Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Cakes

I love that Bud Light commercial with the guy making the quinoa burgers who keeps calling them “queeno.” Oh man, it cracks me up every time. Joking aside though, I love quinoa. It’s totally a staple in our house. However, I’ve been trying to come up with new ways to use it instead of just being a replacement for rice. This recipe is a total winner. We wolfed them; I can’t wait to make them again!

Domestocrat’s Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Cakes (makes 4 large cakes)
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded (roughly 1 breast/0.5 lb.)
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 shallots, minced finely
3 eggs
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup shredded cheese (your preference)
4 tbsp. hot sauce of your preference
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying (I used vegetable)

The key to a successful buffalo-style dish is obviously the sauce. I bought this brand at Whole Foods on a whim and it was so good. Spicy, but not melt-your-mouth-uncomfortable, flavorful, savory, garlicky. Just yum. I am a total fan of Bella’s.

This recipe starts with cooking the chicken and the quinoa. For the chicken, I baked it for 25 minutes, let it cool, then shredded it with my hands. For the quinoa, I boiled until tender, strained, then cooled.

In a big bowl mix together all of the ingredients until they are fully combined.

Scoop or hand-form four equal sized quinoa cakes.

Heat the oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place each quinoa cake in the skillet and cook without moving until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Carefully flip each cake and cook until the second side is also golden brown (another 2-3 minutes). When they are done, transfer the cakes to a paper towel lined plate to cool for one minute.

Top with bleu cheese for that quintessential buffalo style. Serve with a bright vegetable side like cucumber salad.

These quinoa cakes are packed with flavor! Crunchy, spicy, cheesy, moist, and tender. So good. I could eat these for every meal. This is a recipe you definitely have to try!

UPDATE 5/10/2014:

These buffalo chicken quinoa cakes are perfect as buffalo chicken quinoa muffins too! Press the batter evenly into the cups of a mini (or regular) muffin tin.

Bake on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until crispy and brown.

These baked muffins will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. A great baked alternative if you don’t want to fry these cakes and tastes just as delicious!