Pozharsky Cutlets (Russian Chicken Cutlets)
Pozharsky cutlets are juicy Russian chicken patties in a crisp crust of dried bread cubes. The trick to their tenderness is cold butter worked into the mince — it melts inside as they fry, like a mini chicken Kiev. The outside turns golden and shaggy from the croutons, while the center stays soft and moist.
Ingredients
- 600 gground chicken
- 100 gbutter
- 200 gwhite bread
- 100 mlheavy cream
- 1 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 1 pinchsugar
- 3 tbspvegetable oil
Method
- Cut the crusts off the white bread. Soak half (about 100 g) in the cream for 10–15 minutes, and dice the other half into small cubes for the coating.
- Cut the butter into cubes and keep it in the freezer. Cold butter is the whole point of a Pozharsky cutlet: it melts inside as the cutlet fries and keeps it juicy.
- Finely chop or grind the chicken. Squeeze out the soaked bread and add it to the meat with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Work in the cold butter quickly so it doesn't melt.
- Knead the mince for 5 minutes until it's smooth and tacky, then cover and chill for 30 minutes — the mixture firms up and shapes more easily.
- Dry the bread cubes in the oven at 150°C for 10 minutes until lightly golden — this crouton coating, not fine breadcrumbs, is the signature crust.
- With damp hands, shape oval cutlets and roll them in the croutons, pressing to stick. Fry in the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (all of the butter is already inside the mince) over medium heat for 3–4 minutes per side — the croutons burn fast, so keep the heat moderate.
- Finish in the oven at 175°C for 10–15 minutes (the chicken should reach 74°C inside). Serve with potatoes, mushroom sauce, or a spoon of sour cream.
FAQ
The main secret to juiciness is cold butter inside the mince. If the butter is warm, it leaks out while frying and the cutlet dries. Cut the butter into cubes, freeze it, and work it in at the very end, then chill the shaped cutlets before frying. Bread soaked in cream also helps hold moisture.
The classic coating is small cubes of dried white bread (croutons), not ground breadcrumbs. They give the signature shaggy, crunchy crust against the tender center. Cut off the crusts, dice the crumb into 4–5 mm cubes, and dry them in the oven at 150°C. Fine breadcrumbs work too, but the texture will be ordinary.
They were historically fried from veal, but the classic version became chicken fillet, which is more tender and juicy. Use breast plus a little thigh, or add butter so lean breast doesn't dry out. Veal and game work as well. Either way, cold butter and cream-soaked bread are what matter.
Yes, though the crouton crust comes out less browned. Put the breaded cutlets on a tray, drizzle with melted butter, and bake at 190°C, turning once. For a crisper top, switch on the broiler for the last few minutes. Pan plus oven gives a more classic result, but the oven is easier and uses less fat.
Traditionally with potatoes — mashed or roasted — and a mushroom sauce, or simply melted butter spooned over. Sour cream and fresh or pickled vegetables go well too. A high-protein side like green beans balances the richness. Serve right away while the crust is still crunchy.
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