This cheesy chicken fritters recipe takes just 30 minutes to make, so it’s super easy and also perfect for the Keto diet.
Hey Foodies,
Today I will show you how to make chicken fritters with mozzarella, a super delish recipe that’s also perfect for the Ketogenic diet.
Apart from being a great Keto recipe, the cheesy chicken fritters are also perfect for meal planning, as I will explain in the Tips & Tricks below.
But before that, does everybody know what the Keto diet is all about?
If you do, you can skip to the next section to see my useful Tips & Tricks.
If you don’t know what a Keto diet is, well, let’s bring everybody on the same page, shall we?!
More Keto Recipes:
What is the Keto Diet?
A Keto diet (a.k.a Ketogenic diet) is a low-carb, high-fat diet with many proven benefits, especially for weight-loss, health, and overall body and mind performance.
This diet excludes carbs almost entirely and replaces them with fat. By doing that, it changes the metabolic process of the body replacing the fuel it needs to function.
The name comes from the words ‘Ketosis’ and ‘Ketones’.
Ketosis is the metabolic state in which the body goes when you reduce the carbohydrate intake.
Ketones are particles produces by the liver out of fat.
So when you cut down the carbs in your diet your body goes into ketosis and starts burning fat, producing ketones as a result. It burns fat instead of carbs to produce the needed energy.
That’s the reason why the Keto diet is so effective for weight-loss.
Now, you might wonder what should one eat on a Keto Diet.
Well, I’ve got some good news about that… This diet is not as restrictive as one might think.
What foods are allowed on the keto diet
Here is a list of Keto foods and I’m sure you’ll find it quite relaxed:
- Meats: beef, poultry, fish, seafood etc
- Dairy: Cheese, butter
- Veggies that grow above ground: broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower etc
- Low-carb sweeteners: stevia, monk fruit, stevia, erythritol
- Eggs
- Nuts and seeds
- Natural fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado etc
And here’s a list of foods to avoid under a Keto diet:
- Fruits: Apples, Bananas, etc
- Sugar: chocolate, honey, maple syrup, candies, donuts
- Soda/Juice
- Grains or products made of grains: pasta, bread, corn, rice, cereal, wheat etc.
- Beans or legumes: Peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
- Root vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
Ruled.me wrote an in-depth article about Keto foods and they also put together a comprehensive Beginner’s guide. You should definitely check them out if you’re thinking of adopting this diet.
As you can see, the list of Keto foods is not as restrictive as in other diets and my cheesy chicken fritters recipe proves that they can also be delicious.
I know I probably spent a bit more time on this subject than I should have since our main topic is how to make chicken fritters, but you know me already. I tend to get carried away by topics I am fond of.
And now let’s get to another part that I am quite fond of…
How to make chicken fritters – Best Tips & Tricks
1. How to prepare the mixture for chicken fritters
As you will see in other recipes, there are many ways of preparing the mixture for the cheesy chicken fritters. But I wanted to make them Ketogenic so I had to stick within the rules and use only approved ingredients.
The first thing to keep in mind is that you need to chop the chicken in very small pieces. Then, add eggs, almond flour, and shredded mozzarella. This will make the mixture hold together nicely.
Next, you need to add the flavorings such as fresh chopped herbs, dried herbs, garlic, chili, salt & pepper, or any other seasonings of your choice.
Mix everything well, then you can either make them right away or refrigerate the mix until you’re ready to cook them. You can even refrigerate the meat mixture overnight, so if you have a special occasion the next day, like a potluck, for instance, you can prepare it the night before and cook the fritters just before guests arrive.
Now that you know how to make the mixture for chicken fritters, let’s see how you can adapt this recipe to your taste.
2. Adapt this easy chicken fritters recipe to your taste
I made these cheesy chicken fritters with mozzarella, but you can replace it with any shredded cheese. It’s worth noting here that the cheese should be a melty one (like cheddar, gouda or provolone) to hold the mixture together.
As for the seasonings in these cheesy chicken fritters, the sky is the limit. Actually, it’s your taste buds and the ingredients available but you get the point.
You can use any of your favorites and here are a few good ideas:
- dried oregano
- Italian mix
- smoked paprika
- chili
- ground cumin
Furthermore, you can replace the chicken with turkey and you can use ground meat or chopped skinless breast or thighs.
You should now have a better idea of what ingredients can be replaced in this easy chicken fritters recipe. Of course, if there’s anything that I haven’t covered here, don’t hesitate to pop a question in the comments below or on social media.
Now let’s see how you can use this easy chicken fritters recipe for meal planning.
