Description
These Cheesy Chicken Mince Fritters with Broccoli are a delicious, protein-packed snack or meal option featuring ground chicken, fresh broccoli, and gooey mozzarella cheese. Baked to golden perfection, they provide a healthier twist on traditional fried fritters and come with an optional tangy yoghurt ranch sauce for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Fritters
- 500 g / 1 lb chicken mince (ground chicken), or turkey or pork
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 packed cups broccoli, soft cooked & finely chopped (about 1 medium head)
- ¾ cup finely chopped shallots
- 1½ – 2 cups shredded mozzarella (or other cheese of choice)
- ¾ tsp salt (reduce to ½ tsp if using a flavoured cheese)
- Black pepper, to taste
Cooking
- Oil spray
Yoghurt Ranch Sauce (optional)
- ⅔ cup plain yoghurt
- 1/8 tsp each dried dill, parsley, and chives
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ garlic clove, minced
- 1–2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and 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, chopped shallots, shredded mozzarella, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Form Fritters: Measure approximately ¼ cup of the mixture for each fritter. Shape each portion into a round patty about 6 cm (2.25 inches) wide and 1 cm (0.4 inches) thick, noting they will shrink and thicken slightly while baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the shaped fritters evenly spaced on the prepared baking tray. Generously spray the tops with oil to ensure a golden crust.
- Bake the Fritters: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then, flip each fritter, spray the exposed side with oil again, and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes until both sides are golden and cooked through.
- Make the Sauce (Optional): While the fritters bake, mix together plain yoghurt, dried dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, minced garlic, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce rest for at least 20 minutes to develop flavors.
- Serve: Serve the warm fritters immediately with the optional yoghurt ranch sauce on the side.
Notes
- Chicken mince freshness: Choose chicken mince packets without excess water to ensure freshness and better texture.
- Broccoli prep: Use only the florets from about 1 medium head. Steam or boil until soft, then finely chop. The peeled stem can be used if desired, chopped very finely after cooking.
- Mozzarella cheese: It is low in salt and stretches well. If using more flavorful or salted cheeses like cheddar, reduce added salt to ½ tsp.
- Extra vegetables: This recipe can accommodate about 1½ cups of additional finely chopped or grated vegetables such as carrot, zucchini (with excess water pressed out), corn, peas, cabbage, spinach, green beans, or asparagus.
- Nutrition estimate: Nutrition facts assume 4 servings and exclude the optional sauce. The recipe yields about 15 fritters total.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3-4 fritters
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 430 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
