Low Cal Chicken Keema Kebabs in Air Fryer

If you think chicken breasts can only give you dry and boring chicken dishes, then here I am to prove you utterly wrong with these chicken keema kebabs of mine which are made in an air fryer with minimal oil and turn out super juicy & tender!

Air fryer has become my right hand which is handling most of my healthy cooking these days! If you own an air fryer but haven’t yet checked my air fryer recipe collection, you are definitely missing out a lot!

I can assure you that you will get absolutely workable air fryer recipes there which you can make even on a hectic workday!

So predictably enough, I am back with another air fryer recipe for all of you who are looking for high protein yet low calorie tasty dishes that you can enjoy without messing up your healthy eating plans!

Hence air fryer chicken keema kebabs came into existence when I was trying to make something realistically quick & easy for my own lunch or dinner.

What are chicken keema kebabs?

Chicken keema kebabs are the Indian version of chicken patty or chicken cakes which are essentially of flat round shape.

I call them chicken keema kebabs as they are grilled in an air fryer and not deep or shallow fried in oil. These are also called chicken tikkis sometimes as they resemble the popular aloo (i.e. potato) tikkis.

These chicken kebabs are made with minimal oil making them a perfect low calorie yet high protein option for your healthy balanced meals.

To impart loads of flavors to the otherwise dry & bland chicken breast, I added a lot of freshness to these chicken keema kebabs through spring onions, fresh coriander leaves and of course the holy grail aromatic aka garlic!

Ingredients for chicken keema kebabs

Chicken keema: Let’s talk about this primary ingredient in detail because there are certain elements you need to consider in order to churn out the best chicken keema kebabs at home.

Chicken keema i.e. minced chicken can be sourced in two ways – either you get already minced chicken from your local meat shop or make it on your own at home.

Each has its own pluses & minuses. Making your chicken keema at home will take more time as well as effort and also you will need a food processor.

But mincing your own chicken gives you control on the texture of the chicken keema which eventually impacts the final structure of your chicken keema kebabs.

When I tried using ready minced chicken from my local shop, I felt that the texture is too fluffy with no stickiness at all which makes it difficult to form the kebab patty.

When you process the boneless & skinless chicken breast cubes in a food processor, it churns out a sticky chicken keema which is just the perfect texture for your chicken keema kebabs.

Spring onion: I loved the flavor of spring onions in my kebabs as they add the subtle sweetness of onions without overpowering them way too much.

Also the spring onions greens add a lot of freshness to these chicken keema kebabs mixture without making them too chewy.

Garlic: This is a must have aromatic in your chicken keema kebabs and you need a really generous amount of it. Finely mince or grate them to fully incorporate with the mixture.

Chilli: No chicken kebab is complete without the kick of heat from fresh chillies. You can use fresh green or red chillies whichever you have handy.

Coriander leaves/Cilantro: Another burst of freshness is imparted to these chicken keema kebabs by all us Indians’ favorite herb which is none other than fresh coriander leaves!

Spices: Spices used in these kebabs of mine are quite minimal – just a dash of turmeric powder along with red chilli powder & coriander powder.

You may add a sprinkle of garam masala if you like the warm flavor; but it’s optional. I wanted the flavors of fresh herbs to shine through these kebabs!

Seasoning: Season the chicken kebab mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Oil: Use any oil of your choice to brush the air fryer basket to avoid sticking and also spray over the kebabs for a tempting gloss!

How to make chicken keema kebabs?

Step 1: If you are making your own chicken keema at home, then cut the boneless & skinless chicken breasts into small chunks. Then process them in a food processor (using the chopping blade) until you get a sticky mass of minced chicken.

Step 2: Transfer the chicken keema to a large mixing bowl. Then add all the ingredients one by one to the same bowl except of course the oil.

Step 3: Now using a spatula mix all the ingredients with the chicken keema and make an uniform mixture making sure all spices & aromatics are evenly distributed.

Step 4: Once you are happy with the mixture, let it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes; this will allow the mixture to firm up making it easier to shape in kebab forms.

Step 5: When you are ready to make the chicken keema kebabs, take about 2 tablespoons of keema mixture and roll it into the shape of a ball between your palms.

Step 6: Then press it to flatten and give it the shape of a chicken keema kebab as shown in the video. Make as many kebabs as you want in a similar way.

Pro tip: You can store this mixture in the refrigerator for 5 days and make a couple when you crave for something tasty yet good for the body!

Step 7: It’s time to start air frying your chicken keema kebabs! Start preheating your air fryer at 190 C and set the timer to 15 minutes.

Step 8: Spray oil over the bottom of the air fryer basket. When the fryer is preheated, place the chicken keema kebabs in a single layer inside the basket and spray some oil over them.

Step 9: Air fry the chicken keema kebabs flipping them over halfway through and spraying some more oil on top of them.

Step 10: Your kebabs should be completely cooked in 15 minutes since chicken keema is made from chicken breasts (even the store-bought ones too) which cook really fast.

Step 11: Take out the chicken keema kebabs from the air fryer and serve on a platter garnished with fresh herbs or spring onion greens.

Step 12: Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top and relish these juicy, tender & succulent chicken keema kebabs with a favorite chutney of yours!

More air fryer chicken recipes from Flavor Quotient for weight Loss

Chicken Keema Kebabs in Air Fryer | High Protein Air Fryer Chicken Kebab Recipe

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Priyanka

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 12 to 14 kebabs

Ingredients

Chicken keema - 500 gms
Garlic - 12 to 15 cloves, finely chopped
Spring onion - 5 stalks, both whites & greens finely chopped
Green chilli - 4 to 5, finely chopped
Coriander leaves - ½ cup chopped
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

If you are making your own chicken keema at home, then cut the boneless & skinless chicken breasts into small chunks. Then process them in a food processor (using the chopping blade) until you get a sticky mass of minced chicken.
Transfer the chicken keema to a large mixing bowl. Then add all the ingredients one by one to the same bowl except of course the oil.
Now using a spatula mix all the ingredients with the chicken keema and make an uniform mixture making sure all spices & aromatics are evenly distributed.
Once you are happy with the mixture, let it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes; this will allow the mixture to firm up making it easier to shape in kebab forms.
When you are ready to make the chicken keema kebabs, take about 2 tablespoons of keema mixture and roll it into the shape of a ball between your palms.
Then press it to flatten and give it the shape of a chicken keema kebab as shown in the video. Make as many kebabs as you want in a similar way.
It’s time to start air frying your chicken keema kebabs! Start preheating your air fryer at 190 C and set the timer to 15 minutes.
Spray oil over the bottom of the air fryer basket. When the fryer is preheated, place the chicken keema kebabs in a single layer inside the basket and spray some oil over them.
Air fry the chicken keema kebabs flipping them over halfway through and spraying some more oil on top of them.
Your kebabs should be completely cooked in 15 minutes since chicken keema is made from chicken breasts (even the store-bought ones too) which cook really fast.
Take out the chicken keema kebabs from the air fryer and serve on a platter garnished with fresh herbs or spring onion greens.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top and relish these juicy, tender & succulent chicken keema kebabs with a favorite chutney of yours!