Paula Deen Chicken Cakes

I keep making these Paula Deen chicken cakes because they’re one of those things that shouldn’t work as well as they do but then you bite into one and you’re like, okay, I get it. They’re not fancy but they use up leftover chicken in a way that feels like a real meal, not leftovers.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The panko keeps everything from getting dense and sad
• You’re using 2 tablespoons of butter twice and that’s just how it is
• These chicken patties hold together without falling apart in the pan, which is honestly half the battle
• The sautéed vegetables give you actual flavor instead of just filler
• They crisp up on the outside but stay moist inside because of the mayo
• You can make 10 of these and freeze half for later when you don’t feel like cooking

The Story Behind This Recipe

I tested this last Tuesday after work because I had chicken from Sunday’s roast just sitting there. Wanted something that wasn’t a salad or a sad sandwich.

Turns out this southern chicken recipe is forgiving enough that even when I was tired and not measuring things perfectly, it still came together. The Worcestershire sauce does more work than you’d think for just a teaspoon.

I’ve made chicken cakes before from other recipes and they always fell apart or tasted like cafeteria food. This one actually has enough fat and the right binder ratio that they stay in one piece when you flip them.

What You Need

You’re going to need 2 cups of cooked chicken that’s either shredded or chopped, doesn’t really matter which. I used leftover roast chicken but rotisserie works just as well if you’re not trying to use up Sunday dinner.

For the vegetables you’ll sauté first, grab 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped celery and 1/2 cup chopped onion. The celery adds this texture thing that keeps the chicken cakes from feeling like you’re just eating a chicken nugget. Don’t skip it even if you think you don’t like celery.

The binder situation is 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 2 large eggs, which sounds like a lot of mayo but that’s what keeps everything moist without being greasy. You’ll also need 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt. The seasoned salt does more than regular salt here because it has garlic and whatever else in there.

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs is what you’re using, not regular breadcrumbs. Panko stays lighter somehow and doesn’t turn into paste when it gets wet. Then there’s 2 tablespoons butter for cooking the vegetables and another 2 tablespoons butter for frying the patties. 4 tablespoons total butter and I’m not apologizing for it.

How to Make Paula Deen Chicken Cakes

Get a small skillet going over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter in there. Once it’s melted and starting to foam a little, throw in your 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped celery, and 1/2 cup chopped onion all at once. Let them cook for around 5 minutes until they soften up.

You want them tender but not falling apart. They should still have some bite to them when you press a piece with your spatula. The smell is going to be that sweet onion thing mixed with the pepper, kind of fills up the whole kitchen.

Grab a large bowl and put your 2 cups of cooked chicken in there with the 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs. Add those warm sautéed vegetables right on top and just leave it for a minute while you deal with the wet stuff.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt. Get it completely blended so there’s no streaks of egg white floating around.

Pour that wet mixture into your chicken bowl. Now fold everything together gently, like you’re not trying to beat it into submission. The texture you’re going for is moist but it should still hold a shape when you squeeze some in your hand.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: if you rest the mixture for like 2 minutes before shaping, the panko absorbs some moisture and the patties hold together way better when you flip them. I didn’t do this the first time and one of them broke apart in the pan.

Shape the whole thing into 10 patties. They should feel firm enough that they’re not falling apart but still soft when you press down on top. I made mine about the size of my palm, maybe a little smaller.

Heat your remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts foaming and making those little bubbles, that’s when you add your chicken patties. Don’t crowd them, do batches if your pan’s not huge.

Cook each side for 3 to 5 minutes. You’re watching for a deep golden brown crust to form before you even think about flipping. Don’t press them down with your spatula because that just squeezes out all the moisture you worked to keep in there. They’ll release from the pan on their own when they’re ready and you’ll hear this really satisfying sizzle with crispy edges starting to show.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t let the vegetables cool down even a little bit before mixing them with everything else. Just dumped them straight from the hot pan into the bowl with the chicken and the eggs started cooking right there in the mixture. Made these weird little cooked egg bits throughout the southern chicken recipe that weren’t terrible but definitely weren’t what I was going for.

Next time I literally just moved the pan off the heat for 3 minutes while I whisked the mayo mixture and that was enough. They don’t need to be cold, just not actively steaming. Also I tried to flip them too early because I got impatient and one broke in half, so now I wait until I see actual browning at the edges before I touch them.

Paula Deen Chicken Cakes

By Emma

Prep:

25 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

45 min

Servings:

10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 tablespoons butter

Method

1. 1 Start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a small skillet. Throw in the red bell pepper, celery, and onion. Let them cook until they soften, around 5 minutes. You want the vegetables tender but not mushy; they should still keep a slight bite and fill the kitchen with a subtle onion and pepper aroma.
2. 2 In a large bowl, mix together the chopped or shredded chicken, the panko breadcrumbs, and the warm vegetable mix. Leave it alone for the moment while you get the wet ingredients ready.
3. 3 In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoned salt until completely blended. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the chicken and vegetables. Gently fold everything together, taking care not to overwork the mixture—the texture should be moist but still able to hold a shape.
4. 4 Shape the combined mixture into 10 patties. Each one should feel firm enough to hold together yet soft when pressed.
5. 5 Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large skillet. When the butter foams and bubbles, fry the chicken cakes in batches if needed. Cook each side for 3 to 5 minutes. Look for a deep golden brown crust forming before flipping—resist pressing them down to maintain juiciness inside.
6. 6 You’ll know the cakes are done when they release easily from the pan and the sound is a satisfying sizzle with a slightly crisp edge. Serve hot or keep warm until ready.

Nutritional information

Calories

280

Protein

19g

Carbs

9g

Fat

18g

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Tips for the Best Paula Deen Chicken Cakes

Make sure your chicken pieces aren’t too big or you’ll get these clumps that don’t bind right. I cut mine into chunks about the size of a pea and that worked better than the bigger shreds.

If your mixture feels too wet after you mix it, add another tablespoon of panko and let it sit for a minute. The breadcrumbs will soak up the extra moisture and you won’t end up with patties that spread out in the pan like pancakes.

The butter needs to be hot enough that it sizzles when you add the chicken patties but not so hot that it’s browning immediately. I keep my heat at medium the whole time and never touch the dial once I start cooking.

Use a metal spatula instead of a plastic one for flipping because you need something thin enough to slide under without tearing the crust. Those thick silicone spatulas just push the whole thing around the pan.

When you’re shaping them, wet your hands a tiny bit first. Makes it so the mixture doesn’t stick to your fingers and you can form smoother patties that don’t have all those cracks on the surface where they’ll break apart later.

Serving Ideas

I put mine on a soft bun with lettuce and more mayo like a chicken burger and that was honestly better than I expected. The contrast between the crispy outside and the soft bun worked.

They’re also really good on top of a salad if you’re trying to make it feel like more of a meal. Just tear them into chunks while they’re still warm and the heat wilts the lettuce a little bit.

My friend ate hers with mashed potatoes and green beans like it was Thanksgiving, which felt weird to me at first but then I tried it. Southern chicken recipe meets meat-and-three and it makes sense.

Variations

You can swap the red bell pepper for poblano if you want a little heat without going crazy. The smokiness works with the Worcestershire sauce in a way that regular peppers don’t give you.

I tried using Greek yogurt instead of half the mayo once to make it healthier and it actually held together fine. The tang was stronger though so you might want to cut back on the mustard if you do this.

Adding 1/4 cup shredded cheddar into the mixture before shaping makes them more kid-friendly. The cheese melts inside and holds everything together even better, plus it tastes like those cheese and crackers my kids eat.

Sweet potato works instead of regular chicken if you’re cooking for someone who doesn’t eat meat, but you’ll need to add another egg because it’s wetter. I haven’t tried this myself but my sister did and said they were softer but still good.

FAQ

Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko? You can but they’ll be denser and the texture won’t be as light. Regular breadcrumbs soak up more moisture so your chicken cakes might feel heavy instead of that airy thing panko gives you.

How do I store leftover chicken patties? Put them in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together. They’ll keep in the fridge for 3 days and you can reheat them in a skillet with a little butter.

Can I freeze these before or after cooking? Both ways work but I freeze them after cooking because then I just reheat and eat. If you freeze them raw, put parchment between each one and cook them straight from frozen, just add 2 extra minutes per side.

Do I have to use rotisserie chicken or can I use canned? Canned chicken works but drain it really well and maybe add an extra tablespoon of panko because it’s wetter than rotisserie. The texture’s different, more shredded, but it still holds together fine.

What if my mixture is too dry to form patties? Add mayo one tablespoon at a time until it comes together. Don’t add water or milk because that makes them fall apart when you cook them.

Can I bake these instead of frying them? Yeah, 375°F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won’t get as crispy on the outside but they’ll still cook through and you’ll use less butter.

Why did my chicken cakes fall apart in the pan? Either you flipped them too early before the crust set, or your mixture was too wet, or you didn’t let it rest before shaping. The panko needs time to absorb the moisture or it won’t bind right.

What can I use instead of Worcestershire sauce? Soy sauce works in the same amount but it’ll be saltier so cut the seasoned salt in half. The flavor’s different, more umami and less tangy, but it still gives you that depth.

How do I know when they’re cooked through? They should be firm when you press the top gently and the edges will look set instead of wet. If you’re nervous, cut one open and check that there’s no raw egg mixture in the middle.

Can I make these smaller for appetizers? Sure, shape them into 20 small patties instead of 10 and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes per side. They’ll cook faster because they’re thinner so watch them closer.

What kind of mustard should I use? Yellow mustard is what I used and it’s tangy without being spicy. Dijon works too but it’s stronger so you might want to use 2 teaspoons instead of a full tablespoon.

Do I need to cook the vegetables first or can I use them raw? You have to cook them first or they’ll be crunchy and release water while the chicken patties cook, which makes everything soggy. The 5 minutes in butter softens them just enough.

Can I use turkey instead of chicken? Turkey works the same way since it has a similar texture. Darker meat turkey stays moister than white meat so if you’ve got both, use more dark meat.

How do I reheat these without drying them out? Put them in a skillet over medium-low heat with a tablespoon of butter for about 2 minutes per side. The microwave makes them rubbery so don’t do that.

What size skillet should I use? A 10-inch or 12-inch skillet lets you cook 4 or 5 chicken cakes at once without crowding. If your pan’s smaller just do more batches because crowding makes them steam instead of crisp.

Can I use olive oil instead of butter? You can but the flavor won’t be as rich and they won’t brown as nicely. Butter has milk solids that help with browning and give you that slightly nutty taste.

Why do my patties spread out instead of staying thick? Your mixture’s too wet or you’re pressing down on them while they cook. Let them sit for 2 minutes after mixing before you shape them and don’t touch them once they hit the pan.

Can I add other vegetables to the mixture? Corn or diced jalapeños work but don’t add more than 1/4 cup total or you’ll throw off the ratio. Too many vegetables and there’s not enough binder to hold everything together.

What’s the difference between seasoned salt and regular salt? Seasoned salt has garlic powder, onion powder and sometimes paprika mixed in. If you only have regular salt, use 1/4 teaspoon and add a pinch of garlic powder.

How thick should I make the patties? About 3/4 inch thick so they cook through without burning on the outside. I noticed if you make them thicker they stay raw in the middle even when the outside looks done.