These patties combine ground chicken, cooked brown rice, and finely chopped vegetables into a pan-fried cake that works as a weeknight dinner, a burger patty, or finger food at a gathering. The mixture makes 20 patties, so you get real value from one cook. The flavor is mild and savory, which means they pair well with almost any sauce or side you already have on hand.
Before you start
The two things that determine whether these patties hold together are moisture control and chilling time. When you cook the vegetables, keep them on the heat until most of the liquid has evaporated — wet vegetables make the mixture too loose to shape. The rice also needs to be well drained after rinsing; press it gently in a sieve if needed. Once the patties are shaped, the one-hour refrigerator rest is not optional if you want them to survive flipping in the pan. Cold firms up the mixture so the patties don’t crack or fall apart when you slide a spatula under them. Ground chicken is softer and stickier than ground beef, so both of these steps matter more here than they would with a beef patty.
Common problems and fixes
- Patties fall apart when flipping: The mixture was either too wet or not chilled long enough. Next time, cook the vegetables until the pan looks almost dry before removing from heat. If the mixture already feels very loose before chilling, stir in an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
- Patties stick to the pan: The oil wasn’t hot enough before the patties went in. Let the oil heat for a full minute over medium-low before adding the first batch. A thin metal spatula gets under them more cleanly than a thick one.
- Patties are cooked outside but still raw inside: The pan heat was too high. Medium-low is correct — it sounds slow, but it gives the heat time to reach the center. Ground chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); a cheap instant-read thermometer removes all guesswork here.
- Mixture is too sticky to shape even with gloves: Lightly dampen the gloves with water between each patty. This is normal with ground chicken — it’s stickier than pork or beef, not a sign something went wrong.
- Patties are bland after cooking: Tamari varies in saltiness by brand. Taste the cooked vegetable mixture before combining everything, and add a small pinch of salt if it tastes flat at that stage — it’s easier to adjust before the raw chicken goes in.
Ingredient notes
- Tamari: This is a Japanese soy sauce that is typically gluten-free and slightly less sharp than regular soy sauce. If you don’t have it, regular soy sauce works as a direct swap in the same quantity. Check the label if you’re cooking for someone with a gluten intolerance — not all tamari brands are certified gluten-free.
- Marjoram: It’s in the oregano family and has a mild, slightly floral savory flavor. Dried oregano is a straightforward substitute; use the same amount. Skip the garnish of fresh herbs if you were considering it — not worth the extra dish.
- Brown rice (312g uncooked): That’s a large amount — it forms the bulk of the patties. Soaking it for 30 minutes before cooking shortens the cook time and improves the texture. Pre-cooked pouched brown rice works in a pinch; use roughly 620g cooked weight and make sure it’s cooled and not wet.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a dry non-stick pan over low heat for about 3 minutes per side, or in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 10 minutes — both methods keep the outside from going soggy the way a microwave does. For freezing, place cooled cooked patties in a single layer on a tray, freeze until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a zip-lock bag; they keep well for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15–18 minutes. You can also freeze the shaped raw patties on their tray before cooking — freeze solid, then bag them, and cook straight from frozen with a few extra minutes per side, confirming the center hits 165°F (74°C).
Special Chicken and Vegetable Brown Rice Patties
Ingredients
312 grams brown rice
150 grams button mushrooms - quartered
1 medium red pepper (red capsicum) - roughly chopped
6 sprigs spring onions - including some of the green parts, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon marjoram
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tamari sauce
35 grams breadcrumbs
500 grams ground chicken (minced chicken)
Instructions
- I soak my rice first in cold water for 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly using a sieve. Cook the rice until tender, rinse under cold water and drain well before setting aside.
- Add the mushrooms, capsicum, spring onions and garlic to a food processor and process until finely chopped.
- Heat the oil in a frypan over medium-low heat and add the finely chopped vegetables and the marjoram. Cook for approximately 6 minutes, stirring regularly, or until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Set it aside and allow it to cool.
- Line 2 trays with baking paper or parchment.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled rice and vegetables with the black pepper, tamari, breadcrumbs, and chicken mince. Using disposable gloves, mix until well combined. This mixture is sticky!
- Take ⅓ cup of mixture and shape into a ball, slightly flattening it. Place it on the prepared tray and continue the same process until the mixture is gone. Loosely cover the trays with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, so the patties will firm up and make cooking them easier. However, you can leave them in there longer if you need to.
- Preheat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit when ready to start cooking them.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frypan over medium-low heat. It is essential not to overcrowd the pan, so cook them in smaller batches. Use a thin metal eggslice to transfer the patties from the tray to the frypan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Place the cooked patties on a tray lined with kitchen paper and put them in the oven to keep warm while you continue to cook the others, adding more oil as required.
- Serve with salad or vegetables.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?
Yes, ground turkey is a direct swap in the same quantity. The texture and cook time are nearly identical, and the internal temperature target is the same — 165°F (74°C) — since turkey is also poultry.
My mixture looks very wet and loose. Is that normal before chilling?
It will be sticky and soft, but it shouldn’t be soupy. If it looks more like a thick batter than a shapeable mixture, the vegetables likely still held too much moisture — next time cook them a minute or two longer. For now, stir in an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs, mix well, and refrigerate as directed; the chill will firm things up considerably.
How do I know when the patties are fully cooked through?
The safest check is an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a patty — it should read 165°F (74°C). If you don’t have one, cut a patty open after the suggested cook time; the center should be completely white with no pink and the juices should run clear.
If you liked this one
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- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Kumara Beef Hash Cakes
- Bolivian Silpancho Beef Patties
