Cheesy Chicken Fritters

I graduated.

I need to sit with that sentence for a second because it still doesn't sound real. I, Savannah Marie Clarke, walked across the stage at Prattville High School on Friday, May 20, 2016, and received a diploma. My hands were shaking. My shoes were borrowed — Gloria's, a half size too big, stuffed with tissue paper in the toes. My cap kept sliding. None of that mattered. I walked across a stage and someone said my name into a microphone and I took the diploma and I did not fall apart.

Gloria and James were in the third row. I could see them from the stage — Gloria in her church hat, the green one with the silk flower, and James in his navy tie, the nice one. They were the only people in that auditorium who were there for me. Two people. In a room full of families — mothers and fathers and grandparents and siblings and cousins holding balloons — I had two people. And those two people were enough to fill every empty chair in every auditorium of my entire life.

I cried. I didn't plan to. I have trained myself not to cry the way you train yourself not to flinch — through repetition, through consequence, through learning that tears in the foster system are either ignored or used against you. But I cried. Right there, walking back to my seat with the diploma in my hand, the tears came like they'd been waiting seventeen years, which they had. Gloria was crying too. James was not crying because James doesn't cry, except his eyes were red, so maybe James does cry and just doesn't want anyone to see.

We went home and Gloria made the dinner. Not me — her. She insisted. Fried chicken, biscuits, mac and cheese, collard greens, banana pudding. Every dish she'd ever taught me, laid out on the table like a testament. She set three places. She said grace. She said, "Lord, thank you for this child who is not mine by blood but is mine by every measure that counts." James said amen. I couldn't say anything. My throat was closed. I ate fried chicken through tears, which is not dignified but is honest, and Gloria handed me napkins and said, "Eat, baby. You earned this."

I earned this. I'm writing it down so I don't forget. I earned this.

Gloria’s fried chicken will always be the meal I associate with that night, but in the weeks after graduation, when I wanted to cook something that felt like a celebration in my own hands, I kept coming back to chicken in a different form—something I could make myself, a dish that was mine the way that diploma was finally mine. These cheesy chicken fritters aren’t Gloria’s recipe, but they carry the same spirit: simple ingredients, a little love, something golden and warm at the end. Here’s how I make them.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
2 eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fresh chives or green onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2–3 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil, for frying

Instructions

Combine the mixture. In a large bowl, stir together the cubed chicken, eggs, mayonnaise, flour, mozzarella, cheddar, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes — this helps the fritters hold their shape.
Heat the pan. Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. You want the oil shimmering but not smoking.
Form and place. Scoop heaping spoonfuls of the chicken mixture (about 2–3 tablespoons each) into the pan, gently pressing each mound into a round patty about 1/2-inch thick. Don’t crowd the pan — work in batches if needed.
Fry until golden. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Add more oil between batches as needed.
Drain and rest. Transfer finished fritters to a paper towel–lined plate. Let them rest for 2 minutes before serving so the cheese sets slightly.
Serve. Arrange on a platter and serve hot alongside biscuits, greens, or anything else that belongs on a table set for something worth celebrating.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cheesy Chicken Fritters — Gloria’s Graduation Table