Croquetas de Jamon y Pollo - Ham and Chicken Croquettes Recipe Card

A photo of croquetas made with ham and chicken on a black plate.

Croquetas de Jamon y Pollo - Ham and Chicken Croquettes Recipe Card

A classic and authentic Spanish tapas dish. Ham and chicken croquettes are delicious! These tasty little morsels are packed with flavor and have a crunchy outside and creamy middle. They take a little time but they are oh so worth the effort.

5 from 10 votes

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Spanish

Keyword: bechamel sauce technique, ham and chicken croquettes, tapas

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 30

Chilling Time: 30

Total Time: 2

Servings: servings

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Analida Braeger

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless
½ cup ham smoked, minced
3-4 sprigs of parsley chopped
1 onion small, cut into slices
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
¼ cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Kosher salt
6-8 peppercorns
2-3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
⅛ tsp nutmeg
1 ¼ cup milk
½ cup flour
2 eggs beaten with 1 Tbsp water

Panko breadcrumbs for coating.

Oil for frying.

Instructions

Cook the Chicken:

In a saucepan on medium-high heat poach chicken breast in wine, parsley, peppercorns, thyme, onion, salt and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. You can butterfly the chicken breast so it cooks faster. Turn heat to medium and simmer for an additional 20 minutes in the broth.
Remove chicken from pan, set aside to cool.
Simmer broth for an additional 20 minutes. Strain and set aside ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Chop chicken and ham as finely as possible. I recommend using a food processor for this. You want the meat mixture very fine but with a little texture. Transfer to a large bowl.

Make the Bechamel Sauce Filling:

In a separate pan, slowly melt the butter and add the olive oil. Using a whisk slowly stir in the flour alternating with the milk, and the reserved broth.
Stir in the nutmeg. Continue to whisk until the mixture is thick. The sauce for croquettes will be thicker than a traditional bechamel sauce. Drizzle from your whisk and it should form ribbons on the surface of the sauce when thick enough.
Pour the sauce mixture into the bowl and stir to thoroughly combine. Taste for salt level at this point while warm and add salt to taste and stir in. NOTE: For quick cooling, you can spread the sauce on a baking tray with sides. The thin layer will help speed up the cooling process to about 30 minutes.
Prepare two separate shallow dishes, one with egg mixture, and the other with breadcrumbs.

Make the Croquettes and Fry:

Make sure your hands are well floured to prevent stickiness. You can also use a small cookie scoop to make the process go a lot quicker. The ideal size for the croquettes is about 1".
Dip croquettes in egg-water mixture and then roll in breadcrumbs.
After shaping balls place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Deep fry in very hot oil. The temperature of the oil should be around 390°F.
Drain on paper towel. Serve hot.

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make the croquettes ahead of time? You can do the prep ahead of time, store them in your refrigerator in a sealed container for 1-2 days and leave the frying for last minute. Be sure to put parchment or wax paper between layers if you store them for frying later.
Can I make the bechamel and meat mixture ahead? Yes, the mixture will also keep well overnight in a sealed container. It may develop a skin on top so give it a good stir when you are ready to for the croquettes.
Can I freeze the finished croquettes? Yes you can fry them ahead of time and then freeze in a sealed container after they have completely cooled. Place some wax paper between layers. Store them for up to 2 months. They can be reheated in the oven at 400°F for about 6-8 minutes until warm in the center. You can also reheat in air fryer at 350°F for about 5 minutes until warmed throughout. I love my Cosori Air Fryer for this!

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