Honestly? Some days I don’t want to cook. Like, at all. I just want food to appear. That’s usually when I end up making these chicken fritters. They’re not fancy. But they hit the spot.
I don’t plan them. It’s more like, oh look, leftover chicken. A couple eggs. Some cheese. Let’s just throw stuff in a bowl and see what happens Ten minutes later, I’m standing over the stove eating one straight out of the pan like an animal ,
They’re crispy, kinda messy, and really good. No one complains when I make them. Not the kids, not me, not even the picky eater who usually side-eyes anything that isn’t pizza.
If you’ve got random chicken sitting around and don’t feel like trying too hard, this is your move. It’s one of those things you make once, then keep making without thinking.
Let’s do it.
Crispy Leftover Chicken Fritters
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the cooked chicken to a large bowl.
- Crack in the eggs. Add the flour, cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Mix everything until it comes together like a chunky batter.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Scoop the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- This recipe is very forgiving. If the mixture feels too loose, add a little more flour. If it feels too dry, add a spoon of mayo or another egg. Trust the texture more than the measurements.
- Any cooked chicken works here. Rotisserie, leftovers, even slightly dry chicken. Once it’s mixed and fried, no one will notice.
- Keep the heat at medium. Too hot and they burn before the inside sets. Too low and they soak up oil and fall apart.
- Let the fritters rest for a couple of minutes after cooking. They firm up and get a little crispier.
- These reheat best in a pan or oven. The microwave works, but they lose some of that crispy edge.
What you’ll need
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or pulled apart
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup shredded cheese, mozzarella or cheddar
1/4 cup mayo
Small handful of chopped parsley or green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced real small
Salt and pepper. Just eyeball it
Some oil for frying. Nothing fancy. Whatever you have
That’s the base. You don’t have mozzarella? Doesn’t matter. Use whatever’s in the fridge. Same with the herbs. If it’s green and not bitter, it’ll probably work, This isn’t one of those recipes that fall apart if you mess with it
How to make them
Throw the chicken into a big bowl. No need to be delicate
Crack in the eggs. Just straight in.
Add the flour cheese, mayo, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper. All of it.
Mix it up. Hands or spoon. Doesn’t matter. You just want it to stick together. Like chunky batter.
Let it sit for a few minutes. You can clean the counter or just stand there.
Heat oil in a pan. Medium heat, nothing wild.
Scoop the mix in with a spoon. Flatten a little. Not too thin.
Cook until golden. Flip. Do the other side. Maybe 3 to 4 minutes each side.
Take them out. Let them sit on paper towel. They’ll crisp a bit more.
That’s it. You’ll know they’re done when they smell really good and you start picking at one before anyone else sees.
If you feel like messing with it
Change whatever. I promise nobody’s gonna come knocking.
No mayo? Cool. Use yogurt. Sour cream. I even used cream cheese once because it was the only thing in the fridge. Worked fine.
Need it gluten-free? Rice flour’s alright. Almond flour too, if you don’t mind the slight nut vibe. Just… maybe skip coconut flour unless you want sad pancakes.
No chicken? I mean, then it’s not chicken fritters anymore, but yeah, I’ve done it with tuna. Kinda weird. Kinda good.
Want heat? Toss in chili flakes. Or chop up a fresh one. Go wild.
I’ve added corn. Zucchini. Leftover spinach. One time I dumped in crushed chips by accident. Didn’t hate it.
Bottom line? You’re not gonna ruin it. Just mix, fry, eat, repeat.
Some stuff people ask
Can I freeze them?
Yeah. Let them cool first. Then stash them in a container or freezer bag. Layer with parchment if you’re feeling organized. Reheat in a pan or oven. They’ll taste almost the same. Maybe a little less crisp. Still good enough.
What do I dip them in?
Anything. Seriously. I’ve done hot sauce, ranch, honey mustard, plain yogurt with salt and lemon. Even barbecue sauce once. Regret nothing.
Why are mine falling apart?
Could be too much chicken, not enough binder. Add a bit more egg or mayo. Also make sure the pan’s not too cold. They need that sizzle to hold together.
How long do they last?
In the fridge? Two, maybe three days. After that they get a little sad. But if you reheat them right, no one will know.
Rough idea of the nutrition stuff
This is not lab-tested. Just me guesstimating.
If you make 8 fritters out of the mix, each one’s probably around:
- 130 to 160 calories
- 10 to 12 grams of protein
- A few carbs from the flour
- Some fat from the mayo and cheese
Not super heavy. Not super light. Right in the middle. You could eat three and feel like you had a real meal. Or snack on one cold from the fridge while staring into it. Been there.
That’s pretty much it.
If you’re still here, maybe your brain’s already halfway in the fridge. Same. You probably have enough stuff to wing it.
And if you end up making them, hope they come out the kind of good that makes you stand at the stove eating one with your fingers while the rest finish. No plates. Just crispy bits and peace.
Say how it went if you feel like it. Or don’t. I’ll be over here doing the same thing next week. Probably with less cheese and more guessing.
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