or steaming, then chop finely. The broccoli stem is also usable if peeled, cooked, and finely chopped.
- Mozzarella cheese has mild saltiness and melts well, making it ideal. If using stronger flavoured cheeses like cheddar, reduce added salt accordingly.
- Feel free to add about 1.5 cups of additional vegetables such as grated carrot or onion, grated zucchini (water squeezed out), corn, peas, or finely sliced cabbage, spinach, cooked green beans, or asparagus for more nutrition and texture.
- Nutrition info provided assumes 4 servings and excludes the yoghurt ranch sauce. The recipe yields about 15 fritters in total.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 4 fritters (1/4th of recipe)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
