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These crispy chicken fritters are a delicious blend of chicken, flavorful seasonings and melted cheese, pan-fried to golden perfection. Perfect as an appetizer, snack or main dish, they’re quick and easy to prepare. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for an extra burst of flavor.
I'm a big fan of making fritters or as some might call them latkes - from corned beef fritters to butternut squash fritters to mashed potato fritters.
If you are wondering, fritters are just a portion of meat, fruit or vegetables that have been battered or breaded and are fried. It is really just a common term that can be used for quite a few recipes.
And these fritters are no different. They are basically a chicken patty consisting of chopped up chicken, cheese, breadcrumbs and mayonnaise.
You can serve them as a sandwich, an appetizer a side or the main meal. And they are great to dip in an aioli or something simple like ketchup. Be careful though, if you have kids, they'll gobble them all up.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Customizable - Easily add veggies, spices or herbs to suit your taste preferences.
- Versatile - Serve as an appetizer, main course or even a snack.
- Make-ahead friendly - You can make a batch ahead of time and then just reheat in the oven when ready.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - Use fresh, skinless chicken thighs for maximum flavor. Chop them finely or pulse briefly in a food processor for the best texture.
- Eggs - The binder which ensures the chicken fritters don't fall apart.
- Cheese - I like the combination of the mozzarella and Parmesan for flavor and the gooey factor.
- Breadcrumbs - Offers structure and a subtle herb seasoning.
- Mayonnaise - Adds moisture and a hint of tanginess, keeping the fritters tender.
- Green onions - Brings freshness and a mild onion flavor.
- Garlic - Adds a savory, aromatic note.
- Salt and black pepper - Enhances the flavors.
- Vegetable oil - Neutral oil is best for frying.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients you use. Some variations include:
- While I like the flavor of chicken thighs, chicken breasts work too. You can even use pre-cooked chicken or ground chicken.
- I'm a fan of mozzarella for the meltiness factor, but you can use your favorite cheese like cheddar, gouda or fontina.
- I'm a fan of Italian breadcrumbs as you get some added herbs, but panko works great too.
- Mayonnaise is my go-to for a binder, but sour cream is a good substitute.
- I use green onions for flavor and added color, but chives or sweets onions can be used.
How to Make Chicken Fritters
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Step 1: Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken into small pieces.
Step 2: Add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. Let rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 3: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add ¼ cup of mixture, pressing down with a spatula to flatten into discs.
Step 4: Cook for 3-4 minutes before flipping and cooking another 3-4 minutes or until browned and the chicken is cooked.
Dipping Options
While these fritters are great on their own, there are a ton of dipping options. Some include:
Recipe FAQs
Fritter means "to fry" but it can be used to describe quite a few things - from apple donut fritters to zucchini fritters. These are just another version of latkes.
I mentioned above but if you don't want to take the time to chop the chicken, just use some ground chicken instead. It works just as well.
Yes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place fritters on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes or until crispy.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into it and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
If you want your fritters to remain crispy, place them on a baking sheet at and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.
If frozen, bake for 15-20 minutes to reheat.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do not skip refrigerating the mixture, otherwise it will fall apart.
- Use a large cookie scoop so you can get uniform size fritters.
- To avoid using too much oil, use a nonstick pan so the fritters are easy to flip.
- Once you add the fritter mixture to the oil, don't move them for 3-5 minutes before flipping so they create a crispy exterior.
- Fry fritters in batches to maintain even heat and crispiness.
- Leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Other Recommended Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this chicken fritters recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chicken Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to dice the chicken into ¼" thick pieces. Place in a large bowl.
- To the same bowl, add the eggs, mozzarella, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, green onions, garlic, salt and black pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 250°F and place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet over medium heat. Scoop up ¼ cup of the mixture per fritter and drop into skillet. Use a spatula to flatten into discs. When the edges of the fritters are brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes, flip. Cook for another 4 minutes or until browned.
- Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined rack to drain and then put on wire rack in oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining fritters. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Do not skip refrigerating the mixture, otherwise it will fall apart.
- Use a large cookie scoop so you can get uniform size fritters.
- To avoid using too much oil, use a nonstick pan so the fritters are easy to flip.
- Once you add the fritter mixture to the oil, don't move them for 3-5 minutes before flipping so they create a crispy exterior.
- Fry fritters in batches to maintain even heat and crispiness.
- Leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Dean says
So good!
Ryan says
Glad you liked it!