Chicken Patties
These easy Chicken Patties are a family favourite—quick to make, freezer-friendly, and packed with hidden veggies. Serve them on their own, tuck them into lunchboxes, or pop them in a bun for a quick homemade chicken burger.
Looking for my chicken meatball recipe? It’s still here—just moved! You’ll now find it over on this page. This updated post is home to my new pan-fried Chicken Patties, and I think you’re going to love them.
Why Parents And Kids Love This Recipe
- Quick to make with simple ingredients—and packed with hidden veggies for picky eaters
- Perfect for little hands: great as finger food, in lunchboxes, or as mini burgers
- Freezer-friendly, allergy-adaptable, and easy to batch cook for busy weeks
Ingredients You Will Need
Ingredient Notes and Allergy Friendly Swaps
- Zucchini out of season? No problem—grated broccoli stalk is a great substitute and still adds that sneaky veggie boost. Just make sure to squeeze out any extra moisture before mixing it in.
- Feel free to add other finely chopped vegetables such as capsicum (bell peppers) or spinach to the mixture to mix it up
- Gluten-free option: Swap the regular breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs or try using ground almonds for a grain-free alternative. Both work beautifully to bind the patties.
- Meat alternatives: These patties also work well with ground turkey or pork if you don’t have chicken mince on hand. Just keep in mind that pork tends to be a little fattier, which can make the patties extra juicy.
Step-by-step instructions
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Chicken Pattie recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Step one: Prepare the Vegetables: Grate the carrot and zucchini. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture.
Step two: Mix the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, grated carrot, squeezed zucchini, grated cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Step three: Form the Patties: With clean damp hands, shape the mixture into small patties, about 2 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. This should yield approximately 12 patties.
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Step four: Cook the Patties: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties to the skillet, ensuring not to overcrowd them. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. You may need to cook them in batches, adding more oil as necessary.
Step five: Serve: Once cooked, remove the patties from the skillet and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve warm with your choice of dipping sauce or as a main dish alongside vegetables or a salad.
Top Tips
Here is how you can make these Chicken Patties perfectly every time!
- Squeeze out the veggies well: Removing excess moisture from the zucchini helps the patties hold together better and avoids a soggy mixture.
- Use damp hands to shape: Lightly wetting your hands makes it much easier to shape the patties without everything sticking to your fingers.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give the patties space in the skillet so they cook evenly and get that lovely golden crust. Cook in batches if needed!
- Make them mini or full-size: These patties are great for little hands, but you can also shape them a bit bigger and turn them into burger patties for the whole family.
- Add flavour boosters: If your kids are adventurous, try adding a little onion powder, paprika, or a dash of Worcestershire sauce or mustard for extra flavour.
- Storage: These patties can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm them in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
- Batch and freeze: Double the recipe and freeze extras—either raw or cooked. Perfect for busy nights when you need a healthy meal in minutes. To freeze, place the cooked and cooled patties on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months.
- Reheating
- Skillet (best for crispiness): Reheat the patties in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side, until heated through.
- Oven or Air Fryer: Place patties on a baking tray or in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) and heat for 8–10 minutes, or until piping hot.
- Microwave (for speed): Pop a patty on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat for about 30–60 seconds, depending on your microwave. They won’t be crispy, but still tasty!
- Tip: If reheating from frozen, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge first for best results.
How to Make This Recipe Suitable For Baby Led Weaning
These chicken patties are a great option for baby led weaning! To make them baby-friendly, simply skip the added salt and shape the patties into smaller, softer portions that are easy for little hands to grasp. You can also make them a bit flatter so they cook through quickly and stay tender.
Serve them as is, cut into strips, or broken into bite-sized pieces depending on your baby’s stage. They're soft, easy to chew, and packed with protein and veggies—perfect for little ones learning to self-feed.
Chicken Patties
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Ingredients
- 450 grams chicken mince 1 pound
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small zucchini grated and excess moisture squeezed out
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons parsley, fresh 1 teaspoon if using dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Grate the carrot and zucchini. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture.
