Chicken and Mushroom Patties (Kotleti)

These chicken and mushroom patties are a popular Belarusian entree, also known as Kotleti. The juicy chicken patties are filled with savory mushrooms, such a delicious combination.

Chicken Kotleti with Mushrooms are incredibly flavorful and a wonderful entree to enjoy. In our family, we really like making many variations of meatballs, kotleti and even chicken fritters. Adding a mushroom filling to Chicken Kotleti makes an already wonderful recipe an upgrade. They are always a big hit in my family and any time I serve them to company.

I love the versatility of ground chicken and you can make so many different fillings to make each version unique. A mushroom filling is such a typical Soviet combination, since mushrooms have a history of being included in just about any meal. This recipe was popular in our Belarusian family. Both my mom and aunts made it, especially for holidays and special occasions. The chicken patties (kotleti) are exceptionally juicy, like no other meat kotleti. The mushrooms filling is really flavorful and hearty. Using a combination of fresh and dry mushrooms gives them a much deeper and rich taste. 

I also really appreciate that this is a recipe that is great to prep ahead. I can meal prep it for busy days and do most of the work ahead for parties. They even freeze really well too.

Ingredients:

Scroll to the bottom of the page for the printable recipe with measurements.

Chicken Kotleti:

• ground chicken
  • When I grind the chicken myself, I use both dark meat (boneless, skinless chicken thighs) and white meat (chicken breast).
  • I recommend using ground chicken with both dark and white meat, not just chicken breast, which tends to be a lot more dry.
  • If you use store bought ground chicken, it's often a lot softer and more watery.
• panko breadcrumbs
  • You can also use a few slices of bread and make your own breadcrumbs in the food processor or blender.
• milk, I use whole milk, but you can use any milk
• egg
• sour cream, plain thick yogurt can be used instead
• onion
• salt, ground black pepper
• dry herbs and spices
  • I like Trader Joe's Onion Salt and Simply Organic all purpose seasoning. Use anything that you like. Some suggestions: granulated onion, garlic powder, dry parsley, chives, thyme, etc.
• oil, for pan frying the chicken patties and for sauteing the mushrooms
  • Avocado oil is my favorite. Light olive oil or other vegetable oils can also be used.
    Mushroom Stuffing:
• fresh mushrooms (white, button, baby bella, etc.)
• dry mushrooms
  • dry mushrooms add an incredible depth of flavor. Porcini are my favorite to use. You can also use chanterelle mushrooms or a collection of wild mushrooms. You can also omit the dry mushrooms and just use fresh mushrooms.
• shallot or onion
  • Shallots are great and have a mild flavor. I also often use a large onion and grate half of it in the ground chicken mixture and chop the other half for the mushroom filling.
• salt, ground black pepper
• dry herbs and spices (see above for suggestions)

How to make Chicken and Mushroom Patties

1. Make the mushroom filling first, so it can cool off before you assemble the chicken patties.
   • Pour boiling water over the dry mushrooms and let it rehydrate the mushrooms.
   • Meanwhile, wash and finely chop the fresh mushrooms and the shallot or onion.
   • Wash and finely chop the dry rehydrated mushrooms.
   • In a large pan, saute the mushrooms and shallot/onion, seasoning with salt, pepper, dry herbs and spices until the mushrooms are soft and starting to turn golden and the onion is completely cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Now, prepare the chicken mixture. Place the ground chicken into a large mixing bowl.
3. Pour the milk over the breadcrumbs just until softened.
4. Grate the onion on the fine holes of a box grater.
5. Add the breadcrumbs and milk, onion, egg, sour cream, salt, pepper and dry herbs and spices to the ground chicken. Mix to combine.
6. Assemble the chicken and mushroom patties.
   • Use damp/moistened hands to shape the patties(kotleti), otherwise they will be too soft to handle. Keep moistening your hands every time you make another patty.
   • Take a portion of meat, form it into a oval shape, flatten it out and make an indentation in the center. Place a heaping Tablespoon of mushroom filling into the center indentation.
   • Cover the mushroom filling with more ground meat and shape into an oval.
7. Repeat with the remaining ground meat mixture and the mushroom filling. You should have about 14-16 large chicken patties. If you make them smaller, you'll have even more chicken kotleti.
8. Cook the chicken and mushroom patties.
   • Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add the patties(kotleti) and cook until golden on both sides, approximately 5 minutes per side. 

Serving, Reheating and Storing

Serve the chicken and mushroom patties hot. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, I like to use the stovetop. Place the patties in a skillet and add 1-2 Tablespoons of water, cover and reheat until warmed all the way through on low heat. The water will steam and help to gently reheat the patties. Turn then over half way through. Add more water if needed. (You can also do this in the oven (300F), covered, also adding a bit of water to the bottom of the baking dish you are using. It will take longer in the oven.)

Of course, you can also use a microwave.

You can freeze the Chicken Kotleti for up to 3 months. Store them in a freezer ziplock bag or an airtight container. I recommend using multiple ziplock bags, even better, using a vacuum sealer. If you're freezing them in a disposable aluminum container, cover it in multiple layers of aluminum foil.

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This recipe was originally published on January 18, 2013. I have added a video, updated the pictures and clarified the instructions to make the recipe even easier to follow.