The Pozharskaya kotleta (in Russian: пожарская котлета), also spelled Pojarski, is a breaded chicken or veal minced patty, fried and then baked, typical of Russian cuisine.

The distinctive feature of this preparation is the addition of butter to the minced meat, which results in an especially juicy and tender texture and the breading with bread cubes.

In general, many authors of Soviet cookbooks suggest mixing white bread soaked in milk with the minced meat.

In some recipes, cream is added.

The dish was created in the early 19th century in Russia and later adopted by French haute cuisine.

A popular historical myth links the creation of this dish to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky.

In reality, the name of the dish is associated with another Pozharsky family, owners of an inn and restaurant in Torzhok, a small town located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a common stop for coaches where travelers took a break and changed horses.

Initially, the patties were made of minced beef or veal. The chicken version likely appeared in 1830-1840 when Darya Pozharskaya inherited the inn after the death of her father, Yevdokim Pozharsky.

Tsar Nicholas I was very impressed by the taste of Pozharskaya kotleta and Darya Pozharskaya was invited several times to the imperial court to cook this dish for the Tsar’s family.

Alexander Pushkin, Russian poet and essayist, recommended in 1826 in a letter to a friend to “dine at the Pozharsky in Torzhok, try the fried cutlets, and leave with a light mood“.