Potato Chicken Croquettes With Buttermilk Dipping Sauce

My mom made these for me a few times when I was a child but it wasn’t really a staple in our repertoire. I’ve tried croquettes of all types in various restaurants and have seen them prepared on the Food Network. One day, I had some leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge so I decided to combine them with this and that and ta-da! This recipe was born.

These croquettes are delicious, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the dipping sauce helps tie all the flavors together.

This recipe is very versatile and is more of a template. Feel free to leave out the chicken for a vegetarian version, or use cooked bacon instead. Also feel free to use any cheese you like and/or add any cooked vegetables. Use your imagination.

Yield: About 12

For the croquettes, you will need:

3 tbs olive oil

2 scallions, chopped

1 egg

A handful of parmesan cheese

1 cooked chicken breast, poached or rotisserie, shredded

1 ½ cups mashed potatoes*

1-2 tbs flour

Salt/pepper

2 tbs plain bread crumbs

*The potatoes have to be cold. Day-old mashed potatoes from the fridge are best.

For the sauce:

¾ cup buttermilk

1 tbs sour cream

1 garlic clove, crushed

½ tsp hot sauce

1 tsp dill, chopped

1 tsp cilantro, chopped

Salt/pepper

Start by combining the scallions, egg, cheese, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper in a large bowl. Then add the potatoes and chicken. Once everything is combined, add flour, starting with one tablespoon. The final consistency should be thick and not too sticky to handle by hand, so you might have to add one or two more tablespoons. Preheat the oil on a griddle or skillet on medium heat. Form the mixture into small patties and coat both sides in bread crumbs. Place on griddle and fry about 4 minutes, or until golden brown, on both sides.

In the meantime prepare the dipping sauce, by combining all the ingredients. Make sure to adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Serve croquettes warm. Bon appétit!