This classic kotleti recipe tastes like it came straight out of grandmother’s kitchen. These juicy and tender meat patties are surely going to become your new favorite comfort food!
Classic Kotlet are a lot like American meatballs or burgers. The difference is they are fried patties that are shaped and seasoned with spices. This kotleti recipe is made with a meat mixture of grated onions and ground meet of your choice: pork, mutton beef, chicken or turkey, and can be served anywhere you would have a filling protein.
How to make kotleti
Making kotleti only requires a bit of mixing and a quick pan fry. Below, find a brief overview of the recipe before you dive in.
- Soak the Bread: Place the bread slices in milk for at least 10 minutes. Rip the slices into small pieces.
- Make the Patty Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, mayonnaise, bread, grated onion, salt, and pepper.
- Fry the Kotleti: In a frying pan over medium heat, spoon equal amounts of the meat mixture into the pan to form individual patties. Fry until both sides turn golden brown. Enjoy!
Tips for making the best kotleti
Below, find a collection of tips to help you make the best kotleti on the planet.
- Mix and match the ground meat. Although this recipe calls for ground chicken, feel free to mix and match the ground meat you use. You can use any combination of ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey.
- Make sure to soak the bread. Soaking the bread in milk makes the kotleti extra moist. This might go against what you know about bread crumbs and meatballs, but trust and believe it makes all the difference!
- Flip the patties only once. Refrain from over-flipping the kotleti as they fry in the pan. This will help them form a nice, crispy crust.
- Fry patties over medium heat. If you go too low, the patties won’t form a nice crust. If you go too high, they will burn. Medium heat is just right!
Meat Thermometer Hack: If you’re unsure if kotleti are cooked thoroughly, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Serving kotleti
The best way to serve kotleti is with the most traditional sides. Buckwheat, mashed potatoes, cabbage salad, and marinated cucumbers are the usual suspects. You could also bake some fresh baguettest with garlic sop up the juices that come out of the kotleti when you slice into them. Yum!
Kotleti are super easy to store and are perfect for meal prep. Below, find instructions on how to serve the meat patties in both the refrigerator and freezer.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover kotleti in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep for up to a week.
- Freezer: Freeze leftover kotleti by first letting them cool completely. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the baking sheet into the freezer uncovered. Once the patties are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
8 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 lb ground chicken
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 medium onion grated
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 bread slices
- 1 tbsp salt, adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions:
- Soak the bread pieces in milk for about 10 minutes. Shred the bread into small pieces.
- Mix ground chicken with egg, mayonnaise, and bread. Mix in onion and season to taste.
- Preheat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Spoon equal portions of the meat mixture into the pan, leaving a little bit of space between each patty. Fry on each side until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes on each side).
