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This is one of those recipes that at first glance, you might think, "meh."
But I hope you will think again. This meal has been a favorite at our house for a long time. It is a little labor intensive; not one of those meals you can have on the table in 15 minutes or less. But... it's worth it.
Similar to a crab cake, it's tender and flaky but has very little filler or breading. It's packed with Tuscan flavors and roasted veggies. You can eat them warm or cold, on a salad or a sandwich, or heck - with your fingers right off the grill. The sauce on top is the little extra that makes these really special; nice enough for a dinner party.
What you'll need:
for the sauce:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (you could substitute sour cream)
1 Tbsp prepared basil pesto - Trader Joe's makes a good one
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
for the chicken cakes:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 yellow pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup mayo - I use the fat free version
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
1 Tbsp honey mustard
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp Garlic and Herb Mrs Dash
salt and pepper to taste
What you'll do:
Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
You can use a griddle, George Foreman, indoor grill, or a large nonstick pan to grill the veggies and the chicken, and then finally to cook the chicken cakes themselves. I don't bother cleaning it until completely finished. Whatever method you use, grill or pan fry the onion and peppers - you'll want them a little charred to bring out a roasted flavor. Then grill or pan fry the chicken. (I used 2 very large chicken breasts and made 6 good sized patties.) Brush each chicken breast lightly with olive oil, season both sides with salt and pepper, and Garlic and Herb Mrs Dash, and then cook until completely done and no longer pink in the middle. Allow the chicken and veggies to cool slightly. Put the chicken in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is finely shredded. Be careful not to go too long or you'll end up with a paste.
Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl. Then pulse the roasted veggies until chopped fine. Add to the chicken. Add the remaining chicken cake ingredients and mix well. Divide and form the mixture into about 6 tennis ball sized servings. From here, grill the chicken cakes using cooking spray or olive oil as needed. Flatten them out with the back of a spatula and cook until nicely browned and a light crust forms. Allow to cool slightly.
Arrange the chicken cakes on beds of baby greens or a soft roll and top with the basil yogurt. Enjoy!
salt and pepper to taste
What you'll do:
Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
You can use a griddle, George Foreman, indoor grill, or a large nonstick pan to grill the veggies and the chicken, and then finally to cook the chicken cakes themselves. I don't bother cleaning it until completely finished. Whatever method you use, grill or pan fry the onion and peppers - you'll want them a little charred to bring out a roasted flavor. Then grill or pan fry the chicken. (I used 2 very large chicken breasts and made 6 good sized patties.) Brush each chicken breast lightly with olive oil, season both sides with salt and pepper, and Garlic and Herb Mrs Dash, and then cook until completely done and no longer pink in the middle. Allow the chicken and veggies to cool slightly. Put the chicken in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is finely shredded. Be careful not to go too long or you'll end up with a paste.
Arrange the chicken cakes on beds of baby greens or a soft roll and top with the basil yogurt. Enjoy!
