Amish Heritage

Dutch Chicken Croquettes

What is a Pennsylvania Dutch chicken croquette? Croquettes are usually thought of as being a small rounded mass of minced meat that has been dipped in egg and bread crumbs, then deep fat fried. And that is exactly what a PA Dutch chicken croquette is.

These Amish chicken croquettes are made with cooked and chopped chicken that is mixed with a thick creamy sauce, shaped into balls, then dipped in eggs and coated in bread crumbs. And to finish them off with the best and the most unhealthy part of all, they are deep-fried. But we all know that anything that’s been deep-fried tastes amazing. Right?

Comfort Food = Pennsylvania Dutch chicken croquettes

Some people would classify chicken croquettes as comfort food. So the question is, what puts certain food into the classification of comfort food? I believe that for many people comfort food is associated with their childhood or home-cooking. Often it is food with a higher carb content, and eating it provides a feeling of well-being.

For some of us, certain tastes and smells bring back memories of home. They provide a feeling of nostalgia and give us a longing for the past, typically a happy or carefree time in our lives.

Since starting my blog, I have been cooking and baking a lot more Amish food. It’s food that I grew up with. So when I’m cooking, some of the smells and tastes make me miss my home, especially my mom. My Amish mom did a lot of cooking and baking, and she was a good cook. I have fond memories of working with her, and honestly, she was the most selfless person I’ve ever known.

Creamy Chicken Croquettes

To make Pennsylvania Dutch chicken croquettes, you will need to start with the cream base. Unless, of course, you don’t have any cooked chicken, then you will need to cook some chicken first. But this Amish chicken recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken.

I chopped my cooked chicken in my trusty little Ninja chopper. Just pulse it a few times until it’s nicely chopped. Yes, I use this chopper all the time, for everything. And I’m adding an affiliate link again, in case you decide you need one…

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan or skillet. Stir in the flour. Slowly pour in the half and half, whisking to combine. Cook, stirring constantly until a smooth paste is formed. Remove from the heat and add the seasonings.

My Reccomendations for making ground chicken croquettes

I recommend letting the sauce cool before adding the chopped chicken. Once it’s cool, mix the chicken and sauce and form the mixture into balls. Refrigerate the balls for several hours or overnight before dipping them into the egg and crumbs.

You don’t have to do this. You can mix the warm sauce with the chicken, form it into balls, and immediately dip and fry them. It will just be a little messier job to get the balls dipped.

And you can make the balls as big or little as you prefer. This Dutch croquette recipe can easily make nine to twelve balls. If you like a lot of creamy filling on the inside, stick with nine balls. If you prefer having more of the crispy fried texture, make at least twelve balls.

Deep Fat Fry, Pan Fry, or Air Fry?

If you are watching your cholesterol and don’t want to consume as much fried food, there are alternatives to deep-frying your Pennsylvania Dutch chicken croquettes. I have not invested in an air-fryer yet. Maybe someday. I am told, however, that they are amazing. So go ahead and air-fry your croquettes. It would definitely be a healthier option. *Edited to add: I had someone tell me that they tried this recipe, and she cooked the croquettes in the middle of her air-fryer for 14 minutes at 350 degrees. She said they were perfect! 🙂

You can also just pour a thin layer of oil into a skillet and pan-fry them. Keep turning the balls until all sides are browned.

But the most common way of cooking chicken croquettes is the deep-frying method. You can use an electric deep fryer if you want. I have one of those, but honestly, I’ve never really been impressed with it. It takes a lot of oil to fill it, and it seems to have a hard time keeping the oil hot enough (maybe I just need a better one).

I often end up using a medium-large saucepan on my stovetop. Fill it about three-fourths full of cooking oil (I like to use peanut oil, but I use canola oil sometimes as well). Heat the oil to 325 – 350 degrees (use a cooking thermometer). As you are frying, you may have to adjust the burner to keep the temperature maintained between 325 – 350. Fry a few balls at a time until they are a nice golden brown. Remove the croquettes with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.

Sauce for Chicken Croquettes

Some people like to cook a cream sauce to serve with their croquettes, but we always ate ours with chicken gravy. After all, Pennsylvania Dutch chicken croquettes are great served with mashed potatoes. So you can top both your mashed potatoes and croquettes with the gravy. Add some vegetables, and you’ve got an amazing home-cooked Amish meal.

You can find a simple Amish Mashed Potatoes Recipe here.

Amish Meatloaf with Oats Recipe

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