Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab

Name: Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300 grams Coarse chicken breast; 75 grams (half medium size) Finely chopped onion; 2 tsp (3 to 4 small size cloves) Finely chopped garlic; 2 tsp Finely chopped green chili; 45 grams (3 tbsp ) Breadcrumbs; 30 ml (approx. half egg) Beaten Egg; ½ tsp Chili powder; ½ tsp Garam masala powder; ½ tsp Zeera powder; ½ tbsp ( half medium size ) Lime juice; 1 tbsp Oil; 1 to 2 heaped tbsp Finely chopped Coriander leaves; ¾ tsp (approx.) Salt

by Viruthiga Veni

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Indian recipe showing finished dish ready to serve

Jump to Recipe Card

Chicken patty kebabs are typically made with rich, fattier, boneless leg pieces and pan-fried in ghee. To reduce your calorie intake, simply switch to chicken breast and use less oil. This adaptation makes the kebabs a healthier, more frequent meal option. Even with reduced fat and coarse chicken breast, these patty kebabs remain moist, tender and tasty.
For a restaurant-style version, try this restaurant style chicken patty kebab; or, for a quick version, try the Less prep time 15 mins chicken patty kebab.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - close up view of finished dish plated and garnished

Ingredients

Coarse chicken breast – 300 grams

Finely chopped onion – 75 grams (half medium size)

Finely chopped garlic – 2 tsp (3 to 4 small size cloves)

Finely chopped green chili – 2 tsp

Breadcrumbs – 45 grams (3 tbsp )

Beaten Egg – 30 ml (approx. half egg)

Chili powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Zeera powder – ½ tsp

Lime juice – ½ tbsp ( half medium size )

Oil – 1 tbsp

Finely chopped Coriander leaves – 1 to 2 heaped tbsp

Salt – ¾ tsp (approx.)

Ingredients for Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab including Coarse chicken breast, Finely chopped onion, Finely chopped garlic

How to Choose and Prep Chicken

Why Choose Chicken Breast?

Chicken breast is very high-protein, low-fat, and zero-carb, making it the perfect choice for muscle building or weight loss.

Aim for a Coarse Mince

When prepping the meat for chicken skewers, the goal is a coarse mince. You want the chicken ground into very small pieces—not a smooth, fine paste, but without large chunks either. This coarse texture is exactly what keeps the kebabs light instead of dense.

You can achieve this texture in one of two ways:

At the Shop: Ask your butcher to coarsely mince boneless chicken breast.
At Home: Pulse boneless chicken breast in a food processor until it reaches a coarse grind.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Aim for a Coarse Mince

To remove moisture from onion

Prep and Salt: Finely chop 75 grams of onion. Spread the pieces in a shallow layer on a plate, sprinkle with ½ tsp of salt, and mix thoroughly.
Rest: Let the onions sit undisturbed for 20 to 30 minutes. The salt will naturally draw out the excess moisture.
Squeeze: Transfer the salted onions into a piece of muslin cloth. Gather the edges of the cloth and squeeze firmly with your hands to extract as much onion juice as possible.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - image 0

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - image 1

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - image 2

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - image 3

Prepare chicken mixture and refrigerate

Make the Masala Mixture

In a clean mixing bowl, combine

Prepared squeezed onion (75g)
45 grams bread crumbs (approx. 3 tbsp)
1 to 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tsp finely chopped green chilies
½ tsp zeera (cumin) powder
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp garam masala powder (such as Everest brand)

Note: Wash the coriander leaves and ensure they are completely dry before chopping. Using a sharp knife, finely chop the garlic, green chilies and coriander leaves into very small pieces.

Note: Bread crumbs- I used homemade coarse bread crumbs. To save time, plan ahead to prepare them in advance, or simply use store-bought whole-grain bread crumbs.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Make the Masala Mixture

Marinate the Chicken

30 ml beaten egg (approx. half of 1 egg)
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
½ tbsp lime juice
½ tsp salt

Don’t dump the salt and lime juice with spoon on chicken pieces. Just sprinkle ½ tsp salt and ½ tbsp lime juice all over the ground chicken.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Marinate the Chicken

Combine and Chill

Bring the masala mixture and the marinated chicken together.

Mix Gently: Fold the ingredients together until just combined. Do not overmix the mixture then it became dense kebab.
Refrigerate: Cover and place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This rests the meat, allows the flavors to marinate, and firms up the mixture so it easily shapes around the skewers.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Combine and Chill

To form a small size, circular shape, thin patties

Check Consistency

Take the chicken mixture out of the refrigerator. Before dividing it, check its texture—it should be just a little bit sticky so it holds its patty shape.

If it's too wet: Mix in extra breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon at a time.
If it's too dry: Mix in beaten egg, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Once the consistency is right, roughly divide the mixture into 9 equal portions.

Don't over-chill: While a 30-minute chill prevents the chicken mixture from falling apart while cooking, leaving it in the fridge for hours can make it too hard. If it feels too cold and hard, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to reduce the chill before cooking.
Don't wait too long: Because of the lime juice in the mixture, cook these within 2 to 3 hours of prepping. If left longer, the acid will break down the meat, making the texture mushy.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Check Consistency

Making the Patties

Oil Your Hands: Pour 1 teaspoon of cooking oil into a small bowl. Rub a little oil onto your hands to keep the chicken mixture from sticking to your skin.
Shape the Patties: Gently shape the chicken mixture into a loosely packed patty. Be careful not to pack it too tightly, but make sure it holds together well.
Repeat: Repeat the process for the remaining chicken mixture, applying a little more oil to your hands as needed.

Pan Selection and Cooking Spacing Guide

Choosing the right pan and managing your spacing is the key to achieving a light browning.

Why Use Non-Stick: It allows you to cook the chicken skewers with less oil, prevents the meat from sticking, and makes cleanup much easier.
Option 1: Ceramic Non-Stick (Medium Heat): A premium ceramic coating safely works at medium heat. Best for cooking fewer pieces at a time. Leave plenty of space between the chicken skewers so moisture can escape, helping you attain a brown color.
Option 2: Hybrid or Seasoned Carbon Steel (Medium-High Heat): If using these durable pans, you can safely use the stove up to medium-high heat. This higher heat allows you to cook more pieces at a time in a pan and leave a little space between the chicken skewers to still achieve a brown color.

Cooking of chicken patty

Heat the oil

Oil the Pan: Add ½ tbsp of oil to a non-stick frying pan. Use a pastry brush to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.
Preheat: Place the oiled pan over a medium flame and let it preheat for 4 to 5 minutes before adding the patties.

Note: The exact amount of oil needed will depend on the surface area of your pan.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Heat the oil

Aim for Light golden color

The Sizzle Check: Before adding the chicken, make sure the pan is hot. You should hear a sizzling sound when the meat hits the oiled pan. If it doesn't sizzle, the pan is not hot enough. If the pan is smoking, it's too hot.
Give Them Space : Once the pan is ready, place the chicken patties into the hot pan, leaving plenty of space between each one. Spacing them out ensures they attain golden brown instead of crowding the pan and steaming.
Check and Flip: After about 2 to 3 minutes, gently lift the sides of the chicken patties using two spoons to check the underside. Once a light golden color has formed, the patties are ready to flip.

Note: Less oil in the pan can cause the chicken patties to burn easily, so don’t cook for too long on one side over a medium flame. Cook them until to attain light golden color.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Aim for Light golden color

Flip and Finish Cooking

Flip and Cover : Flip the chicken patties over to the second side, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan with a lid.
Note: If your lid does not have a built-in vent hole, leave it partially open (cracked) to allow a little steam to escape.
Complete the Cook : Cook the second side covered over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. For 1 batch, the total cooking time across both sides will be about 6 to 8 minutes.
Evaporate Surface Moisture : If the chicken patties look a bit too moist when you remove the lid, let them cook for an additional minute or two completely uncovered. This allows any surface liquid to evaporate.
Why Cooking Times Vary: Keep in mind that exact times can change depending on your cookware, the heat of your stove, how thickly you shaped the patties, and how coarsely the meat was minced.

Check for Doneness : Verify with a Thermometer - For tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken patties every time, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Ensure it reaches an internal temperature between 165–180°F.This helps you avoid undercooked or overcooked chicken, ensuring it stays perfectly juicy and tasty.

