Aish Cooks

Are you some-what back to work, or being wise and waiting it out until the year’s grand end coming up mid-week through? No matter what you’re doing, don’t get over partying and feasting just yet. Not for another 2 days at-least!

So, if you’re still deciding on appetizer options for the New Year’s party, these might just be the thing. These are the easiest and best chicken patties I’ve ever made. And I really mean it. The eggs keep the patties so moist and juicy, which is only helped by cooking them really quick at very high heat either in the oven or on the stove top. Also, it really does help that this is perfectly freezer / make-ahead friendly. You can serve them hot or at room temperature, which makes them great for trips and picnics too. And because you can bake double- or triple-batches in the oven in under 20 minutes, they are a great choice for large parties and potluck dinners too! Wait. It gets better. You can serve them as kebabs or meatballs or burger-patties or even turn these into meat-loafs! Are these super versatile or what?! Plus they are not spicy at all – just a hint of spices to make them taste great, which means it can be served as-is to kids. From what I’ve seen, they totally dig it. Now if you thought these patties couldn’t get any better by themselves, just wait until you dip it in the tangy yogurt dip with mint and cilantro that is written into this recipe. It’s a pair made in heaven!

PS: In case you’re looking for a picture of the prepared green dip, which would have surely been helpful to have on the blog post, it just never got clicked before it was completely wiped licked off from the face of the earth. Sorry!

Mildly Spiced Chicken Patties with Mint-Cilantro Yogurt Dip

Adapted from this Pakistani chicken kebab recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 – 20 minutes | Makes: 20 – 25 medium patties

Ingredients:

For the chicken patties:

1. 1 lb ground chicken
2. 1 large egg
3. 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
4. 1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped
5. 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
6. 1/2 tsp ground cumin
7. 1/2 tsp garam masala
8. 1/8 tsp ground turmeric (optional)
9. 3/4 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste
10. 1/2 tsp garlic, minced or ground
11. 1/2 tsp ginger, minced or ground
12. 3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
13. oil for cooking/ baking

For the green yogurt dip:

1. 1 cup thick yogurt (can use Greek-style)
2. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (with stem)
3. few mint leaves (can skip if not at hand)
4. juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
5. salt to taste

Method:

• Prepare the mix for the patties by mixing together all the ingredients listed under ‘For the chicken patties’ except for the oil.

In the Oven:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Spray / brush some oil on a baking tray (line with foil or wax paper if tray is not non-stick).
3. Make patties of desired shape and size (like burger patties or small cutlets or meatballs / kebabs).
4. Brush/spray the top of the patties with some oil.
5. Bake for 5 minutes on the middle rack.
6. Flip the patties and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes until a golden brown color develops and juices run clear (adjust time based on size of patties).
7. Optional step: Set oven to broil (about 525 degrees F) and broil patties for 1-2 minutes each side to get more browning all over.
8. Remove onto a platter, cover with foil / lid and let it rest for a few minutes for help patties stay moist on the inside.

Stove-top method:

1. Heat a girdle/ tava on the stove.
2. Drizzle some oil onto the hot girdle and place the patties at-least an inch apart to allow for easy flipping.
3. Cook on med-high until the bottom layer turns golden and then flip over to cook the other side.
4. Cook until golden all over and juices run clear.

To make the yogurt dip:

1. Puree the greens (cilantro and mint) in a blender/ food processor along with a spoon of yogurt to help form a puree.
2. Mix together the pureed greens with the yogurt, add salt and lime juice.
3. Whisk into a smooth paste and add a little water if needed to get desired consistency.

Serve the patties with the green dip and watch your taste buds party at their best!

Make-ahead / Freezing method:

• Prepare patties and place them on a baking tray (which would fit in the freezer) as you’d prepare them for baking. Freeze the patties until they’re frozen (few hours) and then pack them up in batches in zip-lock bags and store in freezer until you need them. To cook, bake at 500 F per the method in this recipe until done (might take just 2-4 minutes longer to get done when compared to fresh-made patties.
• The patty mixture can be put together and stored in the refrigerator a day ahead if you’d like to make ahead for parties and bake just before guests arrive.