May 2, 2016

Asian Chicken Fritters

dani@slyrooster.com Chicken Asian, pan-fried, pantry staples, patties 9 Comments

It is not everyday that you encounter a person who you connect with on both a professional and personal level, and equally so, at that. But such is the case with my new friend, Aviva Goldfarb of The Six O’Clock Scramble fame. 

For years now, I have been watching Aviva from the sidelines, cheering her successes as her subscription-based web site, The Six O’Clock Scramble, has grown and her cookbooks have been published. Her name is psynonemous with family meals here in DC and she is quoted with frequency across media outlets. TV appearances, articles in The Washington Post–what hasn’t Aviva accomplished? All this notoriorty had me tentative to reach out to see if there would be some connection, some possibility of collaboration. But lo and behold, an email to a mutual friend (thank you, Betsy!) resulted in an immediate coffee date, which led to a field trip and grand schemes of partnership possibilities–stay tuned while we percolate! Meanwhile, I started cooking my way through some of Aviva’s recipes and quickly found a family favorite.

Asian Chicken Fritters is the first recipe that appears in Aviva Goldfarb’s newest cookbook, The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner: A Year of Quick, Delicious Meals to Help You Prevent and Manage Diabetes. The ingredients appealed to my Asian-leaning sensibilities but it was the technique of cubing the chicken breast and forming it into patties that piqued my curiously. I’ve made vegetable patties before, plenty of crab cakes and salmon croquettes but chicken? I had to give it a try.

As anyone would do when trying a new recipe, I doubled down by literally doubling the recipe. The plan was to deliver half to a friend in the midst of a kitchen renovation. “Aviva, don’t let me down,” was the mantra running through my head as I easily assembled the fritters. A quick fry in my skillet and they were ready for my always skeptical yet ever-willing band of testers…my kids. One dipped a bite in duck sauce, another mayo (not suggested in the recipe introduction, but used nevertheless) and the third tried it straight up. Smiles, all around! Asian Chicken Fritters were a unanimous hit. I was off to deliver a batch to my friend as my kids happily worked their way though seconds and thirds.

So please, give this recipe a try. They are a perfect weeknight dinner, served with a side of edamame. Asian Chicken Fritters would even work as an hors d’oeuvre if made bite-sized and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce. Enjoy!