Chicken croquettes are a tasty and comforting food that can be a great addition to many meals. But where can you find the best chicken croquettes? I did some research to find the top places to buy high-quality, delicious chicken croquettes
What Are Chicken Croquettes?
Chicken croquettes are small, fried chicken patties that are breaded and shaped into cylinders or flat ovals. The interior is made of shredded or minced chicken meat that is held together with a thick béchamel or cream sauce. Seasonings like garlic, onions, herbs, and spices give them lots of flavor.
Chicken croquettes make a great appetizer or snack. You can also eat them as a main dish or a side dish. They go well with potato wedges or on top of rice or pasta. Around the world, people like to eat them for comfort. You can find them in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and other cuisines.
Buying Frozen Chicken Croquettes
One of the easiest ways to get chicken croquettes is to buy them frozen. Many major supermarkets and grocery stores have frozen prepared chicken croquettes in the frozen food section.
Inno Foods, Banquet Foster Farms, and Kirkwood are some well-known brands of frozen chicken croquettes. 16- to 20-count bags are the most common size and usually cost $4 to $8.
The best thing about frozen chicken croquettes is that they are already made, so all you have to do is heat them up and eat them whenever you need a quick meal or snack. They also stay fresh in the freezer for 4 to 6 months after they were made.
One bad thing about frozen croquettes is that they might not taste or be as crunchy as freshly made ones. But all in all, frozen chicken croquettes are a simple and inexpensive choice that you should think about.
Where to Buy Frozen Chicken Croquettes
Here are some top stores for finding frozen chicken croquettes:
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Walmart – Great low prices, with brands like Banquet and Inno Foods chicken croquettes available in bags of around 20 croquettes for just a few dollars.
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Target – Carries Foster Farms and Kirkwood frozen chicken croquettes, often sold in 16-20 count bags. Prices are affordable too.
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Aldi – Aldi has their store brand “Mama Cozzi’s” chicken croquettes available seasonally, typically in 16 oz bags. Very well priced.
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Costco – Shop here for bulk bags of 40-50 count Kirkland or Foster Farms chicken croquettes for the best value. Great for big families or parties.
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Kroger – Good selection of national brands plus affordable Kroger store brand chicken croquettes in smaller frozen food bags.
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Instacart – Order chicken croquettes for same day grocery delivery from stores near you through Instacart. Look for Banquet, Inno Foods, Kirkwood and more.
Buying Refrigerated Chicken Croquettes
For fresher tasting chicken croquettes, look for refrigerated versions rather than frozen. These are usually in the deli or prepared foods sections of grocery stores.
Brands like Appetizers USA, Kitchens of India, and Fresh Gourmet have ready-to-cook refrigerated croquettes in flavors like Italian herb, chipotle, and more. These stay fresh for around a week.
You’ll typically pay around $6-10 for smaller 6-8 count containers. But the flavor and texture is noticeably better than frozen. Give them a quick fry or bake before serving.
Top Stores for Refrigerated Chicken Croquettes
Here are some good places to buy refrigerated chicken croquettes:
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Whole Foods Market – Broad selection from brands like 365 Everyday Value, Fresh Gourmet, and Appetizers USA. Find them in the prepared foods section.
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Publix – Nice variety of Publix Deli and Fresh Gourmet chicken croquettes available in the deli and refrigerated foods sections.
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Trader Joe’s – Trader Joe’s often carries their own Indian-style chicken croquettes, pre-cooked and sold cold in 4 count packs.
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Wegmans – Wegmans offers fresh chicken croquettes under brands like Appetizers USA and Wegmans Mealtime Express in the refrigerated prepared foods.
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Grocery Delivery – Use Instacart, FreshDirect or local grocery services to order fresh refrigerated chicken croquettes.
Buying from Restaurants or Food Trucks
For the best tasting chicken croquettes, nothing beats ordering them hot and crispy direct from restaurants or food trucks.
Some cuisines like Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American often have chicken croquettes on their appetizer menus. Or look for food trucks specializing in croquettes.
The biggest advantage is you get them freshly fried and piping hot. The downside is they are only available on location, not for takeout. Prices are usually $5-8 for 4-6 croquettes.
Top Places to Buy Fresh Chicken Croquettes
Here are some top spots to try excellent fresh chicken croquettes:
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Spanish Tapas Restaurants – Tapas bars like Boqueria often fry up crisp garlicky chicken croquettes, a classic Spanish tapa.
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Latin American Restaurants – Empanadas and croquettes are popular appetizers at Latin spots like Cuban and Argentinian restaurants.
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Food Trucks & Stands – Gourmet food trucks like The Croqueteria offer fun fusion chicken croquettes with global flavors.
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Portuguese Bakeries – Pastelarias and Portuguese bakeries frequently sell crispy bolinhos de frango chicken croquettes.
