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My Grandma’s Chicken Fritters Recipe Is Crispy, Cheesy, And So Irresistible
My grandma used to make chicken fritters similar to these for me after school as a kid. They’re these irresistibly crispy patties with juicy chunks of chicken and melty cheese. I have vivid memories of enjoying them while we played word games and she shared about her life.
She used to make her chicken fritters with cornstarch, but I’ve put my own spin on them by swapping in almond flour and a little extra cheese. Here’s why they turned out just as comforting as I remember:
- Crispy on the outside, cheesy and juicy inside – I love that cheese lets me get a crispy crust without any flour or breadcrumbs! (A trick I borrowed from my grandma’s zucchini fritters.) The cheeses stay melty on the inside and leave the chicken incredibly juicy, too. Best of both worlds.
- So easy to make – With just a few common ingredients, you can whip up these chicken fritters in no time. You can even prep the mixture in advance. They’re versatile for a quick healthy dinner, a make-ahead healthy lunch, or even an easy appetizer.
- Healthier way to make them – Many chicken fritter recipes use white flour or cornstarch. I use almond flour and cheese as binders instead, so these are naturally low carb, gluten-free, and healthier. And if you want a veggie-packed version, I recently made broccoli fritters based on this recipe.
My grandma passed away last summer, at 98. She was an amazing cook, always trying to help others, and also a force. When times were hard, she would say a phrase that translates to, “For life you have to fight.”
I’m grateful that I got to write down some of her recipes, and this was one of her best. If you’re looking for new comfort food ideas, make these cheesy chicken fritters with me!
“I have made them 3 or 4 times. Husband loves them. Great for when you’re in a hurry and don’t have much time for a big meal. They’ve become one of my quick and easy go to recipes. AWESOME.”
-Christy
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken fritters recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can use boneless chicken thighs, too. I’ve even made these tender chicken fritters with a combination of light and dark meat to use up what I have. Many of you have asked if you can use ground chicken, and you can, but the result is very different — see my chicken patties recipe for that version.
- Cheeses – A mix of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan works perfectly, because the mozz gets extra melty and the parm crisps up nicely. You can swap the mozzarella with cheddar or even Gruyere if you like a stronger flavor.
- Almond Flour – I highly recommend my Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour here, which has a finer texture than most brands. You can also just use cornstarch like my grandma did (the amount is the same). Don’t use coconut flour, which is too drying.
- Fresh Herbs – I picked chives because I like to serve these chicken fritters with sour cream, and chives pair particularly well with it. Fresh parsley or fresh dill would also work well. If you want to use dried herbs, use 1 tablespoon instead of 3.
- Eggs – To hold everything together. Flax eggs should work fine as a substitute.
- Spices – I kept it simple with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper, but feel free to get creative! Try a pinch of onion powder, paprika, or even Italian seasoning.
- Olive Oil – For frying the chicken fritters. Avocado oil works great, too.
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How To Make Chicken Fritters
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Chop the chicken into tiny pieces. To do this, I cut the chicken in half first horizontally (like butterflying it, but all the way through). Then, cut these thinner pieces into thin strips. Finally, stack the strips and cut crosswise to make small cubes. See my photo below for a visual!
- Mix the ingredients together. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheeses, almond flour, chives, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well (I find tongs work best).
- Refrigerate. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Fry the chicken fritters. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture, flatten, and fry each side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil. Repeat with the rest of the chicken mixture.
My Recipe Tips
- Adjust the chives to your taste. The amount I use here is pretty subtle, so double it if you want the flavor to be very noticeable.
- Reminder: chop the chicken very small! This is important to keep the patties from falling apart and allow them to cook quickly. I recommend 1/4-inch pieces.
- The chicken is easier to cut in small pieces if you place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. I’ve been making these impromptu, so usually end up skipping this step, and it works just fine without it (as shown in my video below).
- Refrigerating makes the fritters easier to flip. You can cook them right away if you’re in a rush, but they fall apart more easily. Make the mixture the day before if you know you’ll be busy!
- I recommend a nonstick pan for this chicken fritters recipe. I love my cast iron, but it sticks more easily with all the cheese in these. The nonstick pan I use is hard-anodized and the surface is still great after 8 years of use!
- Preheat your pan well. You need it nice and hot before adding the chicken mixture. If it’s not hot enough, your fritters can stick and/or fall apart.
- Make sure the chicken pieces are in a single layer when you flatten the fritters. If they are too thick, they may not cook through by the time they get golden. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, and the patties come out to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick and 3 inches across. It’s also the perfect size to flip easily.
- Flip carefully with a very thin spatula. I love this turner even though it’s not really meant for this purpose, because it’s thin and slides underneath so well.
- Don’t flip too soon. You want them golden to get crispy! Plus, they will stick and fall apart if you flip before they brown.
- If the fritters brown too quickly, lower the heat. You can check doneness by cutting a fritter open, or use a meat thermometer to confirm it reaches 165 degrees F. Just make sure you’re measuring in the chicken parts and not around them. Don’t worry if the temperature goes higher — these stay juicy!
