Crispy Chicken & Parmesan Rice Cakes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Last night's roast chicken and that container of cold rice turn into golden, crunchy-edged cakes with melty mozzarella inside. Pan-fried in a skillet and dunked in warm marinara, they eat like arancini without the deep fryer — a genuine 30-minute weeknight dinner from what's already in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cold leftover cooked rice
• 1 1/2 cups leftover roast chicken, finely shredded
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt and black pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cold rice, shredded chicken, beaten eggs, Parmesan, mozzarella, breadcrumbs, parsley, 3/4 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix hard with a spoon or your hands for a minute so the rice starts to break down and the mixture clumps together. Let it sit 5 minutes to hydrate.
2. Scoop the mixture into 8 equal mounds and press each firmly into a patty about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick, squeezing the edges so nothing crumbles. If a patty won't hold, work in another tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add 4 cakes, leaving space between them, and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes until the underside is deep golden and crisp.
4. Flip carefully with a thin spatula and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, pressing gently once, until browned and hot through. Move to a plate lined with paper towel and season with a pinch of salt.
5. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil to the pan and repeat with the second batch of cakes. Meanwhile, warm the marinara in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes, or microwave it for 90 seconds.
6. Spoon the warm marinara onto plates or into small bowls for dipping, set the rice cakes on top, and finish with any leftover Parmesan and parsley. Serve straight away while the edges are crisp.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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