RECIPE: Chicken Bistro Cakes

Patties3 tablespoons of butter 
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup of red onion, diced
1/2 cup of celery, diced
2 cups of cooked chicken, chopped (store-bought rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut)
1 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley 
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons of canola oil, divided

Tomatoes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
salt to taste 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚.  Sauté the onion and celery in the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and soften. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is starting to soften as well. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool. Whisk in the eggs and seasonings, then the chicken, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.

In your hands, take about 1/3 of a cup of the chicken mixture and make 3″ wide patties. Dredge the cakes with flour. Transfer each to parchment and flour lined baking sheet and chill them for 15 minutes. Fry them lightly in 2 batches using 2 tablespoons of oil per batch. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes, and flip and fry for 2 more minutes.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil, and place fried cakes on the baking sheet. Bake the cakes for 5-10 minutes more, to ensure the centers are baked and patties have puffed up slightly.

While the patties are baking, make the tomato sauce. Sauté garlic and pepper flakes in oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat for one minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid. Season with salt.

Serve the cakes with the tomato sauce.

Photos how-to: