Devilishly Good Egg Salad on Crispy Potato Cakes (Inspired by Fox and the Hen)
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Some restaurant dishes you enjoy and forget. Others follow you to the car and ride home with you. The spicy egg salad on crispy potato at Fox and the Hen, my favorite brunch spot in Denver, is the second kind. If you haven’t been, Fox and the Hen is the LoHi restaurant from chef Carrie Baird and Michael Fox. It opened in 2023 and has had a waitlist pretty much ever since.
It’s on the appetizer menu, and I order it every single time. The word online is that you’ll want two. The internet is wrong about plenty of things. Not this.
Video: Let’s Make Egg Salad on Crispy Potato Cakes
Why I Didn’t Try to Crack Their Recipe
I’m not going to pretend I reverse-engineered Chef Baird’s recipe. I didn’t ask for it, and she didn’t offer. What I did have was my own Devilishly Good Egg Salad and a hunch it would feel right at home on a crispy potato. My version gets its kick from pickled jalapeño relish, with Dijon for tang. For this one, I also shook in some Gator Dust Cajun seasoning, a Louisiana blend that adds a little smoke and heat without taking over.
The hunch was correct. It usually is when bacon is involved.
The Crispy Potato Cake Does the Heavy Lifting
Egg salad on bread is lunch. Egg salad on a crispy potato cake is brunch, and brunch means you can have a mimosa with it and nobody gets to say anything. The potato cake gives you a crunchy, salty, golden base that holds a generous scoop of creamy egg salad without turning soggy.
In the video, I keep it easy with Trader Joe’s frozen hash brown patties, baked on a sheet pan until they’re deeply browned and crackly around the edges. Could you shred your own russets and fry them from scratch? You could. I won’t stop you. I also won’t be joining you.
The Toppings Matter More Than You Think
Bacon comes first, because salt and smoke next to creamy eggs has never let anyone down. Lay a piece across the top or crumble it, your call.
Next up is sliced jalapeño. The relish in the egg salad brings a mellow, tangy heat. Fresh slices on top bring a bright, crunchy one. You want both. If you’re heat-shy, pull out the seeds and ribs and nobody has to know.
Microgreens finish it off. Yes, they’re pretty. They also add a peppery freshness that keeps each bite from feeling heavy. I used a colorful mix because we eat with our eyes first, and because a plate of beige food looks sad.
Perfect for Brunch, Game Day or a Random Tuesday
These little stacks work as a plated brunch, a party appetizer, or a snack you eat standing at the kitchen counter. The egg salad can be made ahead and keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Bake the potato cakes right before serving so they stay crispy. Assembly takes about two minutes, which is roughly how long they’ll last on the platter.
How to Make Devilishly Good Egg Salad
Go Get the Original, Too
Is my version a stand-in for the real thing? No. If you’re in Denver, get yourself to Fox and the Hen, put your name on the waitlist, and order the spicy egg salad on crispy potato. Get two. Then come home and make this version for the mornings you can’t face a brunch line. Watch the video to see how I put it together, and grab the full Devilishly Good Egg Salad recipe here.
1/2 teaspoon Gator Dust Cajun seasoning, or to taste
8 Trader Joe’s frozen hash brown patties
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and halved
1 fresh jalapeño, very thinly sliced
1/4cup microgreens or fresh herbs
Instructions
Bake the potato cakes. Preheat the oven according to package directions. Arrange the frozen hash brown patties in a single layer on a baking sheet, leaving space between them. Bake for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deeply golden and crisp.
Season the egg salad. While the potatoes bake, stir the Gator Dust into the egg salad. Taste and add more if you want extra heat.
Assemble. Place the hot potato cakes on a platter. Top each with about 1/4 cup of egg salad and a sprinkle of cooked crumbled bacon.
Finish. Add a few jalapeño slices and a small pile of microgreens to each. Serve right away while the potatoes are still crispy.
Notes
Make ahead: The egg salad keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Bake the potato cakes right before serving. They lose their crunch fast once topped.
Less heat: Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeños, or skip the fresh slices and rely on the relish in the egg salad.
Air fryer option: Cook the patties in a single layer, flipping halfway, until crisp. Timing varies by machine, so start checking early.
Swap the seasoning: No Gator Dust? Any Cajun seasoning works. Just taste as you go, since salt levels vary a lot by brand.
