These chicken and buckwheat patties are golden, juicy and packed with protein — a true weeknight hero that stretches a little chicken a long way. Cooked buckwheat keeps them tender while semolina gives them a crisp crust. For more chicken dinners, try our Juicy Chicken Patties with Cheese and Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta.
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) chicken breast
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 250 g (1 1/3 cups) cooked buckwheat
- 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) kefir
- Paprika and fresh cilantro to taste
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp semolina or flour, plus extra for coating
Instructions
- Rinse and pat the chicken dry, cut into large cubes, and blend with the cooked buckwheat, onion, garlic, kefir, semolina, and seasonings until smooth.
- With hands moistened in water, shape patties and coat them in semolina.
- Pan-fry in hot oil until golden on both sides, then lower the heat and finish covered until cooked through. Alternatively, bake on an oiled silicone mat at 180 C (350 F) for 35 minutes. Allrecipes has a handy guide to pan-frying patties to golden perfection.
- You can also grind everything through a meat grinder or simply mix the cooked buckwheat into pre-ground chicken by hand.
Tips
- Keep a small bowl of water nearby — wet hands make shaping a breeze and stop the mixture from sticking.
- Do not overcrowd the pan; fry in batches so the patties brown instead of steaming.
- Make a double batch and freeze half — they reheat beautifully for quick lunches. Serious Eats shares great tips on freezing cooked food safely.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 132 kcal, protein 12.1 g, fat 5.9 g, carbs 7.8 g.