Low Calorie Chicken Patty Kebab - Flip and Finish Cooking

Remove Surface Oil and Rest

Transfer the cooked patties to a paper towel-lined plate. Using a fresh paper towel, gently pat all sides of the patties to absorb the surface oil. After a minute or two, move them to a clean plate and loosely cover them with a lid or foil to rest before serving.

Serve and Enjoy!

Ready to Serve: After resting for 5 to 10 minutes, your chicken patties are perfectly juicy and ready to enjoy.
Perfect Pairings :Serve the warm patties fresh alongside a refreshing, cool curd mint dip (pudina raita).

Tips

For prep chicken

💡 Low-Calorie Tip: Opt for chicken breast. As the leanest cut available, it’s your best choice for a high-protein, low-calorie meal.

💡 Pat it Dry: Make sure to thoroughly dry the whole boneless chicken breast with paper towels before cutting it into pieces to make coarse mince.

💡 To prepare coarse minced chicken, ask your butcher at the shop to grind boneless chicken breast to a coarse texture. Alternatively, you can easily make it yourself at home using electric chopper or mixi jar. The goal is to grind the chicken into very small pieces; it should not be a smooth paste (finely ground), nor should it have large chunks (too coarse).

For chicken mixture

💡 Chilling the mixture for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to marinate and firms the texture for easier shaping.If you leave it in the fridge longer and it becomes too hard, let the skewers sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking to reduce the chill.

💡 Don't leave the chicken mixture in the fridge for more than 2 to 3 hours after adding lime juice. If it sits too long, the texture will become mushy and the color will change.

💡 The consistency of the chicken masala mixture should be slightly sticky. If the mixture is too sticky, add breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon at a time. Conversely, if the mixture is too dry or crumbly, add beaten egg, 1 teaspoon at a time.

For pan frying

💡 For a healthier option, use a ceramic non-stick pan and only 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook 300g of chicken patties in two batches (using half a tablespoon each) to ensure every piece gets a light golden color. You can do this in one batch if you are using a large enough pan.

💡 To get a golden brown color, ensure the pan is hot enough to sizzle when placing the chicken patties, but not smoking (too high) or failing to sizzle immediately (too low).

💡 To Attain a golden brown Color: Arrange the chicken patties in a single layer, leaving plenty of space between them. If you are using a smaller pan, cook in multiple batches or switch to a larger pan.

💡 My chicken patties were thin—just a ¼-inch—so I only covered them after flipping. If yours are ½-inch thick, you’ll need to cook them covered from start to finish.

💡 For perfectly cooked, juicy, and safe patties every time, rely on an instant-read meat thermometer. The target internal temperature is 165°F, measured in the thickest part of the meat.

For Salt & Taste-Testing

💡 Be careful with your salt, as it affects both flavor and texture. Too little salt leaves the chicken lacking flavor, while too much can make it tough. Remember that not all salts are the same; they have different levels of saltiness depending on the brand and type; for this recipe, I used 1/2 tsp of sea salt for 300g of boneless chicken and 1/2 tsp for the onion.

💡 Never taste the mixture once the raw chicken is added, as this can lead to food poisoning. To check the salt safely, fry a small sample piece and adjust the seasoning based on the cooked taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

Refrigeration firms up the chicken mixture and allows it to marinate. This makes it much easier to shape the patties and prevents the patties from breaking apart while cooking.

The mixture becomes too hard from over chilling, let the prepared patties sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to reduce chill before cooking. This ensures the chicken cooks evenly.

The most likely reason is overcrowding the pan. If you don't leave enough space between the patties, you prevent them from light golden color.

You can use these chicken patties in many different meals. Try chopping them up to use in fried rice, soups, or noodles. They also make an excellent filling for sandwiches, burgers, and chapati wraps, or you can use them as a savory stuffing for dosas and tacos.

Chicken breast is the leanest cut available, making it the healthiest part of the chicken. Because it is low in fat, zero-carb, and has the most protein by weight, it’s an excellent choice for anyone prioritizing heart health or weight loss.

Just put it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge immediately after cooling (and always within 2 hours of cooking). According to food safety guidelines, cooked chicken lasts in the fridge for 3–4 days.