3. This easy chicken fritters recipe is perfect for meal planning
Apart from being healthy and Keto
, this easy chicken fritters recipe is also perfect for meal planning
.
You can place the cheesy chicken fritters in airtight containers
and refrigerate them for up to 5 days. There’s one very important thing to note here.
If you plan to serve them with a side dish, like greens or chopped salad, or with some sort of dressing, don’t mix them together until just before serving.
And now let’s see what you can serve with them.
4. What to serve with cheesy chicken fritters
Here are a few Keto sides that go perfectly with cheesy chicken fritters:
- Roasted cauliflower
- Roasted aubergines
- Green salad
- Chopped salad
- Grilled or roasted non-starchy veggies
If dieting is not for you, then here are a few good ideas:
- Vegan Thai Rice Salad
- Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
- Vegan Chopped Salad With Quinoa
- Vegan Couscous Salad With Roasted Veggies
Now let’s wrap things up, as I am sure you know by now how to make chicken fritters easy and Keto.
It is time to make this easy chicken fritters recipe, then take a few snaps, post them on Instagram and tag me with @theblondelish.
And don’t forget. If you need advice to make this easy chicken fritters recipe just drop me a line in the comments or on social media.
Also, if you liked this recipe video and want to see more like it, please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
Cheesy Chicken Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb (700g) skinless boneless chicken breast
- 2 medium eggs
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil - finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp chives - chopped
- 2 Tbsp parsley - chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper - or to taste
- 1 Tbps olive oil - or more to fry
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast on a chopping board and using a sharp knife, chop it into tiny pieces, then place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Into the large bowl, stir in almond flour, eggs, mozzarella, basil, chives, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick pan, over medium-low heat. With an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, scoop into the chicken mixture and transfer it to the pan, then slightly flatten to create a fritter. Don't overcrowd the pan, cook the fritters in batches, about 4 per batch.
- Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 6-8 minutes. Keep in mind that you need to cook them at medium-low temp, otherwise they will burn on the outside but won't get well cooked on the inside.
Serve with your favorite dip and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- You can replace the cheese with any shredded melty cheese like cheddar, gouda or provolone.
- Use any of your favorite seasonings and here are a few good ideas: dried oregano, Italian mix, smoked paprika, chili, ground cumin.
- You can replace the chicken with turkey. See more on how to adapt this easy chicken fritters recipe at Tip #2.
- For meal planning, you can place the cheesy chicken fritters in airtight containers and refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Just remember to keep them separate from any side dish, dressing or sauce until you're ready to serve them. (See Tip #3)
- See Tip #4 for side dish ideas.
*This post may contain affiliate links
The texture would be a little different but I think you could swap out ground chicken or turkey for the chopped breast meat
Yes, that would work too
great recipe however I do not see a breakdown of fat/calories or carbs??
Hi Vivian,
I don’t post the breakdowns because I’ve tried a few nutritional value calculators and many of them give very different results. So I wouldn’t want to state the wrong values.
It is a feature that I’m considering, however, until I am certain of the accuracy I’d rather hold off.
What’s the carbs?
This was something that many foodies requested, so I added a nutrition label to the recipe as of now. Please note that this is calculated with online nutrition calculators and it can vary based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.
Thanks!
Is the chicken or ground turkey pre cooked?
Hi Linda,
No, they’re not pre-cooked.
Do you cook the chicken first?
No, you have to mix the chicken with all ingredients and cook them together
I was wondering about that! Has anyone tried ground chicken?
I honestly haven’t tried it but I’m sure it works.
I put my chicken breasts (in pieces) in my mini food processor and whirled away! Was much simpler than chopping by hand. Turned out perfect!
Karen that is how I make them-they are fantastic!
The breakdown of fat/protein/carbs needed for Marcos would be helpful. Based on the size …. one could be a portion. Thank you!
This was something that many foodies requested, so I added a nutrition label to the recipe as of now. Please note that this is calculated with online nutrition calculators and it can vary based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.
Thanks!
What kind of dip did you have with yours? Or what do you suggest?
Hi Jacqueline,
Here are a few Keto dips that would go well with the cheesy chicken fritters:
Tzatziki
Keto Ranch
Guacamole
Homemade Mayo or Ketchup
I use ground chicken every time. Delicious!
Also, because we are watching our sodium, we dip these in Mr. Spice salt free gluten free Tangy Bang sauce.
Great tip! Thanks Jamie
Can you use coconut oil instead? Is the nutritional value listed based on 1 fritter per serving?
Hi Teresa,
Yes, you can use coconut oil.
This recipe will yield about 12 fritters, so 1 serving has 3 fritters. The nutritional value is calculated per serving.