- If the pan gets dry after a couple of batches, add a little more oil. You don’t want so much that your chicken fritters get greasy, but enough to prevent sticking.
- Can you air fry or bake these? So many of you have asked, so I tested out both options, and the answer is yes! Air fry for 8 minutes or bake for 12-15 minutes, either way at 400 degrees F. The air fryer chicken fritters are best flipped halfway and get a little browning, but not nearly as much as the pan fried version. The oven ones are not crispy or browned at all, but more melty and extra tender.
Chicken Fritters (Easy & Healthy)
By
My cheesy chicken fritters recipe is crispy on the outside, juicy inside! They're easy to make, naturally low carb, and gluten-free.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheeses, almond flour, chives, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You can also do this overnight instead.)
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time onto the hot pan and use a spatula to flatten to 1/4-to-1/3-inch thickness. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Drain the fritters on a paper towel lined plate.
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Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture, until all your chicken fritters are done.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 chicken fritters
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you make these chicken fritters crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and easy to flip, plus variations for ground chicken or alternate cooking methods.
- Dipping sauces: These are juicy and flavorful on their own, but even better dipped in sour cream, ranch dressing, garlic aioli, tzatziki sauce, or ketchup.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. They do lose their crispness, but I actually love them cold — or see my reheating notes below to get them crisp again.
- Meal prep: I love these cheesy chicken fritters for meal prep because the mixture stores so well in the fridge (covered in plastic wrap). It will keep for up to 24 hours before frying.
- Reheat: You can crisp these up in a frying pan on the stove again, but my favorite method is actually my air fryer at 350 degrees F for a couple minutes.
- Freeze: Place the fritters in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. (This prevents them from sticking together.) Then, transfer to a zip lock bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
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Chicken Fritters
Ways To Serve Them
I’ve totally enjoyed these chicken fritters on their own as a snack, but you can also serve them as a meal or appetizer:
- Sauce – Like I mentioned earlier, I love these with a dollop of sour cream. You can also dip them in ranch, garlic aioli, tzatziki sauce, or (surprisingly) ketchup. One reader even told me she dunked them in guacamole, which I’m excited to try!
- Salads – If you’re serving chicken fritters as a main course, they pair perfectly with a side of my broccoli slaw or arugula salad.
- Roasted Veggies – You can roast any vegetables you’ve got! My go-tos lately are balsamic brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, mixed root veggies, or this cozy veggie casserole.
355 Comments
Susy
0I finally printed out the recipe to try, then noticed, for the first time, since I did not read it thoroughly initially, that this uses raw chicken, and I was planning to use some leftover rotisserie chicken. I ended up adding a little mayonnaise to the mix, afraid the chicken might dry out since it was already cooked. They turned out perfectly! Next time I’ll follow the recipe correctly, use raw chicken, and see how different it comes out. If there’s not much difference, I’ll likely just use leftover rotisserie chicken, shredded..
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Susy, I’m so happy to hear that you made the recipe work! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Mary Kay
0I let the mixture marinate overnight. We loved these fritters! This is a fun, new way to enjoy every kitchen’s staple: chicken!
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad they were such a hit for you, Mary Kay! Letting the mixture sit overnight is such a great move, it really does deepen the flavor. Love hearing this gave you a fun new way to use everyday chicken!
Am
0Hi Maya, could I just use ground chicken for this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Am, Yes, I covered this in my tips above and numerous times in the comments here.
Myra
0The texture from the almond flour is the only thing that keeps me from rating it at 5 stars
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Myra! I don’t detect its texture at all here. Did you use a brand that isn’t super fine?
Howard v. Lofland
0Simple recipe. I made a few fritters like the recipe says then I made a few with broccoli 🥦. Both were delicious.
Wholesome Yum D
1Howard, sounds like you had some fun with it in the kitchen! Love that both versions turned out delicious, broccoli was a great idea.
Chris
0These are just my go to for my grandchildren……and Me!! I have to stop eating them as I cook.
Wholesome Yum D
0Chris, that made me smile! I’d be snacking on them while cooking too. Love that they’re a hit with you and the grandkids!
Carol B
0Can you use ground chicken?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Carol, I covered this in my tips above.
Kathy Obrien
0Great recipe. I haven’t made it yet, tonight or tomorrow for sure. I just learned of your site this week, so many great recipes. I will make the zucchini fries to go along with the chicken fritters.
Question: I am intolerant of almonds, do you think pumpkin seed or sunflower seed flour will work? I might even try peanut butter flour. It will Change the flavor, kinda an alternative “spice”
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Kathy! That sounds like a perfect meal with zucchini fries. Yes, you can use pumpkin seed or sunflower seed flour instead of almond. Please let me know how they turn out!
Anna-Jean Cresswell
0Dear Maya,
I love your recipes. I bought a number of your recipe books and use them a lot.
