Let me give you a little bit of advice, my friends. Head to your kitchen right now and whip up a batch of these Chicken Fritters. You will be so darn happy that you did! These tasty nuggets are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with cheesy goodness.
Make a big batch to serve to friends with some feta dressing or chipotle ranch dressing for dipping. Or keep them all for yourself for quick lunches or high protein snacks. They’re great over salad too!
Susan says:
“These are literally the BEST. I’ve made them so many times as a meal. Side of steamed garlic broccoli, & serve with ranch, bleu cheese, au jus, all of the above, whatever. Whole family loves them. So much flavor.”
These keto chicken fritters have been insanely popular from the moment I hit publish. And it’s not hard to see why. They’re made with simple, wholesome ingredients. And the cheddar melts into the fritters as they cook, creating a crispy golden crust and a tender, cheesy interior.
It’s easily one of my most popular keto appetizer recipes. One bite and you’ll be hooked. And if you watch the video and see me doing the happy dance, you might just want to groove along with me!
Why readers love this recipe
- Fabulous flavor: These chicken fritters are made with sharp cheddar, garlic, and red pepper flakes, for bold savory flavor.
- Wonderful texture: Crispy on the outside, tender and cheesy on the inside!
- Easy recipe: Using ground chicken makes these fritters come together quickly and easily.
- Healthy ingredients: No special ingredients in this recipe. Just some chicken, cheese, almond flour, and some seasonings.
- Gluten-free: Great for people who can’t tolerate wheat or gluten.
- Customizable: Feel free to use ground turkey or a different cheese like pepper jack. I have one reader who made a Tex Mex version!
- Make ahead: You can easily prep these ahead for easy appetizers or family-friendly dinners.
- Great macros: With 19 grams of protein and less than 2 grams of carbs per serving, these chicken fritters are ideal for low carb and keto-friendly diets.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground chicken: This simplifies the process, as there is no need to chop the chicken or to process it in a food processor.
- Sharp cheddar: I grated a full block of sharp cheddar (Cabot Seriously Sharp!) for these fritters and they were seriously amazing. They had a crispy cheese crust as they came out of the pan that was absolutely delectable.
- Almond flour: Almond flour or another nut or seed meal will help bind the mixture together. I don’t recommend coconut flour, as it will make the fritters dry and tough. Instead, try using another nut or seed meal, or even ground pork rinds.
- Egg: This is the glue that binds the patty mixture together.
- Seasonings: Garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
- Oil and butter for frying
Overview: How to make Chicken Fritters
- Combine the ingredients: Combine the chicken, cheddar, almond flour, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix with your hands to make it all nicely uniform.
- Form the patties: Use about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time and form into small patties about 2 ½ to 3 inches across. Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate one hour.
- Cook the patties: Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet and add butter. When melted and hot, brown the chicken patties until cooked through.
- Drain: Place the patties on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any residual oil.
Tips for Success
An hour in the fridge allows the fritters to firm up hold together better when frying. But you can make the patties up to a day in advance of cooking.
Make them any size! I like the small fritters for appetizers and snacks but many readers turn them into full size burgers.
You should get 24 to 26 small patties, and you can cook 8 to 10 at a time in a large skillet, so you will need to work in batches. I recommend scraping out some of the stuck-on cheese between batches, to avoid burning it.
Yes, you can air fry them! Grease the basket well and then brush a little melted butter over the fritters to help them brown. I suggest cooking them at 400ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can serve them with ranch dressing or homemade keto ketchup for an appetizer. Or pair them with keto coleslaw or cauliflower potato salad as part of a full meal! Really, the sky is the limit here. Check out my full list of keto side dishes to find something that strikes your fancy.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a warm oven. You can also freeze the cooked chicken fritters for several months. Use a heavy duty freezer bag and remove excess air to avoid freezer burn.
This keto chicken fritter recipe has 1.7g of carbs and 0.6g of fiber per serving. If you count net carbs, that comes to 0.9g carbs for 2 fritters.
Chicken Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb (907.18 g) ground chicken
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) Cabot Seriously Sharp, grated
- ½ cup (56 g) almond flour
- 1 large (1) egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp (1.5 tbsp) butter
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, cheddar, almond flour, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to mix everything well.
- Using 2 tablespoons at a time, form the mixture into small patties about 2 ½ to 3 inches across. You should get 24 to 26 patties. Place on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate one hour.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and ½ tablespoon of the butter. Once hot, add 8 to 10 of the chicken patties. Cook about 3 minutes per side, until cooked through (the internal temperature should reach at least 165ºF on an instant read thermometer).
- Place the finished patties on a paper towel lined plate to dry and repeat 2 more times, until all of the patties are cooked. Note: you may want to scrape out some of the baked-on cheese between batches, to avoid burning it.
- Serve warm, with some ranch or bleu cheese dressing for dipping.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Hi Carolyn, do you have a suggestion for using a different type of cheese? Because of my migraines, the sharper the cheese, or more aged, the worst the migraine. This recipe looks delicious and I would love to try it with an alternative cheese. Any suggestions?
Interesting. Sorry to hear it but honestly, any hard or semi-hard cheese should be good in these. Hey, even feta would be tasty!
Thanks Carolyn. Your recipes have helped me immensely on my journey to healthy living. I used to weigh 262 but after a major lifestyle change, walking and your help I currently weigh 256. Huge fan! Thank you.
😜OOPS = I weigh 156. ☺️
These were fantastic. They were not dry, but a perfect consistency, which is not easy to do when working with chicken. I fried mine in olive oil and served them with my “wild rice” alternative. I will be making batches of these to freeze for quick meals—they will be my go-to gourmet chicken nuggets!
I really appreciate the time and effort of your recipe creations. I have made many of your recipes now and it has been quite a life-saver to have a source for so many good ones. This keto diet is extremely difficult and takes much dedication and discipline—and good recipes makes it easier to stick to. Salute!
Thanks!
is the chicken in this recipe raw or cooked?
If it was cooked, I would specify that. 🙂
I made these tonight using my air fryer at 400 for 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through. I made them a little bigger than appetizer size and we had for dinner with a salad. They were so tasty, cheesy, and crispy – my husband and I both loved them! I didn’t refrigerate them first but they held together well in the fryer. Thanks, Carolyn!
I was going to ask how they did in an air fryer. Thank you for posting your results! I will give this a try.
These are a fave in our house and on regular rotation these days. This last batch we made, we added approx. 1/4 cup of hemp hearts that added a bit of nuttiness and amplified the taste further.
Is the « ground chicken » cooked or uncooked?
Ground chicken typically comes uncooked.
Thanks…cuz I need to grind it myself! (Barcelona)
Do you think this could work for a kid’s lunch box? I can’t wait to try this!
Absolutely! They can be out of the fridge for a few hours.
Sure, homemade chicken nuggets 😉 You’ll be Mom of the Year!
Would this work using canned chicken? I have some that I want to use up so I was just wondering.
This is a much requested recipe in our house. I have made it both with ground chicken and with canned white meat chicken (both are equally delicious). I have also experimented with different cheeses. Each time it has been a hit. It is a wonderful recipe for parties as it is a great finger food. Thank you for another hit out of the park recipe!
Thanks for the tip on canned chicken. I always have that in the house. Not so much the ground chicken.
How much canned chicken did you use? I have 2 Costco cans. Would I use 1 or 2?
I made this for my class reunion and it was the only appetizer that didn’t have any leftovers. Several folks asked for the recipe, so I posted the link in our class chat.
Always flavorful and not labor intensive. I think it will become my go to for carry-in appetizers.
THS class of 78 is great!!
how could this recipe be made using leftover chicken breasts?
I don’t know, as I didn’t make mine that way. Sounds like you need to experiment!
my family loved these.
How long should you reheat in oven? Don’t want them to dry out. After I reheat I want to throw them in crockpot on warm setting to take to craft day retreat.
I reheat mine for 10 minutes or so. Just until warmed through in the center.
These are literally the BEST. I’ve made them so many times as a meal. Side of steamed garlic broccoli, & serve with ranch, bleu cheese, au jus, all of the above, whatever. Whole family loves them. So much flavor. Do NOT shortcut the cheese. Buy your favorite block & grate. My personal favorite is Cabot New York Seriously Sharp. Makes all the difference.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Literally! These are delish! So happy I made these. I followed the recipe to the T. And they were awesome!
These are the best! I used a 2 TBS cookie scoop and then flattened with my hand on the cookie sheet before placing in the refrigerator. Since I made a double batch, so I could freeze some, this made it very easy.