- Mix the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, grated carrot, squeezed zucchini, grated cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Form the Patties: With clean damp hands, shape the mixture into small patties, about 2 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. This should yield approximately 12 patties.
- Cook the Patties: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties to the skillet, ensuring not to overcrowd them. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. You may need to cook them in batches, adding more oil as necessary.
- Serve: Once cooked, remove the patties from the skillet and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve warm with your choice of dipping sauce or as a main dish alongside vegetables or a salad.
Video
Notes
- Zucchini out of season? No problem—grated broccoli stalk is a great substitute and still adds that sneaky veggie boost. Just make sure to squeeze out any extra moisture before mixing it in.
- Feel free to add other finely chopped vegetables such as capsicum (bell peppers) or spinach to the mixture to mix it up
- Gluten-free option: Swap the regular breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs or try using ground almonds for a grain-free alternative. Both work beautifully to bind the patties.
- Meat alternatives: These patties also work well with ground turkey or pork if you don’t have chicken mince on hand. Just keep in mind that pork tends to be a little fattier, which can make the patties extra juicy.
- Squeeze out the veggies well: Removing excess moisture from the zucchini helps the patties hold together better and avoids a soggy mixture.
- Use damp hands to shape: Lightly wetting your hands makes it much easier to shape the patties without everything sticking to your fingers.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give the patties space in the skillet so they cook evenly and get that lovely golden crust. Cook in batches if needed!
- Make them mini or full-size: These patties are great for little hands, but you can also shape them a bit bigger and turn them into burger patties for the whole family.
- Add flavour boosters: If your kids are adventurous, try adding a little onion powder, paprika, or a dash of Worcestershire sauce or mustard for extra flavour.
- Storage: These patties can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm them in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
- Batch and freeze: Double the recipe and freeze extras—either raw or cooked. Perfect for busy nights when you need a healthy meal in minutes. To freeze, place the cooked and cooled patties on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months.
- Reheating
- Skillet (best for crispiness): Reheat the patties in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side, until heated through.
- Oven or Air Fryer: Place patties on a baking tray or in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) and heat for 8–10 minutes, or until piping hot.
- Microwave (for speed): Pop a patty on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat for about 30–60 seconds, depending on your microwave. They won’t be crispy, but still tasty!
- Tip: If reheating from frozen, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge first for best results.
Nutrition
Quick Start Guide To BLW
Baby led weaning doesn’t need to be complicated, grab my quick start guide to begin your little ones food journey.
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Don’t have Parmesan, will cheddar do?
It should be ok,,, but I can't guarantee it, parmesan has a very low water content compared to other cheeses.. you may need extra bread crumbs to compensate
Really yummy. Tried these today. Hit with the kids and love that it uses a part of the broccoli we usually throw away. I added grated courgette and substituted garlic powder with chicken salt (that's all I had in the pantry)
Thanks for your great baby recipes! For a dairy free option, what would you recommend to substitute for the Parmesan? It sounds delicious but my little guy gets rashes with dairy.
I haven't tested this recipe dairy free, if you look on my website my mango chicken bites are a diary free chicken meatball. If I was going to convert this recipe I would skip the parmesan for 1 Tbsp of nutritional yeast and add some extra bread crumbs to make up the volume, but I haven't actually tested this, it's just what I would try.
Thank you!!
Thank you! Tried these yesterday with my suddenly picky 9 month old and he loved them. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Yay!! sounds like a win
Such a hit for dinner tonight!!!
We made it egg and dairy free by using chia seeds, dairy free mozzarella and 1/4 cup extra of breadcrumbs.
There are so quick, easy and delicious.
I have pork mince in the freezer that I'm looking to use. Could I use pork instead of chicken for this recipe?
Absolutely, pork mince is higher in fat, so you may not need to add the oil to your patty mix.
Can these be frozen after cooking ?
Hi Dee, Yes these can be frozen after cooking. Defrost then reheat to piping hot before enjoying them.
I made them for an afternoon snack with the family, I had to make do with what I had so instead of 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs I just did 1/4 and instead of the stalk I shredded carrot.
Everyone was very happy with them ?