Russian kotleti are crispy deep-fried chicken mince patties flavored with sautéed onion, garlic, carrot and fresh dill, bound with bread and milk. This grandmother's recipe yields eight golden oval patties best served hot with mashed potatoes, salad, and sour cream.
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Sauté finely chopped onions in a tablespoon of neutral cooking oil until soft and nearly translucent, then add finely chopped garlic and finely grated carrot and continue to sauté, adding a tad more oil if necessary, until carrots are soft then transfer to a mixing bowl to cool down a little.
Soak three slices of white bread or slices of a small baguette in the milk so that the bread is completely submerged and absorbs the milk. When it’s very soft, squelchy and almost mushy, squeeze out the milk then transfer it to the mixing bowl.
Add the chicken mince, sea salt, black pepper and finely chopped dill to the mixing bowl and combine well.
Scoop up around 70g (2.4oz) of the chicken mince mixture with a tablespoon – it should be a big heaped tablespoon – then wet your hands and, using your hands, form the minced chicken mixture into an oval shaped meat patty that looks like a squashed meatball.
Return the oval shaped chicken meat patty to the spoon and set it down on a tray then repeat the last step. The mixture you have should make around eight chicken patties, so you’ll need eight or so tablespoons at the ready and a tray that holds all eight or so spoons. Wash and dry your hands when you’re done.
Heat 3cm cooking oil in a small, deep frying pan until it reaches 178°C (350°F), then gently drop your first chicken meatball into the hot oil, scooping some oil onto the top of the patty so it’s covered with oil. After a few minutes, using tongs, gently turn the patty over to check the colour. If it’s not quite done you can roll it over again in another couple of minutes. Remove the chicken patty when it’s a lovely golden-brown colour. And repeat until you’ve finished the mixture.
Plate immediately with mashed potatoes and a garden salad and dishes of sour cream and fresh dill on the side.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Store cooked kotleti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a low oven to avoid drying out. Uncooked patties freeze well for up to 1 month; fry from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes per side.
deep frying pan · cooking thermometer (to reach 178°C / 350°F) · kitchen tongs
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Kotleti are oval-shaped, flattened patties, while meatballs are round. Russian kotleti are traditionally deep-fried to develop a golden crust.
The recipe calls for deep-frying at 178°C (350°F) in oil. Baking will not replicate the crispy exterior that defines this dish.
Deep-fry for a few minutes per side until golden brown, turning once. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) for safe poultry.
Form patties up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerate on a tray, then fry fresh just before serving for the best texture.
A small baguette works equally well; both absorb milk to create a tender, moist binder in the mince mixture.
