These chicken patties are golden on the outside and have charming little pockets of juicy cheese on the inside. The minced chicken version of the popular Aussie beef meatballs. There is room for both in everyone’s life!
Chicken rissoles
Australians love their delicious beef patties. It’s on par with other nostalgic Australian comfort foods such as currywurst, sausages, mashed potatoes, good old roasts and other trimmings.
In Australia (and New Zealand), for those wondering what a patty is, a patty is usually a small piece of meat baked in a skillet. We Australians think it’s just ours (is it?!), but there are actually different types of meatballs all over the world, made with other meats, seafood and vegetables. I’m here.
The classic Australian version is made with ground beef, mixed with shredded vegetables and seasoned with savory seasonings like Worcestershire sauce. I also doubled down on the non-traditional approach and added cheese for much-needed juiciness (because minced meat = lean meat) and flavor. I guess. Look at these golden beauties!
Proof of oozy cheese pockets inside:
What you need for Chicken Rissoles
Here’s what you need to make these cheesy chicken rissoles:
- Chicken mince (ground chicken) – This recipe is created with chicken mince but turkey or pork mince would make great direct substitutes with no alteration to the recipe. For beef and lamb, it’s better to use the classic Beef Rissoles recipe which has seasonings suited to red meats. TIP: Chicken mince purchased in packets from supermarkets can be quite wet and soft. Pour off and discard any liquid pooled in the packet before using. If you are struggling to form patties because your mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs to absorb the excess moisture. But really try to avoid/minimise this as the drier the mixture gets, the less juicy your rissoles!
- Panko breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs are necessary to absorb some of the moisture so you can form patties. I like to use Panko breadcrumbs because it makes the inside of the rissoles softer than using the fine regular breadcrumbs. Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods (crumbed tenders, schnitzel, Kiev). Find it in the Asian aisle of most large supermarkets. Substitute with 2/3 cup regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find panko. A reader also reported these worked great with gluten-free breadcrumbs!
- Cheese (shredded) – Adds flavour and juiciness to the inside of the rissoles. Chicken mince is very lean, so cheese really makes a difference to the tasty-factor. Pick a well-flavoured cheese that’s suitable for both shredding and melting. Colby, cheddar/tasty, Monterey Jack, gouda, and provolone are all good choices.
- Carrot and zucchini – To bulk out the patties as well as adding some goodness to our diet. Double up on one or the other if you want more veg, or just prefer one veg.
Alternatives: corn, thawed peas or small diced frozen vegetables, or finely chopped cooked, cooled broccoli. You don’t want to use anything that needs cooking (like raw grated sweet potato) because the chicken mince will overcook before the vegetable cooks through. - Egg – For binding. Just one. Any more and it will noticeably dry out the filling.
- Parsley – Optional, for lovely little flecks of colour.
How to make chicken rissoles
I need to share more recipes that are so straightforward I only need 6 simple step photos like below! Just what I needed after Friday’s Vegetable Dumplings, which totalled a whopping 30 process shots!!! (But it’s still a really easy recipe, I swear )
- Grate the zucchini and carrot using a standard box grater,
- Mix all the rissole ingredients together in a bowl using a wooden spoon.
- Scoop up just shy of 1/4 cup of mixture. TIP: An ice cream scoop with a lever is super handy for making patties and meatballs!
- Wet your hand with water (so the mixture doesn’t stick) and place the ball of mixture on your hand.
- Shape it into a patty.
- Cook 5 to 6 patties at a time in a non-stick pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Keep cooked rissoles warm in a low oven, sitting on a rack set over a tray (this stops the underside from going soggy).
that’s all! Stack them on a plate flanked with ketchup for dipping. Meatballs are usually eaten with a knife and fork, but they are also delicious as a finger food. Either way, hug your people while they’re hot!!
Before you ask, I tried baking them too.It works, but I’ve found that I can’t get the same amount of attractive dark color on the surface without overheating the inside. They’re still delicious, so if convenience is a priority (I’ve included instructions in my notes), pan frying is really better for these meatballs.
