Chicken Patties (Easy Chicken Cakes) VIDEO

Everyone loves these Chicken Patties, even the pickiest eaters! They are crisp on the outside with a juicy, cheesy center and it’s a genius way to use leftover Rotisserie Chicken.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Chicken Patties Video Tutorial:

We love making these anytime we have leftover chicken and no one would ever guess you used leftovers. The chicken becomes super tender and tasty when combined with the batter and the panko crust seals in the moist center.

Years ago, we shared our favorite Cheesy Chicken Fritters recipe and it was an instant hit. So many of you let me know that it works just as well with cooked chicken so we tested it and loved it, then this Chicken Patties recipe was born. So, thank you for making this recipe happen!

Ingredients for Chicken Cakes:

Chicken cakes are super easy to make. All you need is a rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken meat, a simple batter, mozzarella cheese, and Panko bread crumbs (or use whatever bread crumbs you have on hand). The lemon zest and dill seem insignificant, but they completely transform these chicken patties.

Can I Substitute the Chicken?

• Canned Chicken – make sure to drain well and use (3) 12.5-oz cans of chicken.
• Raw Chicken – If you want to use raw diced chicken or even ground chicken, check out our chicken fritters recipe.

The Easiest Way to Shred Chicken:

There are three basic ways to shred the chicken: by hand, with 2 forks and our favorite is to use a stand mixer.

To shred chicken with a stand mixer: This method works best if your chicken is still warm. Break chicken breasts in half and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until chicken is shredded. Be careful not overmix since it takes seconds to shred. Try this method for Pulled Pork or Crockpot Pulled Chicken.

Can I Make Chicken Patties Ahead?

You can make these ahead up to any point in the process, even to bread them then refrigerate for a couple of days until ready to saute.

The USDA recommends refrigerating cooked chicken or leftovers up to 4 days so it depends on how long your leftover chicken has been in the refrigerator. I cook half of the batch on the first day and sautee a fresh batch a couple of days later.

How to Reheat Chicken Patties:

The air fryer is our favorite method since it makes the crust crisp again. The microwave is our least favorite method because the crust softens but the patties will taste great even microwaved. This is one of the few chicken recipes that we still enjoy reheated in the microwave.

• Air Fryer – you can re-crisp chicken patties in the air fryer at 350˚F for 4 minutes, flipping halfway
• Skillet – place on a dry non-stick skillet over medium heat and sautee until crisp and just warmed through
• Microwave – microwave 30 seconds at a time, or just until the center is warmed through.

How to Serve Chicken Patties:

Just like our salmon cakes, shrimp cakes, and classic crab cakes, we love serving these as appetizers or a light lunch. Here are some creative ways to serve a chicken patty:

1. Chicken sliders – make a chicken sandwich or sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls
2. With a sauce – like the lemon aioli dip that we used for Crisp Zucchini Bites. You could use Avocado Ranch or plain ranch.
3. Main Course – serve chicken patties as the main protein with mashed potatoes and a fresh salad.

More Leftover Chicken Recipes:

We love to repurpose leftovers and make easy meals out of them. We especially love recipes that make the chicken taste even better like these Chicken Patties. Here are more creative ways to use leftover chicken:

• Chicken Fried Rice – a family favorite easy dinner
• Avocado Chicken Salad – our most popular salad of all time
• Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwiches – a restaurant copycat with secret sauce
• Chicken Enchiladas – shred leftover chicken for easy enchiladas
• Chicken Wild Rice Soup – using pre-cooked chicken is just as good
• Chicken Noodle Soup – our easiest family-friendly soup

Chicken Patties (Easy Chicken Cakes) Recipe

4.97 from 226 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Everyone loves these Chicken Patties, even the pickiest eaters! They are crisp on the outside with a juicy, cheesy center and it's a genius way to use leftover Rotisserie Chicken.

SaveSaved Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Chilling Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

Servings: 14 patties

• 4 cups shredded chicken, from 2 large chicken breasts, (16 oz by weight)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 Tbsp parsley)
• 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon zest, plus lemon wedges to serve
• 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 Tbsp olive oil to saute, divided
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together: 2 eggs, 1/3 cup mayo, 1/3 cup flour, 3 Tbsp dill, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp lemon zest.
• Add in shredded chicken and 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella then stir until chicken is well coated in batter.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture at least 30 minutes (this will help with forming patties). Use a trigger release ice cream scoop to divide into 12-15 cakes then form into 1/2-inch thick patties. Dip both sides in Panko crumbs.
• Place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and half of the chicken patties. Sauté for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown, adding more oil as needed. Repeat with remaining patties.
• As soon as patties are off the heat, sprinkle with salt and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the patties. Serve warm.

Nutrition Per Serving

185kcal Calories6g Carbs14g Protein11g Fat3g Saturated Fat63mg Cholesterol296mg Sodium121mg Potassium1g Fiber1g Sugar109IU Vitamin A1mg Vitamin C100mg Calcium1mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Patties (Easy Chicken Cakes) Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

185

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

11

g

17

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Cholesterol

 

63

mg

21

%

Sodium

 

296

mg

13

%

Potassium

 

121

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

 

6

g

2

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

14

g

28

%

Vitamin A

 

109

IU

2

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

100

mg

10

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken cakes, chicken patties

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 185