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Meat, European

Chicken Pojarski cutlets with mashed potatoes

Chicken Pojarski cutlets are breaded ground chicken patties pan fried in butter, served with mashed potatoes, for 4 people in 55 minutes. This is an easy recipe, about €3 per serving. The key is cold butter and milk soaked bread mixed into the ground chicken, which keeps the patties remarkably tender.

Tonight, chicken Pojarski cutlets, a classic from the tsars, ground chicken so tender it practically melts, served with mashed potatoes.

Chicken Pojarski cutlets with mashed potatoes
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Despite the Russian sounding name, this dish is simply ground chicken treated with one small trick, cold butter worked into the mixture. As it cooks, the butter melts slowly and makes the inside of the cutlet almost creamy, under a golden, crisp crust. Chicken stands in for the veal of the original recipe, giving a lighter flavor and ingredients that are easier to find.

This is a dinner that works for the whole table, mild enough for kids, polished enough for guests without any real effort. Homemade mashed potatoes soak up the pan juices and match the melting texture of the cutlets perfectly. Save this recipe for an evening when you have a bit of time, shaping the patties and letting them chill takes some organizing, but nothing complicated.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken breasts 700 g

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 3 slices

Dairy

  • Milk 10 cl
  • Butter 100 g
  • Eggs 2
  • Milk for the mash 15 cl

Pantry

  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 120 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Parsley 3 sprigs

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Chop the chicken breasts with a knife or in a food processor, pulsing briefly, without turning it into a paste.

    A coarse chop keeps texture in the cutlet.

  2. Soak the bread in milk, squeeze it out, then mix it into the chicken with 40 grams of cold butter cut into small cubes, salt, and pepper.

    Keep the butter well chilled so it melts inside the meat during cooking.

  3. Shape oval cutlets, coat them in beaten egg then in breadcrumbs, and let them rest in the fridge. 10 min

    Wet your hands before shaping so the mixture doesn't stick.

  4. Brown the cutlets in a skillet with the remaining butter, a few minutes on each side, until cooked through. 15 min

    Baste them with melted butter using a spoon while they cook.

  5. Cook the potatoes in salted water, mash them with the hot milk, and serve with the cutlets. 20 min

    Add a small knob of butter to the mash at the last moment.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pulse the chicken rather than running the processor continuously, so you don't end up with a fine paste that makes dense cutlets.
  • Don't skip the chilling step before cooking, it helps the breading stick and keeps it from falling off in the pan.
  • Cook over medium heat rather than high, so the inside finishes cooking before the breading burns.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken breasts for ground turkey, the texture stays just as tender.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with finely chopped, well drained button mushrooms, bound with an extra egg.
  • For quick kid friendly portions, shape small meatballs instead of oval cutlets, they cook faster and are easy to eat by hand.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Seasonal steamed vegetables
  • A lightly tart apple compote

Storage

Cooked cutlets keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze the raw, breaded cutlets for up to 2 months before cooking. Reheat in a skillet over low heat to keep the breading crisp.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chicken Pojarski cutlets ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape and bread them up to a day ahead, then keep them covered in the fridge. Just pan fry them when you're ready to eat.

Why add cold butter to the ground chicken?

The cold butter melts during cooking and keeps the inside of the cutlet moist and tender. That's what really sets this dish apart from a plain chicken patty.

Can you skip the soaked bread and just use breadcrumbs?

It's better to keep the milk soaked bread, it adds a softness that breadcrumbs alone can't give. Breadcrumbs are best kept for the outer coating only.

Do chicken Pojarski cutlets freeze well?

Yes, shaped and breaded but uncooked, they freeze well for up to 2 months. Cook them straight from frozen, just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

How long does it take to make chicken Pojarski cutlets, breaded ground chicken patties pan fried in butter, with mashed potatoes?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in chicken Pojarski cutlets, breaded ground chicken patties pan fried in butter, with mashed potatoes?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does chicken Pojarski cutlets, breaded ground chicken patties pan fried in butter, with mashed potatoes cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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