Let's make a quick and delicious breakfast that's perfect for using up leftover roast chicken or boiled poultry—tender oatmeal pancakes with chicken and mozzarella. These little pancakes come together from simple ingredients: bits of poultry, a few balls of cheese, and even the brine that usually gets poured down the drain. Using whey or brine is an old culinary trick that gives the batter an exceptional softness and a slight tang. The aroma of fresh dill paired with a golden oat crust makes this dish wonderfully comforting and homey.
Golden and juicy oatmeal pancakes with chicken, topped with melted mozzarella and fresh scallions.
Ingredients
- 150 g boiled chicken
- 50 g onion
- A few sprigs of dill
- A few scallions
- 1 egg
- 4 mini mozzarella balls
- 100 ml mozzarella brine
- 40 g quick-cooking rolled oats
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
How to Make Oatmeal Pancakes with Chicken and Mozzarella
Finely chop the chicken or shred it into fibers by hand. I advise against using the skin for this recipe; stick only to the meat. Boiled or baked chicken works perfectly, and you can even make this with chicken ham or smoked chicken.
For this recipe, it's best to use boiled or baked skinless meat, broken into small pieces.
Dice the onion into small pieces. Add the chopped onion to the shredded chicken.
Finely diced onions will add juiciness and a slight tang to the filling when cooked.
Finely chop a few sprigs of dill. Following the onions, toss the chopped dill into the bowl.
Fresh dill perfectly complements the taste of the chicken and gives the pancakes an appetizing aroma.
Finely slice a few scallions, using both the white and green parts of the stalks. Add the sliced scallions to the vegetables and chicken.
Use both the white and green parts of the stalks for a richer flavor.
Crack a large egg into the bowl.
The egg will help bind all the batter ingredients together so the pancakes don't fall apart while frying.
Season with salt to taste and pour in the mozzarella brine. Mix the vegetables and chicken with the liquid. You can swap the brine for whey, buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt. Any fermented dairy product will do the trick.
Mozzarella brine is the secret ingredient that makes the batter tender. You can also use kefir or yogurt.
Add quick-cooking rolled oats. These oats soften almost instantly in a moist environment, though they still need a little time. If you want to speed up the process, I recommend having some ground oats on standby—just pulse them in a food processor or coffee grinder.
Choose quick-cooking oats so they have time to soften in the batter in 10-15 minutes.
Mix the wheat flour with baking soda. Stir the flour and soda mixture into the batter. The baking soda can be replaced with 1/3 teaspoon of baking powder.
Mixing flour with baking soda will give the pancakes a slight fluffiness and an airy texture.
Pour in one tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil. Mix the batter thoroughly. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so the oats can absorb the moisture.
Mix the batter thoroughly and let it rest so the oats absorb the moisture and soften.
Pour a tablespoon of refined vegetable oil (odorless, suitable for frying) into a skillet. Heat the oil. Divide the batter into 4 portions and spoon 4 large pancakes into the pan. Cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side.
Fry the pancakes under a lid over medium heat so they cook through perfectly on the inside.
Flip the pancakes. Cook on the other side for another 4 minutes.
Once flipped, the pancakes turn appetizingly golden and crispy.
Slice the mozzarella balls into thin rounds. Place the cheese on top of the pancakes, cover the skillet with the lid so the cheese melts, and leave it for just about 1 minute.
Place the cheese on the hot pancakes and cover with a lid—it will melt beautifully.
Sprinkle the finished pancakes with scallions and serve immediately. They are incredibly delicious eaten hot or warm.
The final touch is a sprinkle of fresh scallions. Serve the pancakes hot while the cheese is still stringy.
Serve the oatmeal pancakes with chicken and mozzarella hot, while the cheese layer is deliciously stretchy. They pair perfectly with a garlic-infused sour cream sauce or a drop of hot chili for a spicy kick. If you want to switch up the flavor, try folding some sautéed mushrooms into the batter or swapping the dill for fresh basil. These pancakes taste great even when cold, making them a convenient and nutritious snack to take on the go.
To ensure the oats soften properly, always let the batter rest before frying. If you're using whole rolled oats instead of quick-cooking ones, extend the resting time to 20 minutes. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container; just briefly warm them up in a covered skillet before serving to bring back the tender texture and creamy aroma of the cheese.
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