If you asked me what my favorite meat was I would say hamburger. Seriously, if given the option and if burgers were suddenly healthy, I could and would eat a burger everyday. Breakfast burger, lunch burger, dinner burgers. Love me some burgers! If you asked my table counterparts what my favorite meat was they would say chicken. Whole chicken followed closely by ground chicken. Chickens (yes, chickens not chicken) is good, I have to admit. Chicken and Rice, Green Chicken Enchiladas, and Chicken Spinach Feta Garlic Pasta are just a few of my T&T favorites. These Chicken Cakes might quickly become a favorite, too.
Modifications Made:
To start, the recipe was halved. Poultry seasoning was swapped for Tony Chachere. Tabasco sauce, parsley, dijon, and mayo were omitted. Breadcrumbs and eggs were omitted, too.
If you read the instructions you will never cook these. The recipe is not complicated if you follow my procedure.
Sautee all bell peppers and onions in teaspoon of butter. When cooked add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and Tony's. Stir in ground chicken till just incorporated. Place in fridge to cool.
When chicken veggie mixture is cold, stir in coarse ground crackers. Form chicken into patties and fry.
Scaled for Likability: Good
Good for a first attempt. With a few alterations on the next go around, thee cakes could easily be great. Ritz crackers are too soft for these cakes and will be swapped for crushed saltines instead, green or red onions for white onions, and green bell peppers will be swapped for orange.
The key to a a good patty that is light and airy yet doesn't fall apart when cooking is to not over mix the meat. This is true for burger, meatballs, salmon croquet. Saltines absorb the moisture allowing the patty to stick to itself while maintaining a crunch for texture. Cooking the veggies ahead of time low and slow removes excess moisture. When patties are cooked this lack of moisture keeps the patty from falling apart. Cold well form patties fried in correct temperature creates a hard crunch exterior trapping moisture from meat inside.
Cajun patties were perfect as a side to a salad but would be fabulous as a burger, too! Pilled high with cold iceberg lettuce, freshly sliced avocado, and a slather of spicy mustard on Texas toast would be scrumptious.