This recipe is The Bomb!!! Perfect for a light supper or a snack! Since I am only cooking for one, I used canned chicken breast and it was perfect. I made it again using Hormel Smoked Ham in the can. Delicious.
Super happy you like it!! I’ve never tried it with smoked ham but sounds delicious. I’ll definitely give it a try
Pam,
What size cans and how many did you use?
Thanks!
Pen
I was wondering if you have tried baking them rather than frying them??
I haven’t tried it but it should work fine. If you’re going that route, make sure you preheat the oven to 400F and line the sheet pan with silicone baking mats. And I think the baking time should be 10-15 minutes but to be sure, check them after 10 minutes. Let me know how it goes
Can’t wait to try these! Would coconut flour be an ok substitute for the almond flour?
Yeah, it should work, but they might have a slight coconut flavor
How many fritters are in one serving?
3-4 per serving, depending on the amount of mixture you use for each
Can I use canned chicken instead?
I haven’t tried it yet but it should be fine
I loved this recipe. Yes i did use ground chicken and added a bit of ginger garlic paste and cinnamon powder. It absolutely yummy and so quick to prepare. I served it with asparagus sauted in garlic and butter. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Happy you like it! Ginger garlic paste and cinnamon powder sounds super tasty, you just gave me ideas 🙂
This did not turn out for me at all. I used chopped rotisserie meat as I was worried the chicken wouldn’t cook all the way through. They didn’t stay together in the pan at all and never got crispy on the outside.
Sorry to hear that. I haven’t tried it with cooked chicken yet but it’s best to use small chopped raw chicken just like in the video. Combined with the rest of the ingredients, the chicken fritters will get cooked kind of like meatballs and everything will hold together nicely, so no need to worry about that.
Ketchup?? Not keto-friendly! Otherwise will try 🙂
Happy you like it. You can use keto-friendly ketchup, either homemade or store-bought.
They have a low carb sugar free ketchup now with the other Heinz ketchups in any grocery store. Also good with low carb thousand island dressing or just mix the ketchup with mayo!
Can you freeze them?
Yes, but only after you cook them
Can you use unbleached flour if you don’t have almond flour?
Or what else can you sub in place of almond flour? Is that when the Italian bread crumbs come in?
Hi Roberta,
Yes, you can use all purpose flour or Italian bread crumbs instead of almond flour.
Yes can you sub reg all purpose flour if you don’t have almond flour?
Hello, can i bake it at oven without oil? About 30 minute 180 degrees…?
Hi Evi,
I haven’t tried it this way, but it could work. Keep in mind to line parchment paper on the baking tray, otherwise, the chicken fritters could stick to the tray.
I think 20-25 minutes at 180C should be enough, but that depends on your oven. Some are more powerful than others. The safest way would be to start checking after 20 minutes. If they are not done, leave for 5 more minutes and check again.
Let me know if it works.
Flavors were there but man this was a mess in the pan. Didn’t stay together and stuck like crazy!
I make similar to this all tbe time with leftover chicken. You need to blitz tbe chicken in a food processor. I also add a spoon of mayonnaise. We use them for dinner, sandwiches, chicken parmesan.
Happy you like them so much. I am crazy about them too. Indeed, processing the chicken in a food processor is much easier than chopping.
I made mine the size of silver dollar pancakes so I got a batch of about 8. About what serving size is the calorie count that’s listed for?
Amazing recipe!!!
I’m so happy you like it! The calorie count is per serving and this recipe yields about 2-3 fritters per serving, depending on how thick or large you make them. I got a total of 12 fritters and counted 3 per serving, but in your case, I would say it’s 2 per serving (you probably made them larger than me).
These turned out awful. Wouldn’t stick together, stuck to the pan, and fell apart. I followed the recipe to a “T”.
I used ground chicken and added jalapeños…..wow. Really delicious and easy!
mmm… jalapeños. That’s such a great idea. Thanks for tip
Your ingredient list has basil, but the instructions don’t say to add it. Just FYI.
Thanks for the heads up! Just added it
If I wanted the recipe carb free could I leave out the flour completely and if so would I have to add something in order for it to stay together
Hi Shirley,
I’m afraid the flour and eggs help the mixture stay together and I don’t know a flour replacement that is completely carb-free. You could try to remove the flour and one egg from the recipe. This will make it carb-free, but I haven’t tested it yet so I don’t know if the fritters will actually stick together.
Another thing you could try is to replace the almond flour with coconut flour. This is not 100% carb-free but its carbs per serving are 40% lower than almond flour (6g net carbs per cup vs 10g net carbs per cup of almond flour).
