For the uninitiated, minced chicken is basically ground chicken, or chicken keema, as it is known in India. This is often used for making fritters, cutlets, burger patties, and much more. Tiny morsels of chicken are tossed in a host of spices. Onions, coriander leaves, and other herbs can be added to enhance the flavours in the minced chicken dish.
Instead of making an entirely new dish, it can be briefly cooked, slathered on sliced bread, and packed as a sandwich. To grind the chicken properly, it is washed, cleaned, and then chopped into smaller cubes or chunks. Then it is placed in a chopper and minced nicely. Once your minced chicken is ready, here are a few recipes you can try at home.
1. Minced Chicken Cutlet
The crispy chicken cutlets that you can see on your plate are a result of the finely minced chicken that's made by using a chopper. The ground chicken mix is rolled into flat, round discs that are later coated with bread crumbs and shallow-fried in hot oil. Finally, the golden-brown cutlets are served hot with mint chutney.
2. Minced Chicken Paratha
This chicken keema or minced chicken paratha gets a thumbs up from all the desis in the house. The paratha dough is filled with a spicy minced chicken filling, wrapped, and rolled out again before being cooked on a tawa. The paratha can be paired with tomato ketchup and mint-coriander chutney.
3. Chicken Mince Pie
This is a popular English pie that is often eaten for celebratory occasions. The chicken pie is stuffed with minced chicken, onions, and garlic. The chicken stuffing is then pumped up with mashed potatoes, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Paprika and a few sauces are added to the mix, and the pie is baked to perfection. Doused with cheese, it is a great meaty dish.
4. Minced Chicken Samosa
A deep-fried Indian conical puff pastry, commonly eaten for breakfast and snacks, samosa is believed to have originated from the Turkish sambusak. This fried delight is usually packed with a vegetarian filling of potatoes, peas, paneer, or cauliflower. However, this one is a meaty treat, stuffed with minced chicken or chicken keema.
5. Minced Chicken Biryani
Chicken keema, or minced chicken biryani, is a popular dish in Tamilian cuisine. The chicken keema is cooked with seeraga samba rice, a local variety of fragrant short-grained rice. Although the keema biryani is relatively drier than the usual North Indian biryanis, it is still very flavourful and appetizing. Star anise, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, etc. lend the biryani a strong aroma.