Description
Chicken Kiev is a classic Eastern European dish featuring tender chicken breasts wrapped around a flavorful garlic and parsley butter, coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs, and finished by frying and baking to create a golden, buttery, and juicy delight perfect for a special dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Garlic Butter Filling
- 6 tbsp / 90g unsalted butter, softened (or salted butter)
- 2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, very finely minced (2 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp salt (skip if using salted butter)
Chicken
- 2 x 220 – 250g (7 – 8oz) chicken breast, skinless and boneless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Coating
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying, canola or vegetable oil (~4 cups / 1 litre)
Garnish
- Parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Garlic Butter Filling: In a bowl, mix softened butter, finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, and salt until well combined.
- Shape and Chill Butter: Spread the garlic butter onto a small sheet of baking/parchment paper and shape it into a 10 x 6 cm (4 x 2.4 inches) rectangle. Refrigerate until firm, then cut in half lengthwise to form two batons.
- Pound Chicken: Place chicken breasts smooth side down between two freezer bags or sheets of paper. Evenly pound the chicken to a thickness of 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) using a meat mallet.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper for seasoning.
- Stuff and Roll Chicken: Place one baton of garlic butter in the center of a chicken breast. Trim edges if necessary and add the trimmings on top of the butter. Fold the sides over the butter, then carefully roll the chicken up from the bottom, sealing it with the seam side down.
- Wrap and Partially Freeze: Wrap each chicken roll tightly in cling wrap, twisting the ends to form a firm log. Freeze for 30 minutes until the surface is firm to touch but not completely frozen.
- Prepare Coatings: Place the egg, flour, and panko breadcrumbs into separate bowls for breading.
- Coat Chicken Rolls: Remove chicken from cling wrap. Coat each roll first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the whisked egg, letting excess drip off. Finally, coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- Partial Freeze Again: Return the crumbed chicken to the freezer for 30 minutes until fairly firm but not frozen solid, to help maintain shape during cooking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tray: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Place a rack on a baking tray for even cooking.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat oil (canola or vegetable) in a heavy-based pot to 190°C (375°F). Carefully add the chicken rolls and fry, turning once or twice, until golden brown on all sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. The chicken will still be raw inside at this point.
- Bake to Finish: Transfer the fried chicken rolls to the prepared rack and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 65°C (150°F). Pierce the top to prevent butter leakage during baking.
- Rest and Serve: Let the chicken rest for 2 minutes after baking. Garnish with a pinch of finely chopped parsley and serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken breasts are pounded evenly to ensure even cooking and proper rolling.
- Using salted butter means you can omit the additional salt in the garlic butter to avoid oversalting.
- Freezing stages help the chicken retain shape and prevent the butter from leaking during frying and baking.
- It’s important to pierce the chicken surface gently before baking to allow steam to escape and prevent bursting.
- Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure the chicken is properly cooked to a safe internal temperature of 65°C (150°F).
