Sri Lankan Chicken Patties
Tea time is about to get more interesting with these Sri Lankan chicken patties. Crispy and packed with a spiced chicken-potato filling, these patties are the ultimate snack. I’m showing you three ways to make them – traditional deep frying, baking, and air frying – so you can pick what works best for you!
Sri Lankan Chicken Patties
Sri Lankan patties (we call them “short eats” back home) are deep fried pastries with a savory filling. While fish patties are the most traditional, chicken patties are just as loved at parties, tea time gatherings, and special occasions like ifthar meals during Ramadan. They are Sri Lanka’s answer to empanadas or curry puffs.
The dough in this recipe is similar to a short crust pastry dough but without much fat content. It’s easier to roll but you need some muscle work to roll the leftover pieces to make more patties. Although patties are traditionally deep fried I’ll show you how to bake and air fry them for a healthier approach.
What You’ll Need For Chicken Patties
*Scroll down for the recipe card for the full recipe.
For the Dough
- All purpose flour
- Butter – Cold butter like in shortcrust pastry. Chop, grate or scrape with a knife so its easy to mix with the flour. Butter is costly in Sri Lanka so margarine is widely used. That or cooking oil works too.
- Sugar – Adds a hint of sweetness and helps getting that golden color.
- Baking powder – It’s not typically used but coupled with sugar it creates tiny bubbles on the patty which is the mark of a good patty dough.
For the Patties filling
- Chicken – I’ve used chicken breast in this recipe but chicken thighs work too. Dice them finely. I’ve also used chicken mince for convenience.
- Potatoes – Any kind of starchy potato works.
- Aromatics – onions and my homemade ginger garlic paste. If you don’t have the paste, use garlic cloves and a piece of ginger.
- Spices – I’m keeping it light with chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, black pepper, cinnamon for some flavor and green chillies chopped to add more spice.
How to Make Sri Lankan Chicken Patties
Making Sri Lankan patties involves cooking the filling, making the dough, then shaping the patties before cooking them. It seems like a lot but trust me it’s worth the effort! 🙂
Cooking the chicken filling
Heat oil, saute onion, ginger garlic paste, and cinnamon until fragrant. Add chicken and spices, cook for a few minutes. Add potatoes, green chilies, and water. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender. Lightly mash potatoes. Stir in coriander and lemon juice. Cool completely.
Making the dough
Mix flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Rub in cold butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add water gradually and knead for 5 minutes. Rest while making filling.
Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut circles with cutter. I’ve also broken a small piece of dough and rolled it out to a circle for individual patties. Choose what works for you!
Assemble the Patties
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Place filling in center, and fold into half-moon.
I used the biscuit cutter shape the half circle and cut the extra dough. A mug or anything with the shape of a circle can be used to make perfect half moon shapes.
Here’s a pro tip: dip your finger in water and run it along the edges before sealing. This helps them stick together better.
Use a fork to crimp the edges all around the patty. This not only looks nice but also creates a better seal.
Place the assembled patties on a parchment-lined tray. Keep them covered with a damp cloth if you’re working in batches.
Cook Your Patties (Choose Your Method!)
- Deep fry: Fry at 350-375°F for 5-7 minutes until golden.
- Bake: Egg wash, bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Air fry: Egg wash, air fry at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.
Deep frying gives the crispiest patties. I prefer air frying chicken patties for a healthy option and for smaller batches. If you want to bake a larger batch baking in the oven might be easier.
Thats it! The patties are served with ketchup or sweet chili sauce. Serve them warm with a cup of Ceylon tea for an authentic Sri Lankan tea time experience! Don’t be surprised if the plates get polished!
The patties also served in Sri Lankan party platters with fish cutlets and Chinese rolls! They’re also great packed in lunchboxes or served as an after-school snack. I love making a big batch and air frying a few fresh whenever we want a quick bite.
Recipe Tips
- Cool That Filling: Never fill patties with warm filling. It makes the dough soggy and harder to seal. I usually make my filling the night before and refrigerate it.
- Seal Properly: Use water to help seal the edges, then crimp well with a fork. Poorly sealed patties can burst open and lose all their filling when deep frying!
- Batch Cooking: These freeze beautifully! Assemble all your patties, freeze them on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags. You can fry, bake, or air fry them straight from frozen – just add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
FAQs
This usually happens if you overfill them or don’t seal the edges properly. Use less filling, wet the edges with water before sealing, and crimp firmly with a fork.
Air fryer is best – 5 minutes at 350°F will crisp them right up. You can also reheat in the oven at 325°F for 8-10 minutes.
DID YOU MAKE IT? Please leave a comment and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe!
Recipe
Sri Lankan Chicken Patties
Ingredients
Dough:
- 450 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g butter cold and cubed
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- cold water as needed
Filling:
- 2 chicken breasts finely diced
- 1 large potato diced
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 green chilies chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 small piece cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- coriander leaves chopped (optional)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
For Cooking:
- Oil for frying
- 1 egg beaten (for baking/air frying)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Add the chopped butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add cold water bit by bit (start with about ½ cup and add more as needed) and mix until it forms a dough. Don't add too much water at once – you want a dough that's soft but not sticky.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest while you make the filling.
- Make the filling: Heat a pan over medium heat and add a splash of oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion, ginger garlic paste, and the cinnamon. Saute until fragrant and the onions turn soft and translucent.
- Add the finely diced chicken and salt, red chili powder, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook the chicken, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes until it's well coated with the spices.
- Add the diced potatoes, chopped green chilies, and ¼ cup of water. Cover the pan and let everything cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Check occasionally and add a splash more water if it's drying out. Once the potatoes are cooked, lightly mash them with the back of your spoon.
- Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The filling should be well-spiced and slightly moist but not watery. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before using.
- Assemble the patties: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thickness.
- Using a round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter (about 3-4 inches in diameter), cut out circles from the dough. Place about 1-2 tablespoons of cooled filling in the center of each circle. Don't overfill or they'll burst open during cooking. Fold the circle in half to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges together firmly to seal.Here's a pro tip: dip your finger in water and run it along the edges before sealing. This helps them stick together better.
- Use a fork to crimp the edges all around the patty. This not only looks nice but also creates a better seal. Place the assembled patties on a parchment-lined tray. Keep them covered with a damp cloth if you're working in batches.
- Method 1: Deep Frying Heat oil in a deep pot or kadai to about 350-375°F (175-190°C). You want enough oil so the patties can float freely. Gently slide 3-4 patties at a time into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan.Fry for about 5-7 minutes, flipping once or twice, until they're golden brown and crispy on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Method 2: Baking Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one.Brush the tops generously with beaten egg wash. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Method 3: Air FryingPreheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).Brush the patties with beaten egg wash on both sides. Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don't overcrowd – work in batches if needed.Air fry for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve your patties warm with your favorite ketchup, or sweet chili sauce!
Notes
- Storage: Freeze assembled uncooked patties for up to 3 months. Cook straight from frozen, adding 5 minutes to cook time.
- Make Ahead: Prepare filling a day ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
- Sealing Tip: Always wet edges with water before sealing to prevent bursting during cooking.
- Egg Wash is Essential: For baking and air frying, don’t skip the egg wash – it gives the golden color.
- Don’t Overfill: Use 1-2 tablespoons of filling max per patty to prevent bursting.
- Leftover Reheating: Air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes or oven at 325°F for 8-10 minutes.
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