Best Chicken Latkes Recipes

SCHMALTZ LATKES

Steps:

• Using a food processor with a coarse grating disc, grate potato and shallot. Transfer mixture to a clean dish towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• Working quickly, transfer mixture to a large bowl. Toss in flour, egg, salt, baking powder and pepper until combined.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium-high, then pour in about 1/4 inch of schmaltz. Once schmaltz is hot, drop heaping 1/4 cup measures of batter into pan. Use a spatula to flatten the drops into discs. When edges of latkes are crispy, in 5 to 7 minutes, flip them. Cook until second side is golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes more. If latkes get too brown before they are cooked through, lower the heat. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Serve latkes topped with sour cream and applesauce, if you like. Garnish with gribenes if you have them.

CLASSIC LATKES

Steps:

• Grate the potatoes and onion on the large holes of a box grater into a colander set over a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, toss well and let stand 5 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of the mixture firmly with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Blot dry with paper towels, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the beaten egg and matzo meal or flour to the potato mixture and toss well to combine. Scoop 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture and tightly pack into thin 3- to 4-inch pancakes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 250˚. Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil or chicken fat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in three batches, fry the latkes until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side, reducing the heat as needed if the latkes are browning too quickly. Remove to a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Keep warm in the oven while you make the remaining latkes. Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream.

CHICKEN LATKES

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into thin strips, about 6mm/1/4 inch wide.
• Peel and grate the potatoes and place them in a colander. Peel the onion, then grate it into the colander. Press down on the mixture with the back of a spoon or with the palm of your hand, then to remove more excess moisture (so that the latkes crisp well) sandwich the potato/onion mixture between 2 sheets of paper towelling and squeeze until completely dry.
• Lightly beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl, stir in the flour, dill and salt. Add the chicken and the potato/onion mixture and stir until well-combined.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based non-stick pan.
• Add 4 heaped tablespoons of the chicken/potato mixture, spacing well apart. Gently flatten each one with the back of a spatula, and sauté on each side, or until each side is cooked through and a golden brown. Remove the latkes from the pan, set aside and keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken/potato mixture to make 8 latkes.
• Garnish with dill and serve with salad and a tzazikki sauce.

OVEN-FRIED LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Mist a baking sheet with the cooking spray.
• Peel the potatoes and then grate on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible into a bowl. Let the liquid settle for about 10 minutes, and then pour off the watery liquid, reserving the potato starch.
• Beat the egg white in a large bowl until it holds a soft peak. Gently fold in the potatoes, scallions, reserved potato starch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Drop the mixture by tablespoons on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the latkes about 2 inches apart. Gently spread and flatten into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Roast until the bottoms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip and roast until the potatoes are cooked through and the bottoms are spotted brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Serve with the applesauce and sour cream.

OUR FAVORITE LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Place wire cooling racks in the rimmed baking sheets and place in the oven.
• Using a food processor with a grating insert, grate the potatoes and then the onions, transferring grated vegetables to a large bowl when the bowl of the food processor is filled. Alternately, use a box grater. Working in batches, place the potatoes and onions in a clean dishtowel and thoroughly wring out the excess liquid over the sink, then transfer the potato-onion mixture to a large bowl. The more liquid you remove, the crispier your latkes will be, so take your time and use several dish towels if necessary. Reserve the potato-onion mixture.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the potato-onion mixture and mix well.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt equal parts schmaltz and oil (or oil only if omitting the schmaltz) until a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat is reached. Drop 2 tablespoons of latke mixture into the hot fat, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten latkes slightly using a spatula and cook, turning once, until crisp, golden brown, and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer latkes to wire racks and season with salt; return to the oven to keep warm; season with salt. As you remove latkes from the pan, replace them with fresh spoonfuls of potato mixture to maintain oil temperature. Add additional schmaltz and/or oil around the edge of the pan as needed to maintain a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat.
• Keep latkes warm in oven and serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.