These healthy chicken fritters feature fresh chicken breast meat coated with seasoned flour, eggs and a honey mustard sauce, then lightly pan fried (or baked) – yielding a crispy exterior while retaining juices in the meat.
The chicken fritters can also be called chicken pancakes or cakes and can be customized to your liking, by adding other ingredients like cheese, herbs and other seasonings. Easily make them gluten free as well.
For large crowds I usually make these potato fritters or cabbage fritters, they pair well with any salad or side dish. And these chicken fritters would complement beautiful any dinner table, and you could even use leftovers for your lunchbox.
Related: Chicken Liver Patties
Ingredients For Chicken Breast Fritters
To make these chicken fritters you need whole chicken breasts finely chopped (either by hand or food processor) or ground chicken meat. I prefer to use less processed meat so I’m opting for chicken breast (or thighs).
Related: Potato Fritters With Crab Meat
Related: 3 Chicken Cutlets Recipes (Keto, Gluten Free & Egg Free)
To coat the chicken and form a batter like consistency, I’m using eggs, flour, homemade honey mustard, seasonings, onion, avocado and fresh herbs for flavor. No cheese is needed here. But you can add it if you like!
Most chicken fritters recipes use mayonnaise and cheese. In my version I replaced the mayo with a homemade honey mustard sauce and I excluded the cheese. But I added some avocado for healthier chicken fritters. This also adds bulkiness and creaminess.
Since the chicken breast meat is rather bland, lemon juice or vinegar is really important to round up the flavor.
To tenderize the meat, the chicken fritters ingredients are best prepared and mixed in advance to mimic the marination process. And as the pieces of chicken cook, the moisture that leaches from the chicken is absorbed by the coating of flour and browns along with the flour, creating a flavorful crust.
How To Make Chicken Fritters
Step 1. Prepare the veggies:
Peel the onion and garlic. Prepare the herbs if using.
Step 2. Prepare the honey mustard sauce:
This honey mustard sauce will substitute the mayo which is usually used for chicken fritters.
Mix all ingredients to form a creamy sweet and sour sauce: coconut cream (or yoghurt), Dijon mustard, minced garlic, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper.
Step 3. The chicken mixture
- To make it quicker, I’m chopping the chicken breasts in a food processor by using the pulse function.
- Just add the meat to the food processor bowl (and the onion), and pulse until roughly chopped. Make sure the pieces are not too big or too small. If you prefer the onion to be finely chopped, add it to the food processor first then add the meat.
- If adding avocado, finely cube it and add at the end (right before cooking) to preserve it’s shape.
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Step 4. Cook the chicken fritters:
- Heat a non-stick skillet (I use a 10″ ceramic coated skillet) on medium low heat (my stove knob is at 3) for 3 minutes or so.
- Add fat for frying, let it heat for 1 minute. It will provide a golden crisp crust. You can use ghee, or any healthier heat resistant oils like avocado oil or grape-seed oil.
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture in the heated skillet. Press down with your spoon to arrange it and flatten. Do not use a lid, it will make them soggy.
- Fry 3 minutes per side. Or until the surface is golden brown and crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining fritter mixture, adding more oil/ghee as needed. Let them cool on a wire rack, don’t stack.
What To Serve With
When the chicken fritters are all cooked, serve them with any creamy sauce like this creamy mango sauce, maple honey mustard sauce or this smoky honey mustard. Alternatively you could use ketchup or a homemade BBQ sauce for dipping your chicken firtter.
The chicken fritters are well complemented by a light side dish:
- Healthy Radish Cucumber Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Asparagus With A Tangy Sauce
- Shrimp Cabbage Salad
- Beetroot And Carrot Salad With Creamy Dressing
- Avocado Kale Salad With Egg
- Fermented Shaved Carrot Salad
- Healthy Coleslaw + Avocado Dressing (Whole30, Vegan)
Fried or Baked Chicken Fritters
While baking the fritters may seem like a healthier choice, I like them more shallow-fried (just a couple of tablespoons of oil). Frying ensures the chicken fritters get that extra-crispy and golden exterior.
Alternatively you can air-fry them if you like. Just add the chicken patties in a single layer to the air fryer, and cook for 10 minutes at 400 F degrees.
For baking: lightly grease the surface of a cookie sheet before placing the chicken fritters at an equal distance and bake at 430F (preheated oven) for 8-10 on first side and another 10 minutes on the other side. For a nice golden color, turn the broil function for the last 2 minutes of baking.
Related: Spaghetti Squash + Chicken & BBQ Sauce
Recipe FAQs
Preferably yes, making a couple of hours in advance (or the day before) helps the meat tenderize and marinate. If you’re in a hurry you can cook right away, the fritters will still taste good.
Yes. Here is how: preheat the oven to 400F/200C and prepare a pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Portion the chicken into patties and press lightly to flatten. Spread in a single layer without touching. Then bake for 20-25 minutes (total), flipping the baked chicken fritters once halfway through. For a crispier crust, broil at the last 1 or 2 minutes of baking.
Yes. Once cooked, let them cool (don’t keep them stacked) and store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Yes. It’s best to cook the chicken patties first and then freeze.
More Chicken Side Dishes To Try
If you tried these chicken fritters without cheese let me know in the comments how it went!
Healthy Chicken Fritters (Fried Or Baked)
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts - about 1.6 lb, cut into chuncks
- 6 tbsp flour - see notes for gluten free and grain free
- 3 large eggs - if you add cheese remove 1 egg
- 1//2 onion - or scallions
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped - or parsley
- 1 large avocado - cubed, added at the end
Honey mustard sauce (marinade)
- 1½ tbsp coconut cream - or yoghurt (or sour cream)
- 2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar - or lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey - or maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Step 1. Prepare the veggies
- Peel the onion and garlic. Prepare the herbs if using.
Step 2. Make the honey mustard sauce
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
Step 3. Make the chicken mixture
- To make this quicker, chop the chicken breasts in a food processor by using the pulse function. If you don't have a food processor finely dice the chicken breast and the rest of ingredients by hand.
- Add the meat to the food processor bowl (and the onion), and pulse until roughly chopped. Make sure the pieces are not too big or too small. If you prefer the onion to be finely chopped, add it to the food processor first then add the meat
- Add the rest of ingredients to the processed meat (the sauce, egg, flour and herbs) and mix with a spoon.
- If adding avocado, finely cube it and add at the end (right before cooking) to preserve it’s shape. See pictures in the post above.
Step 4. Cook the chicken fritters
- Heat a non-stick skillet (I use a 10″ ceramic coated skillet) on medium low heat (my stove knob is at 3) for 3 minutes or so.
- Add fat for frying, let it heat for 1 minute. It will provide a golden crisp crust. You can use ghee, or any healthier heat resistant oils like avocado oil or grape-seed oil.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the heated skillet. Press down with your spoon to arrange it and flatten. Do not use a lid, it will make them soggy.
- Fry 3 minutes per side. Or until the surface is golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the remaining fritter mixture, adding more oil/ghee as needed.
What You Need
Notes
Tips For This Chicken Fritter Recipe
- Use an air-fryer. Just add the chicken patties in a single layer to the air fryer, and cook for 10 minutes at 400 F degrees.
- Bake in the oven: preheat the oven to 400F/200C and prepare a pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Portion the chicken into patties and press lightly to flatten. Spread in a single layer without touching. Then bake for 20-25 minutes (total), flipping the baked chicken fritters once halfway through. For a crispier crust, broil at the last 1 or 2 minutes of baking.
- Gluten free option: use a gluten free flour mix.
- Grain free option: replace the flour with almond meal. Or a mix of arrowroot starch and almond flour.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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