Kotlety (Russian Pan-Fried Chicken Patties)

About This Recipe

Kotlety are the everyday Russian meat patty, and this version uses ground chicken thighs instead of the more common beef-pork blend for a lighter, still deeply savory result. The bread-in-milk trick, rather than dry breadcrumbs, is what keeps the inside soft: torn bread is soaked until it turns to paste, then worked into the meat along with grated onion so both practically disappear into the mixture. The patties are shaped gently, dredged lightly in flour, and seared hard in a well-oiled pan until a deep crust forms, then finished over lower heat with the lid on so the centers cook through without drying out — that final covered stage is the difference between juicy kotlety and a dry, overcooked patty. This is standard Russian home cooking, the kind of dish most people learn from a parent, usually served with mashed potatoes, buckwheat, or a simple cucumber salad on the side.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 sliceswhite bread(crusts removed)
• 0.5 cupmilk
• 500 gground chicken thighs
• 1onion(grated)
• 1egg
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspchopped dill
• 0.5 cupflour(for dredging)
• 3 tbspoil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bread

   Tear the bread into a bowl, pour milk over it, and let it sit 5 minutes until fully softened. Mash into a paste with a fork.

2. 2

   Mix the patties

   Combine ground chicken, grated onion, egg, soaked bread, salt, pepper and dill. Mix by hand just until evenly combined.

   Overmixing makes the patties dense — stop as soon as everything looks uniform.

3. 3

   Shape and dredge

   Wet your hands and form oval patties about 2cm thick. Dredge each lightly in flour, tapping off the excess.

4. 4

   Sear

   Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Sear patties 3 minutes per side, undisturbed, until deeply golden.

5. 5

   Finish covered

   Reduce heat to low, add a splash of water, cover, and cook another 8-10 minutes until the juices run clear.

   This covered steaming stage keeps the inside juicy while the crust stays intact — don't skip it.

Variations

• •

  Add finely grated carrot to the mix for a slightly sweeter, moister patty.

• •

  Serve smothered in a light sour cream and dill gravy, kotlety po-derevenski style.

• •

  Make mini versions for kids' portions, reducing the covered cooking time by 2-3 minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a covered skillet with a splash of water over low heat, or in a 160°C oven until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions