These cheesy broccoli chicken patties are one of my favorite quick meals! They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of cheesy goodness.
You’ll only need one bowl, one pan, and a few simple ingredients to have them ready in no time.
🛒Ingredients
- Chicken breast or tenderloins. I dice boneless, skinless chicken into tiny cubes so it cooks fast and evenly.
- Broccoli florets. Quickly blanched to stay tender but not mushy. Chop them small for easy mixing.
- Cheddar cheese. I love using sharp shredded cheddar for a rich cheesy flavor.
- Eggs. They help hold everything together.
- Cornstarch. Adds a light crispiness and keeps the patties from falling apart.
- Garlic powder & onion powder. Simple seasoning to add lots of flavor without overpowering.
👩🍳 You'll find the complete list of ingredients below the recipe card.
🥘 How To Make Chicken Broccoli Patties
Looking for more inspiration? See our 44 Easy 30-Minute Weeknight Dinners.
- Blanch the broccoli: Bring a pot of water to boil, add broccoli, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- Chop the chicken: Cut into thin strips, then small cubes, and dice finely.
- Combine ingredients: In a big bowl, mix chicken, cheese, seasonings, eggs, and chopped broccoli.
- Add cornstarch: Stir it in until everything is well combined.
- Heat oil: Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Shape patties: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and gently flatten into fritters.
- Cook: Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes until golden and fully cooked.
- Drain: Place cooked fritters on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up extra oil.
Chop Everything Small
The smaller you dice them, the better the patties hold together, cook evenly, and stay juicy inside without falling apart.
If your chicken pieces are too big, they’ll stay raw in the middle while the outside burns. Tiny pieces = perfectly cooked, crispy, and tender fritters.
📋Tips
- Shortcut? Use rotisserie chicken! If you’ve got leftover cooked chicken, just chop it up small and skip the raw chicken step. Huge time saver. Note: the patties may not turn out so tender inside if you use cooked chicken!
- Pat the broccoli dry. Don’t skip this part. Wet broccoli = soggy patties. I just press it between a couple of paper towels.
- Mix the batter well. You want every bite to have a little bit of everything, chicken, cheese, broccoli, and seasonings. I like to use my hands at the end (messy but fun).
- Use your favorite cheese. I love sharp cheddar for that bold flavor, but mozzarella makes them gooey, and pepper jack adds a little spice if you like some heat.
- Make a double batch. Trust me, you’ll wish you had more. They freeze beautifully, and you’ll thank yourself on busy nights.
- Want them extra crispy? After cooking, pop them into the air fryer for 2-3 minutes. They get golden and crunchy on the outside.
- Season to your taste. Feel free to sprinkle in some chili flakes or your favorite herbs. Fresh parsley or chives are so good here.
- Use a cookie scoop. It makes shaping them so much easier (and they all cook the same).
- Don’t crank up the heat too high. Medium heat is your friend, gives them time to cook through without burning the outside.
- Make minis for the kids. Smaller ones are perfect for little hands or as a fun party appetizer.
🍱Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- 🥶Freezing. Freeze cooked fritters flat on a tray first, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months.
- 🔥To Reheat. Warm them in a skillet or air fryer for 3-5 minutes to bring back the crispiness.
FAQ
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken?
Yes, though the patties won't be quite as tender inside since the chicken is already cooked, it's a good time-saving swap when you're in a hurry.
Can I bake these instead of pan-frying?
Yes, bake at 400°F for about 15 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway, though the outside won't be quite as crispy as pan-frying.
Can I freeze these patties?
Yes, freeze cooked patties in a single layer, then transfer to a bag, reheat in the air fryer or oven straight from frozen.
Fun Variations to Try
- Different Cheese. Swap the cheddar for mozzarella for gooier patties or pepper jack for a little heat.
- Extra Veggie. Mix in finely chopped bell pepper or carrot along with the broccoli.
- Mini Patties. Shape the mixture into smaller patties for a fun party appetizer or kid-friendly size.
Ways to Serve Chicken Broccoli Patties
- A simple dipping sauce like ranch or honey mustard on the side.
- A side salad or steamed rice to round out the meal.
- Alongside other quick chicken dinners for a build-your-own plate.
More Patties You'll Like
📖Recipe
Chicken Broccoli Patties
These cheesy broccoli chicken patties are crispy, juicy, and so easy to make! Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or a kid-friendly dinner in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces chicken breast or tenderloins, boneless skinless
- 4 ounces broccoli, separated into small florets
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- salt + black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, or your preferred oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Blanch the broccoli: Bring a pot of water to boil, add broccoli, and cook for 1–2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.4 ounces broccoli
- Chop the chicken: Cut into thin strips, then small cubes, and dice finely.10 ounces chicken breast or tenderloins
- Combine ingredients: In a big bowl, mix chicken, cheese, seasonings, eggs, and chopped broccoli.¾ cup cheddar cheese, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, salt + black pepper to taste
- Add cornstarch: Stir it in until everything is well combined.1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Heat oil: Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.3 tablespoon olive oil
- Shape patties: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and gently flatten into fritters.
- Cook: Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes until golden and fully cooked.
- Drain: Place cooked fritters on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up extra oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 147mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 192IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Before You Go
If this recipe made its way to your dinner table, I'd love to hear what you thought! Leaving a ★★★★★ rating and review below helps other readers and supports the work I do here at Cookrita. Thank you so much for being here. ❤️
Diana
Chop the raw chicken? Could we use ground chicken?
Rita
Diana hi! I haven't tried but I think it should work perfectly. Use 10 ounces ground chicken (same as the chicken breast/tenderloins listed).
Heather
Can you use ground chicken?
Rita
Heather hi! I haven't tried but I think it should work perfectly. Use 10 ounces ground chicken (same as the chicken breast/tenderloins listed).
Nancy
wonder about cooking these in the air fryer?
Rita
Sorry Nancy, I haven't tried it yet