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Gourmet Fast Casual – Chains like The Little Beet serve healthier baked chicken croquettes on their light menus.
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Cafeterias – University, corporate and hospital cafeterias sometimes have chicken croquettes in their daily hot prepared foods.
Making Homemade Chicken Croquettes
For the freshest taste and best ingredients, you can’t beat homemade chicken croquettes. It takes a bit more effort but yields delicious results.
Most recipes call for shredding or mincing chicken thighs or breasts, then mixing with a velvety béchamel or cream sauce. Add eggs, parsley, garlic, spices, and breadcrumbs before forming into croquette shapes. Then dip in egg wash and breadcrumbs before frying or baking.
Homemade allows you to control the quality of ingredients. You can also customize flavors, trying herb combos like sage and thyme. Make big batches and freeze extras to enjoy later.
Tips for Making Excellent Homemade Chicken Croquettes
Follow these tips for next-level homemade chicken croquettes:
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Use chicken thighs for more moist, flavorful meat. Remove skin first.
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Make crispy breadcrumb coating with Panko or coarse breadcrumbs. Let chill before frying.
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Refrigerate coated croquettes for 1 hour before frying so coating sticks better.
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Fry in batches at 350°F for 2-3 minutes until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
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Flavor sauce with sherry, mustard, hot sauce, or grated cheese for variety.
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Experiment with shapes like rounds, triangles, cylinders, or crocodiles.
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Freeze uncooked, breaded croquettes in a single layer then store in bags for later.
Top Places to Buy Chicken Croquettes
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Frozen – Walmart, Target, Aldi, Costco, Kroger, Instacart
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Refrigerated – Whole Foods, Publix, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Grocery Delivery
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Restaurants – Spanish Tapas, Latin, Food Trucks, Portuguese Bakeries
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Make Them – Use high quality ingredients and customize flavors
With so many options from frozen to fresh homemade, there are lots of great ways to enjoy tasty chicken croquettes! They make a crispy, comforting addition to meals any night of the week.
PA Dutch Chicken Croquettes
Croquettes are small balls of ground meat that have been dipped in egg and bread crumbs and then fried in deep fat. What are Pennsylvania Dutch chicken croquettes? That is exactly what a PA Dutch chicken croquette is.
Chicken that has been cooked and chopped is mixed with a thick, creamy sauce and rolled into balls. The balls are then dipped in eggs and covered in bread crumbs.
To finish them off with the best and the most unhealthy part of all, they are deep-fried. We all know that anything deep-fried tastes amazing. Right?.
- Cooked Chicken is the main protein source for the croquettes. It provides flavor, texture, and substance. (Grind/chop the chicken after cooking. Do not buy raw ground chicken for this. ).
- The white sauce used for the croquettes tastes better with butter added to it.
- The butter and flour are mixed to make a roux, which is the sauce’s base. It makes the sauce thicker and helps the croquettes stay together.
- Whole milk or half-and-half adds creaminess and moisture to the croquettes, which changes their texture and keeps them soft.
- Salt enhances the flavor and balances the other seasonings.
- Black Pepper adds a subtle heat and depth of flavor.
- Garlic Powder adds a savory, garlic flavor. (If preferred, use minced fresh garlic. ) .
- Minced Onion Flakes provide a mild onion flavor. (Freshly chopped onion works as well. ).
- When you dip the croquettes in eggs, the breadcrumbs stick better and the outside gets crispy while they’re cooking.
- Panko or Regular Bread Crumbs are used as a coating; when fried, they make the outside crispy and golden. They also add texture and help to seal in moisture.
- It takes oil to fry the croquettes until the outside is golden brown and crispy, but the inside stays moist and tasty. (Canola or peanut oil are great choices. ).
Comfort Food = Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Croquettes
Some people would classify chicken croquettes as comfort food. So the question is, what puts certain foods 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 bring back memories and make us long for the past, usually a time when we were happy or carefree.
Since starting my blog, I have been cooking and baking a lot more Amish and PA Dutch food.
Its food that I grew up with. So when Im 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 was a good cook. She was also the most selfless person Ive ever known. I have fond memories of working with her.
The BEST Chicken Croquette Recipe EVER
FAQ
Does Walmart sell chicken croquettes?
Smaller pack of Chicken Croquettes for quick snacks and meals. Each bite is packed with seasoned meat and smooth filling.
Can you still buy Howard Johnson chicken croquettes?
What is a chicken croquette made of?
Combine chicken, 1/3 cup of condensed soup, bread crumbs, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning in large bowl; mix well and shape into 6 croquettes (or patties). Chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Roll croquettes in additional bread crumbs.
Does Market Basket sell chicken croquettes?
Weaver Chicken Croquettes 12.5 oz | Meals & Entrees | Market Basket.