If you’re going with the first option, it would be great if you could send us an update with how the chicken fritters came out. As I said, I haven’t tried it but am really curious about this.
Yummy recipe! I made them in my mini waffle maker. Turned out perfect
Happy you like it and thanks for sharing the waffle maker tip!
How long did you cook them in the waffle maker? I’m adding this recipe to my chaffle challenge. 😎
I always use ground chicken, I don’t like messing with the raw chicken form, I have made several different recipes for fritters, they are always great. I haven’t made this yet but have printed off the details. Should I be able to use cheddar or freshly grated parmesan cheese in place of Mozzarella?
Melty cheeses are best to use in this recipe because they hold everything together well. So yes, Cheddar would work well but I wouldn’t recommend Parmesan unless you use it in combination with a melty cheese.
Can I use dry herbs rather than fresh? Thank you!
Yes, you can use any herbs you like, including dry. You’re most welcome!
Do you hAve to melt the cheese first
You just have to stir the shredded mozzarella in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and it will melt when you cook everything.
Has any one made this in an air fryer?
Yes, I’d love to know that too, I’m guessing like recipes for tuna or salmon patties?
Sounds delicious. What about using finely chopped steak instead of chicken?
I haven’t tried this yet, but I think it’ll work just fine. If you do try it, let me know how it goes.
It would be great to air fry !
Yes, many people have tried and loved it air fried
Can I make these larger in diameter like burgers? Or would it not work out?
Yes you can but you’d have to use more than 1 scoop of mixture to make a larger fritter. I think 2 scoops should be enough. Make sure you flatten them to the same height, otherwise if they are too thick, you’d have to cook them more and they might get burned.
Just letting you know these are awesome and I am going to try a little different take. I have some leftover chopped up rotisserie chicken in the fridge along with some green onions, shredded carrots, eggs and cheese. I’m going to try this and cook them a little less because the chicken is already cooked, we’ll see how it turns out!
So happy you like it and thanks for sharing your take on the recipe. Let us know how it turns out
Hi, can I use plain flour to replace almond flour? Will it be less delicious?
Hey Carmen,
Yeah, you can use plain flour and they’ll still be delicious AF 🙂
Instead of almond flour, Do you think Grinded Pork Rinds would work? 🙏🏻
Hmm, I’ve never tried it with grinded pork rinds but it sounds interesting. I think it would work and would actually add more fat which will make it even more Keto 🙂
If you try it, definitely let us know how it goes.
I’m egg and dairy free any suggestions on what I could use to replace the eggs in this please?
Hey Ruth,
Unfortunately, I can’t think of an alternative to eggs in this recipe. They are very important as they help the mixture hold up firmly. Otherwise, everything will come off.
You can use flax seed, applesauce, and other ideas..
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/egg-substitutes
Do you think I can put onions in this as well??
Hey Ashley,
Yes, you can put minced and thinly chopped onions.
Any idea how the fat content would change if you air fry or bake instead of frying in olive oil?
No idea, sorry. I didn’t try it air-fried.
Can you bake these?
Hi Teresa,
I’m not 100% sure as I haven’t tried it yet, but I think you can.
If you do try it, please let us know how it goes.
Thank you!
I love these! I used ground chicken and baked they instead of frying. My husband wants more lol. I think I’ll make him more chicken and I’m going to try some with tuna! Yummy! Thanks for the recipe
I’m so happy you like it. Tuna sounds like a good idea. I’ve never tried this recipe with tuna so be sure to let me know how it comes out. Thank you!
These are the best thing ever! I have made these 4-5 times now. I love them day of and for leftovers. I made a quick keto bang bang sauce to go with them. Thank you for this recipe!!
Thanks Tonya! I’m super happy you like them so much!
Fantastic recipe. I have a family of five (two are growing boys) so next time I will probably have to double the recipe. how do you keep cooked fritters hot and crispy while others cook? I tried placing in the oven but it seemed like the first batch had lost some crunch waiting.
Hi Jason,
Thanks very much, I’m happy you like it.
I guess you can try to reheat them for just a few minutes in the oven. When reheating, make sure to arrange them in a single layer with some space between them. This might help them regain some crunch but you’ll have to serve them once done.
I’m excited to try these. I’m going to fry some and air fry others. Hopefully I’ll remember to come back and share the results!
Hi Lisa,
Sounds like a great idea. Let us know how it goes.
I have made these many times before and absolutely love them. This time I’m going to try doing them on my Blackstone griddle! Can’t wait. I can do a lot at a time!
Thanks Sharon! I’m so happy you like them. Let me know how they come out
Merci beaucoup !
Très bon !👏😊
Merci beaucoup! 🙂