Easy . Tasty . Versatile . My favorite kind of recipe!
For many of us, getting more veggies on our families plates can be a bit of a challenge. If you can relate, then let me assure you, these savory little bite-sized chicken & veggie bites are just the ticket!
These simple and flavorful little bites are crazy-delicious and super versatile too, since they can be used to create so many easy, healthy meals, as noted below! And, you can switch up the ingredients to create lots of different variations!
Plus, these easy-to-make, protein-n-veggie packed bites are Whole30-friendly! Remember, you’re welcome to join us for my Whole30 Challenge for free Whole30-compliant meal plans and recipes to make your 30-day journey a whole easier and more delicious!
P.S. They’re equally tasty whether they’re served hot or cold, making them a tasty and healthy lunchbox option for back-to-school season. And, they freeze and reheat well, which means you can save time by cooking up a double batch and freezing them for creating quick future meals.
Here’s just a few of my favorite ideas for enjoying these Savory Chicken & Veggie Bites:
• Pop them into your family’s lunch boxes with a side of homemade ranch dressing and fresh raw veggies for a perfect protein-n-veggie-packed lunch!
• Add them to your favorite stir fry dishes, and zoodle (veggie pasta) dishes
• Serve them as a main dish with a side of tasty roasted herb sweet potato bites for an easy weeknight dinner
• Use them to make scrumptious healthy sliders (nestled between sweet potato buns), or use them to create tasty lettuce wraps (as shown in photos)
• Add them to your favorite salads for extra protein, nutrition and flavor!
As you can see, there are so many ways to enjoy these tasty little patties! And again, you can totally customize them to suit your personal taste preferences. Simply switch out the veggies and the seasonings for a completely new taste sensation! (Check out some of my favorite recipe variations below.) Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 1/4 lbs. ground dark meat chicken (or turkey)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place the first 5 ingredients (baby spinach, zucchini, bell pepper, green onion and basil) into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until fine diced, scraping down the bowl as needed to ensure uniform size.
- Add the ground chicken and remaining ingredients. Pulse briefly, just until ingredients are combined. Remove blade from the bowl. Form meat into small (2-3 inch) patties.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of avocado oil (or oil of your choice) to hot skillet. Place chicken patties about 2" apart. Working in batches, cook patties about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Serve immediately, or allow patties to cool and store in fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer patties to a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. To reheat, place thawed patties in a 250°F oven for about 5 minutes.
- Time-Saving Tip: Make a double or triple batch and freeze them for making quick and easy future meals. (See quick meal ideas in post above.)
- Also be sure to see the recipe note below for delicious ideas for customizing this recipe for even more delicious versatility!
Notes
Tasty Recipe Variations
By changing out the seasonings, you can create Chicken & Veggie Bites to suit your own personal taste preferences. For example:
• Mexi-Style Bites – use Mexican seasoning (or taco seasoning) in place of the Italian seasoning mix, and substitute cilantro in place of the basil.
• Curry Bites – use 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder in place of the Italian seasoning mix and substitute cilantro in place of the basil. You may also wish to add 1 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala seasoning as well.
• Asian-Style Bites – use Chinese five-spice seasoning in place of the Italian seasoning mix and substitute cilantro in place of the basil. Fry patties in a combination of olive oil and toasted sesame oil.
This sound easy and delicous. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Karen! Appreciate you taking the time to leave a kind note. 🙂 Enjoy!
These look so yummy! Could I use ground turkey instead? It’s easier to find than the ground chicken.
Absolutely, Shonda! 🙂 Try to use dark ground turkey, as dark meat is more tasty and moist. 🙂
I’m thinking one of my children has an egg sensitivity (still figuring it out…). Is there a substitute I could use instead of egg to get everything to stick together?
Hi, Corey. I don’t know of a good non-egg binder for use with meats, but if you use dark ground meat chicken or turkey, it’s a bit sticker because of the higher fat content, so it may not be necessary to use the egg. Apologies I don’t have a more specific answer, although I do think it will be fine without the egg if you use dark meat, not lean. 🙂
Corey,
Did you ever try this recipe without the egg? These look delicious, but my daughter has an egg allergy.
You may be able omit the egg without using a replacer, but let’s see what Corey did. 🙂
I did do it without the egg and no replacement and they were just fine! Sooooo yummy with her ranch dressing recipe (which truly is to die for, I might add).
Thanks for sharing, Corey! 🙂 So glad it worked just fine and enjoyed the recipe. Thank you!
This recipe looks awesome
Thanks, Antony! Enjoy! 🙂
Approximately how many does one batch make? Did I miss it above? Apologies if so.
Hi, Maria. It makes 28-30 mini-patties. You can find the yield for my recipes right under the recipe title in the recipe “card” – the outlined recipe. I hope this helps! 🙂
These look great! I suspect my son has a gluten allergy and just found your site. I am curious if a batch of these could be baked instead of pan fried? I would love your POV. Thank you!
Hi, Liz. Welcome to The Nourishing Home. So glad you discovered my site. As far as your question, I haven’t tried baking them, but I’m sure they’d be delicious. Please let us know if you decide to try it that way! 🙂
I’m baking a batch right now. There is a sausage recipe I always do like that which makes it super fast, easy, and make a big batch to freeze left overs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, preheat oven to 350, bake for 10-12 minutes until the meat temp is at least 165F. You don’t get the nice brown sides but it’s worth it for not having to stand over a burner for 20-30 minutes. And I’m going to experiment with finishing it on broiler.
These look great, but the link doesn’t seem to be active anymore. Can this be fixed?
I mean the link to the recipe at the end of the first paragraph. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Dan, for letting me know the second link to the recipe was broken. I’ve fixed it. You can find this recipe here: http://www.thebettermom.com/blog/2017/7/23/savory-chicken-veggie-bites Thanks again! With blessings, Kelly 🙂