Chicken and gammon arancini

Transform yesterday’s risotto into these crunchy and gooey rice balls with a hidden mozzarella and cranberry centre.

Golden, crisp and seriously indulgent, arancini balls are one of life’s tastiest inventions and I refuse to be told otherwise.

Not a month goes by where I don’t make a big batch of risotto, just so I can turn the leftovers into these crispy rice balls with some kind of gooey filling inside.

Naturally, I’ve gone all out to make this version extra special by using leftover chicken and gammon risotto in my festive-inspired risotto. The remnants are then shaped into balls and stuffed with a lava-like mozzarella and cranberry filling that oozes out as soon as you take the first bite. Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this!

How To Make Chicken And Gammon Arancini

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Chicken and gammon arancini
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Use your air-fryer: Follow the recipe up to step 2 and place your arancini in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them. Brush with olive oil and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through.
• Customise your breadcrumb mix: Try smoked paprika, dried herbs or even a little lemon zest.
• Swap the cheese: Taleggio and fontina are a little fancier and maximise the melt factor.
• Get in the Christmas spirit: Bump up the festive flavour by mixing in leftover stuffing.

Chicken and gammon arancini

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins, plus 30 mins resting time Cook time: 18 mins 18 mins

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Ingredients

400g leftover turkey and gammon risotto
75g mozzarella cheese, cut into 2cm cubes
50g plain flour
1 large free-range egg, beaten
100g panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

To serve
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
Cranberry sauce

Instructions

Step 1
Remove the leftover turkey and gammon risotto from the fridge. Using clean, damp hands, mould the risotto into 12 ‘golf’ balls, encasing a mozzarella cube in the centre of each. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up.

Step 2
Place the flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip the risotto balls in the flour first, followed by the beaten egg. Remove any excess, then roll in the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated.

Step 3
Fill a deep saucepan a third of the way up with vegetable oil and set over a medium heat until it reaches 180C (a cube of bread should turn golden within 45 seconds of being dropped in the oil).

Step 4
Working in batches of three or four, carefully drop the turkey and gammon risotto balls into the oil using a slotted spoon and deep fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with sea salt flakes. Keep warm while you cook the rest.

Step 5
Scatter over the parsley leaves and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve warm with cranberry sauce on the side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Difference Between Shallow Frying And Deep Frying?

The main difference between shallow frying and deep frying lies in the amount of oil used, and the cooking technique. Shallow frying uses less oil, so it’s often considered more economical and healthier.

When shallow frying, food is half submerged in a single layer of hot oil and needs to be flipped halfway through cooking. Whereas in deep frying, food is completely submerged in hot oil, allowing it to cook quickly and evenly on all sides.

What’s The Key To A Crispy Exterior On The Arancini?

Make sure the oil is hot enough. You want to hear the food sizzle as soon as it hits the pan, so aim for around 170C.

To test the temperature of the oil, you can use a thermometer or the end of a chopstick. If you see little bubbles starting to form at the tip of the chopstick, the oil is ready to go.