Baked Chicken Kafta Meatloaf Patties

Anyone who knows me has probably heard me talk about my obsession with the flavors of the Middle Eastern kitchen at least once. I grew up around its mesmerizing flavors and the warmth of its comfort food which explains why I am so excited to share my baked chicken kafta meatloaf patties recipe with all of you.

These chicken kafta meatloaf patties pack a punch of flavor and are so easy to make. Ever since I made them for the first time last year, they've become a family favorite. I have a feeling that you'll love them too. Excited to try them out? Yalla, let's roll up our sleeves and get cooking.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Ground Chicken: You can pulse up some chicken breasts at home or buy them ground from a grocery store.
• Onions: I prefer to use white onions for this recipe. The key here is to finely chop them and rub them with a teeny bit of salt before adding them to the ground chicken.
• Parsley: Finely chopped parsley adds an amazing flavor here.
• Breadcrumbs: In Lebanon, we call this ingredient "ka3k mat7oon," and it's super important in this recipe because it helps bind everything together.
• Olive oil: A few drizzles before popping these in the oven makes all the difference.
• Ketchup: A little goes a long way here.
• All-spice and ground cinnamon: To balance out flavor.
• White Pepper: For a hint of spiciness.
• Nutmeg: A pinch of this is enough to add a touch of flavor.
• Salt + Pepper

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Tips and Tricks

• After mixing all the ingredients together and before you form the patties place the chicken mixture in the fridge for around 30 minutes. This will help bind everything together.
• Don't over-bake these. Make sure to time your oven and stick around the kitchen because over baking these will dry them up and we want to make sure they retain their juiciness.
• Add the breadcrumbs gradually so that you don't add more than you need. When you can start rolling the chicken mixture you've added enough. I use around 1 cup and a ½ of breadcrumbs for 1 kilo of ground chicken. However, some kinds of ground chicken need a bit more or less.

Substitutions and Variations

• To make this recipe gluten free you can substitute the breadcrumbs for almond flour. Add this ingredient gradually until you're able to form the patties with ease without them falling apart.
• You can substitute the ground chicken for ground turkey if it's more readily available for you or if you prefer the taste.
• If you don't want to add ketchup to this recipe you can sub it for ½ a teaspoon of white vinegar (but I highly recommend the ketchup here, it adds a great flavor kick).

Chicken Kafta Is Perfect For Meal Prep

I often make a large batch of these patties beforehand. I then half-bake them, cool them down, and freeze them. They last for months in the freezer and make for a super easy lunch when things get super busy. When you are ready to reheat these kafta patties just heat them in the oven or frying pan until they are fully cooked.

These can also last in the fridge for up to a week so you can make them on a weekend and pack them in a lunchbox or top a salad with them to have on the go during the week.

What To Serve These Kafta Patties With

You can serve these delicious patties alongside some traditional tabbouleh salad or fattoush. You can also have them with a side of garlicky mashed potatoes (hello comfort food). Another option is rolling these kafta patties into meatballs (prior to baking) and eating them along with a side of pasta.

Here are a few more ideas:

• Why not dip these in some fresh homemade hummus?
• Or maybe wrap them up in pita bread.
• Warm Saffron Rice
• Lebanese Cucumber and Mint Salad
• Eggplant Dip

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