Healthy Reina Pepiada Croquettes

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken breasts (Approximately 450 g total; cooked and shredded)
• 1 L Vegetable broth (For boiling the chicken; can be replaced with salted water)
• 1 Avocado (Flesh, approximately 150 g)
• 1 Lemon juice (The juice of 1 lemon)
• 1 Onion (Finely chopped)
• 1 puñado Cilantro or parsley (Chopped; approximately 15 g)
• 1 tbsp Light cream cheese (One heaping tablespoon, for the filling)
• 0.5 cup Oat flour (For coating; can be replaced with another gluten-free flour)
• 1 Egg (Beaten, for coating)
• Salt (To taste, for seasoning the egg and filling)
• Black pepper (To taste, for seasoning the egg and filling)
• 1 cup Unsweetened cereal (Crushed, for the coating; the amount is approximate depending on the size of the croquettes)
• Cooking spray (For spraying the croquettes before baking)
• 2 tbsp Light cream cheese (For the quick garlic sauce)
• 0.5 diente Garlic (Grated)
• 1 tsp Parsley (Chopped, for the sauce)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil (For the sauce; can be replaced with milk)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the chicken breasts in a pot, cover them with the vegetable broth, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 74 °C in the center.

2. 2

   While the chicken cooks, finely chop the onion and the cilantro or parsley. Set aside a small amount of chopped parsley for the garlic sauce.

3. 3

   Remove the chicken from the broth and let it cool enough to handle. Shred it with your hands or, as the source suggests, using an immersion blender for a few seconds, until you have small fibers without turning it into a paste.

4. 4

   Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl. Add the avocado flesh, lemon juice, chopped onion, and cilantro or parsley.

5. 5

   Add 1 heaping tablespoon of light cream cheese, season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix until the filling is cohesive, creamy, and moldable. If it is too loose, refrigerate it for a few minutes before shaping the croquettes.

6. 6

   With slightly damp hands, take portions of the filling and shape them into croquettes. Place them on a lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, approximately 30 minutes; they can also be kept frozen for up to 2 months.

7. 7

   Prepare three containers: one with the oat flour, another with the beaten egg seasoned with salt and pepper, and a third with the crushed unsweetened cereal.

8. 8

   Coat each croquette first in the oat flour, covering it completely and shaking off the excess.

9. 9

   Dip each croquette into the beaten egg until well coated, then let the excess drain off.

10. 10

    Finish coating the croquettes by rolling them in the crushed cereal. Press gently so the coating adheres evenly.

11. 11

    If the croquettes were frozen, let them rest at room temperature for a while so they can thaw slightly. Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature, approximately 240–250 °C, and place the croquettes on a baking sheet.

12. 12

    Lightly spray the tops of the croquettes with cooking spray and, if possible, spray the bottoms as well. Bake until golden brown and crisp, approximately 15–20 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking so they brown on both sides.

13. 13

    For the sauce, combine the light cream cheese, grated garlic, chopped parsley, and olive oil in a bowl. If you prefer a lighter sauce, replace the oil with milk and stir until combined.

14. 14

    Serve the croquettes hot or warm with the quick garlic sauce.

Notes

The croquettes can be frozen for up to 2 months. To cook them, let them thaw for a while and bake them at the maximum temperature with a little cooking spray. The source also mentions that they can be fried, although the method shown is baking. The broth used to boil the chicken is not part of the filling.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• healthy
• high-protein
• Venezuelan-inspired
• baked
• freezer-friendly
• mayonnaise-free
• gluten-free option