My question is this: I love the convenience of using cottage cheese in recipes and recently saw a YouTube recipe à la KETO for copycat chicken McNuggets (with smushed up cottage cheese, shredded cooked chicken, garlic powder, and almond flour) cooked in an air flyer. That recipe sounded interesting and even simpler than this fritters recipe. However, I was not able to find that YouTube video again (so I could write it down). Do you think you could work your magic and create some recipes that use cottage cheese as the base (desserts, sauces, and main course dishes)? Thanks! Love you, Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you love my recipes, Anna-Jean! I do have some cottage cheese recipes, but not a chicken one like that. You might like my cottage cheese pancakes or cottage cheese muffins!
Niccole Mohrman
0Made these last night, and only a few different things…used boneless thigh (because I needed to use up the meat) and I actually cut the thigh meat into chunks and pulsed in the food processor (only because I’m too lazy to do all the cutting, lol), but, these were delicious! We did make a few different sauces to do with them, but honestly, the flavor of them was perfect without anything additional. These will definitely do into the regular rotation…thank you SO much, Maya, for a different, yet delicious, way to cook chicken. Try it, you won’t be sorry! YUMMY!
Wholesome Yum D
1That’s awesome to hear, Niccole! I love that you pulsed the thigh meat, such a clever shortcut. And I’m so glad the flavor held up even without sauce. Thanks for the kind words!
Karen Hayes
0My chicken is all diced and ready to go! Yes, it was a chore, but I’m looking forward to the end result! I was wondering if I could still use the chicken breasts, cut them in chunks, and pulse a few times in the food processor? I wouldn’t want to make a paste out of the chicken, but perhaps it would break the chunks into tinier pieces? Might it work this way? Have you tried it? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, I haven’t tried this, so am not sure. I’d be concerned about it becoming a paste/ground or otherwise unevenly chopped, but maybe it could work. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Yvette
0Made these by recipe. They were excellent. Hubby even loved them. Served the leftovers on Keto buns a couple days later and they were even better that way. Cutting the chicken was a big pain but worth it.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you both loved them, Yvette! Serving the leftovers on keto buns sounds so good and I totally agree, the chicken can be a bit of work to prep, but it really is worth it in the end!
Shelly Tapp
0Thank you for the absolutely delicious recipe! Easy to make and so good that if you are following a low-carb diet, you feel like you are cheating. I did use cheddar cheese with the mozzarella. I also added some spicy chicken seasoning that I have. Very delicious and will definitely make again!
Wholesome Yum D
0Love hearing that, Shelly! I bet the spicy chicken seasoning gave it such a flavorful twist and the cheddar sounds like a perfect addition. So glad it felt like a treat!
Barbara White
0Hi Maya. I am loving all of the recipes and your great ideas for keto! I was wondering about using cornstarch instead of almond flour since I have an allergy to almonds. How much cornstarch would I need to use? Barbara White
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m happy to hear that, Barbara! You can use the same amount of cornstarch as almond flour, it just would not be low carb.
Anne-marie
0Can we use already cooked chicken ? I often have breasts leftovers. Thanks !
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Anne-marie, You can try, but they won’t turn out as juicy, and I’m not sure if they’ll stay together or fall apart. Please let me know how it goes if you try the recipe that way!
Mary Joan Vaccaro Olko
0My fritters fell apart how to prevent this?
Mary Joan Olko
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Mary Joan! I have tips to address this issue in my post above.
Benton
0I’m pre-diabetic so really appreciate all of the low-carb recipes. I made these Chicken Fritters for the first time last night; these and a salad hardly made a ripple on my CGM graph. I’m sure they’ll go into the regular rotation now.
With all the cheese, and using Costco frozen chicken which has added brine, I’m not sure they need additional salt. (I tend to prefer lower salt, anyway.)
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad the recipe worked well for you, Benton! Super helpful for others who might be using already brined chicken too.
Darlene
0I haven’t made the recipe yet and compiling favorite recipes, And I have 28 notebooks full of recipes. I thank you for sharing this recipe and I’m anxious to make the recipe. A fri
Lori A Fitzgerald
0I made these about a month back after I saw your recipie. I had 2 large chicken breasts and it made a LOT of tasty fritters. My nephew Loved them! Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad to hear that, Lori! It’s always a win when the recipe makes a lot and gets the seal of approval from family.
BILL MOONEY
0I know you did a version of this with ground (minced) chicken, but what do you think of using shredded chicken (not cooked and shredded, but raw and shredded like potatoes for hashbrowns)?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bill, I haven’t done this but I think it would be pretty challenging to grate raw chicken using a grater.
Summer Peters
0I followed the recipe exactly as written except I added some crushed red pepper, I prepped it last night and made it today. It was crazy easy and SO delicious. I made a mint tzatziki to go with it which is lovely but they are also delicious without it. This recipe convinced me to sign up for your VIP subscription. I can’t wait to get my first meal plan from you! Cheers!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you liked these, Summer! They are perfect with tzatziki. Thanks for signing up for Wholesome Yum meal plans, I hope you love those as well!