Howard Johnson Chicken Croquettes Recipe
The Howard Johnson Chicken Croquettes Recipe is made with creamy chicken filling, eggs, and golden breadcrumbs with rich chicken gravy.
Equipment
- A big saucepan or deep frying pan.
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- A food processor or a knife to chop chicken in a fine manner.
- Dredging bowls (flour, egg, breadcrumbs) are shallow ones.
- A chilling baking sheet is used to chill croquettes.
- Frying pan or deep fryer.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 cups finely cooked chicken a mixture of white and dark meat is preferable
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons of general flour.
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup whole milk or cream
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley optional to add some brightness
For Breading:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1½ cups fine breadcrumbs
For Frying:
- Deep frying oil vegetable or canola oil is preferable
- For Classic Chicken Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Creamy Chicken Base.
- Bring butter to a boil in a saucepan. Add flour and cook 1 minute until it is bubbled and not brown - this is your roux.
- Add the chicken broth and milk and whisk slowly until smooth. Cook until it becomes a rich velvety sauce.
- Add chopped chicken, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and parsley. Combine all the ingredients.
- You want a dense blend that keeps its form together - almost chicken salad steamed by gravy.
Chill the Mixture
- Pour the chicken mixture into a shallow plate or baking dish, cover it, and leave it in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (better in the night).
- The step will assist in solidifying the mixture, to be molded easily later on.
Shape the Croquettes
- After cooling it down, pour it into equal parts. Form each piece into a small log or oval shape -approximately 2-3 inches long.
- These must be felt smooth and compact and without crumbling.
Bread the Croquettes
- Prepare a breading station: a bowl of flour, a bowl of beaten eggs, and a bowl of breadcrumbs.
- Roll the croquette in flour, then in egg, and lastly coat with breadcrumbs.
- To achieve an additional crunch, go through the egg and breadcrumb process once again - twice the breading will make them have that typical diner crunch.
Fry Until Golden
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Soda the croquettes in batches of about 3 or 4 minutes each side, or till golden brown and crispy.
- Put them on paper towels to dry up the excess oil.
- You may also bake them at 400 F 20-25 minutes, in which case they will be lighter.
Make the Chicken Gravy
- Melt butter in a small saucepan and combine with flour. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Gradually pour chicken broth and milk, whisking until they are smooth and thick.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Before serving, pour this creamy gravy over your golden croquettes.