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–+ servings
grilled Chicken kofta with grill marks on them, served on a white plate with sliced red onions, cherry tomatoes and parsley.
5 from 12 ratings

20-Minute Chicken Kofta Kebab (Grilled or Pan-Fried)

Yield: 16 small koftas
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
Turn your ground chicken into these flavourful and moist chicken kofta! Easy to make and only needs 20 minutes - these chicken koftas can be grilled or pan fried, flavoured with onions, parsley, and other pantry ingredients. Let's walk through how to make them, step by step.
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Ingredients
  

  • 454 g ground chicken
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more per preference
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs, panko or italian
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketchup
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

Instructions
 

  • Start by either finely chopping the 1 yellow onion and 1 cup parsley, or using a small food processor, chop to a fine consistency.
  • In a large bowl, add the 454 g ground chicken, the parsley and onion mixture, along with the 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketchup. Mix well until combined.
  • Spray oil on your hands and shape the chicken into kofta shapes if desired, or shape into small circular patties, per preference.
  • Place 1-2 tablespoons of oil either on a cast iron grill pan, or in a non-stick frying pan and place on medium heat. Pan fry or grill the koftas for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they turn a lightly golden brown. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes on the other side. Cover with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes to ensure the inside is cooked through (break a piece to test it out). Add more oil as needed and work in batches.
  • Remove from the pan and serve with chopped vegetables like onions, parsley and tomato, in sandwiches or with a salad.

Notes

  • You can shape these chicken koftas either as log shaped koftas for grilling, or circular patties for sliders or burgers.
  • You can also bake these chicken koftas, but I prefer to pan fry in a bit of oil to add more fat and moisture.
  • Store in an air tight container and in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them to use for later. 
  • Freezing instructions:
      • If freezing uncooked chicken kofta, only do this if you have used fresh ground chicken to make the kofta. Never re-freeze thawed out ground chicken. Place the shaped kofta on a lined tray and flash freeze for 1-2 hours. Once they are frozen solid, remove each kofta and place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months and cook directly from frozen, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
      • If freezing cooked chicken kofta, simply place in a freezer bag. I typically portion out 4-5 koftas per bag so I can just pull out and thaw enough for 1 meal. Freeze for a few weeks and warm through in the oven or microwave.
Serving: 1Kofta, Calories: 432kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 139mg, Sodium: 906mg, Potassium: 838mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1427IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 4mg
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