A lot of people cook with boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they are easy to handle and there are no worrisome bones or other parts to worry about.
Years ago, when we were living in a little oilfield town on the coast of Brazil, shopping was quite the challenge. The one reasonably sized supermarket was the worst place to buy animal products, so every shopping trip had to include a stop at the butcher for beef, the chicken shop for you-can-guess-what, and yet another establishment for pork and sausage.
Whenever a new company family came to town, I’d show the wife around and help her do her shopping, often translating as needed, if she didn’t speak Portuguese yet. I had been in Macaé almost a year when my now close friend Jacky moved there. We walked the children at school one morning and then started doing the rounds. I dropped her home later with all of her essentials, including a whole chicken for supper that evening.
She was horrified, and I was mortified to have forgotten to warn her, that when the chicken shop sells you a whole chicken, that’s exactly what they mean. Oh, it’s nominally plucked, but you get the head, feet with toenails, all the parts. We still laugh to this day because after having those beady chicken eyes still attached roll out of the bag looking at her, she waited till her husband got home from work and made him deal with cutting off and disposing of the bits she didn’t want to cook. “You should have called me!” I said, waaaaay too late.
The problem with boneless breasts though is that while they cook more quickly than chicken on the bone and have very little fat – great if you are watching your calorie intake - that’s also what makes them a greater risk for drying out. And nobody likes dry chicken!
My solution is to start with whole breasts and season them amply, for instance, with curry spice paste and salt. Then I add some onion and an egg and use my food processor to chop the breasts just enough so I can form patties. It only takes about a minute or so of short pulses. (By the way, this method also works great with pork or beef cubes.)
Of course, like all patties, these can still be overcooked so you’ll want to watch them carefully and remove them from the hot pan when they are just cooked through. They are best served right away or you can keep them warm by covering them with foil on a warm plate.
Spicy Chicken Tikka Rolls with Herby Raita
This patty recipe is also wonderful made into small meatballs. Baked or pan-fried, they can be served with the raita as a dip.Ingredients
For the burger patties:
4 small chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs or 500g)
2 tablespoons curry spice paste (homemade from one these Jamie Oliver recipes https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/easy-homemade-curry-pastes/ or store-bought)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 medium onion, sliced plus extra for serving, if desired
1 medium egg
1 slice whole-grain sandwich bread
For the raita:
1/2 cup or 170g Greek yogurt (for creamiest results, use whole fat)
1 small red chili pepper, finely minced
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
2-3 tablespoons finely minced cilantro
1-2 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint leaves
good pinch salt
To serve:
Raita (see ingredients list above)
Sliced cucumber
Sliced onion
4 soft round rolls
Method
Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken into chunks. Add in the spice paste and sprinkle on the salt. Stir to coat the chicken. Cover the chicken with cling film or pop it in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate. This can also be done earlier in the day or even the day before.
Meanwhile, make the raita. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside, covered, to allow the flavors to blend.
Put the egg and the onion for the burgers into your food processor and process until the onion is liquidized. Add in the marinated chicken cubes and pulse several times until the chicken is in small pieces.
Cut your slice of bread into small cubes and add them in with the chicken. Pulse a few more times, until the bread is incorporated.
Divide the chicken into four, and form each into patties.
Cook the patties in a nonstick skillet or grill pan for about six to seven minutes each side.
To assemble the rolls, add a spoon or two of raita to each side of the bun and pop the burger on the bottom. Add sliced cucumber and onion, if desired. And perhaps a little more raita on the patty.
Enjoy!
This month my Foodie Extravaganza friends are celebrating National Sandwich Month along with our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out all the tasty sandwiches below.
- Braaibroodjie - Grilled Cheese Sandwich From South Africa by Sneha's Recipe
- Caprese Focaccia Sandwich by Caroline's Cooking
- Italian Style Chicken Club Sandwiches with Pane al Latte by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Jolly Holiday Specialty Toasted Cheese Sandwich by Simply Inspired Meals
- Spicy Chicken Tikka Rolls by Food Lust People Love
- Turkey Burger by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Venezuelan Stuffed Arepas by Pandemonium Noshery
Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays by posting delicious recipes your family will love. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a home cook looking for tasty recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!
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