Spanish Chicken Croquettes Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (40 g)butter
• 3 tablespoons (40 g)plain flour
• 500 ml (2¼ cups)whole milk
• 1chicken breast
• 1onion
• 3 tablespoons (40 ml)extra-virgin olive oil
• 2eggs, for coating
• 110 g (1 cup)breadcrumbs, for coating
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• ½ teaspoonnutmeg
• as neededneutral oil, such as sunflower or corn oil, for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the onion

   Heat the 3 tablespoons (40 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until transparent.

2. 2

   Cook the chicken

   Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and add it to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, until cooked through, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. 3

   Heat the milk

   Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan, then take it off the heat and set it aside.

4. 4

   Make the roux

   In the same frying pan used for the chicken, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out its raw flavour.

5. 5

   Thicken the béchamel

   Pour in all the milk at once and keep stirring until the béchamel begins to thicken. For a thicker mixture, cook it for a couple more minutes.

6. 6

   Mix in chicken

   Add the chicken and onion mixture to the béchamel and combine well.

7. 7

   Chill the mixture

   Transfer the mixture to a plate and cover it with cling film pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so it cools and is easier to shape.

8. 8

   Shape and coat

   Once cold, shape the mixture into croquettes using two spoons. Coat each one in breadcrumbs, then dip it in beaten egg.

9. 9

   Chill the croquettes

   You can fry the croquettes straight away, but chilling them helps them hold their shape. Refrigerate them for 1 hour or put them in the freezer for 30 minutes before frying.

10. 10

    Fry until golden

    Fry the croquettes in plenty of neutral oil until golden on the outside. The chicken is already cooked, so this should take only a couple of minutes. Serve warm.

What are Spanish chicken croquettes?

Croquettes are a familiar Spanish tapa: small portions of a thick, savoury filling shaped, coated and fried until crisp. They are often made with béchamel, and can be served as a snack, starter or part of a meal.

In this version, chicken and softened onion are folded into a nutmeg-scented béchamel. Chilling the filling makes it easier to shape, while the breadcrumb coating gives each croquette its contrast of crisp outside and creamy centre.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 174 calories, 24g protein, 9g carbs, 4g fat.

The chicken provides most of the protein, while the flour, milk and breadcrumbs contribute carbohydrates. Butter, olive oil and frying oil supply much of the fat; serve the croquettes with salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Build the chicken filling

Onion first: cook it over medium heat until transparent, so it softens before the chicken is added.

Chicken next: cut the breast into small cubes and cook it for the full 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg before setting it aside.

Get the béchamel smooth

Cook the flour: stir it into the melted butter for 3–4 minutes. Constant stirring helps cook away the raw-flour taste and keeps the roux from catching.

Add the milk: pour it in all at once, then keep stirring as the sauce thickens. If it still seems loose, the method allows a couple more minutes of cooking.

Chill before shaping

Cover the surface: press cling film against the mixture so a skin does not form while it cools. The first 30 minutes in the fridge make the filling easier to handle.

Firm up the coating: after shaping and breading, another hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer helps the croquettes keep their shape during frying.

Look for a golden finish

The chicken is cooked before it goes into the béchamel, so frying is mainly for crisping and colouring the coating. Fry until the outside is golden, which should take a couple of minutes.

Serve them warm, while the breadcrumb shell is crisp and the béchamel centre is soft.

Serve as a snack or meal

For a starter or afternoon snack, bring the croquettes to the table warm. For dinner, pair them with a simple salad or cooked vegetables to add freshness alongside the rich, fried coating.

If serving several people, you can shape and chill the croquettes ahead, then fry them shortly before eating.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep stirring the roux for the full 3–4 minutes so the flour cooks evenly.
• Press cling film directly onto the filling to prevent a skin forming as it chills.
• Chill the shaped croquettes before frying if you have time; firmer croquettes are easier to handle.
• Use two spoons to shape the cold mixture into croquettes.
• Fry only until the coating is golden, as the chicken is already cooked.
• Serve the croquettes warm for the best contrast between crisp coating and creamy filling.

Variations

• Add parsley: stir chopped parsley into the chicken and béchamel mixture.
• Use leftover chicken: cut cooked chicken into small pieces and add it to the softened onion.
• Change the seasoning: adjust the pepper and nutmeg to suit your taste.
• Try a different coating: use fine breadcrumbs for an even, neat crust.
• Make smaller croquettes: shape the mixture into bite-sized portions for serving as a snack.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Undercooking the flour: stir it into the butter for 3–4 minutes to avoid a raw-flour taste.
• Stopping the stirring: keep stirring after adding the milk so the béchamel thickens evenly.
• Skipping the first chill: refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to make it easier to shape.
• Leaving the filling uncovered: press cling film onto its surface to prevent a skin forming.
• Frying before the croquettes firm up: chill the shaped croquettes for 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer.
• Frying for too long: take them out once the coating is golden, since the chicken is already cooked.

How to store

Store cooked croquettes in a covered container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat in an oven until hot throughout; the coating may soften in a microwave. Unfried shaped croquettes can be refrigerated for up to 1 hour or frozen for 30 minutes as directed before frying.

Frequently asked questions