The origins of this dish are unknown but it seems to have been made popular by the Soviets. It’s like garlic bread but instead of bread, we’re using chicken. I was considering calling this recipe a butter bomb since that’s what you’ll essentially get. I do love butter. I am a nutrition major but I could never talk badly of it. It just makes everything better. If you think the butter in this is unhealthy you may be shocked to hear some recipes even say to wrap bacon around the Kiev. I thought that might be a bit too much for most people but feel free to try it for yourselves.
Ingredients
Garlic and parsley butter:
- 120g butter, soft at room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (you can pick free parsley at the Polytech community garden)
- Salt and pepper to season
Kiev:
- 3 chicken breasts
- 120g garlic and parsley butter, chilled
- 1/3 cups flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2/3 cup bread crumbs
- Oil for frying
- Salt and pepper
Method
Garlic and parsley butter:
Soften/cream butter in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon and add garlic and parsley. Add salt and pepper to season. Mix.
Place in fridge to harden (do this at least 2 hours before putting it in the chicken).
Kiev:
Slice a thin, deep slit in the chicken breast, horizontally (like a pita pocket). Stuff it with garlic and parsley butter, then close the slit, by folding the chicken over it or keep it closed with toothpicks. Place stuffed chicken breasts on a plate, wrap with cling wrap and chill for half an hour (it will be easier to work with if it’s cold and firmer).
Once chicken is chilled, preheat the oven to 200C. Beat egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Place flour and bread crumbs on two separate plates. Roll each chicken breast around in flour, coating it completely. Then add the egg, then the bread crumbs.
Warm oil in frying pan and lightly fry each side of the chicken until slightly golden brown. Careful not to open the slit, otherwise the butter will ooze out. Transfer on to an oven proof dish and finish cooking chicken in the oven for 15 mins.
Remove from oven, chicken should be cooked through, firm and crispy.
This pairs nicely with spaghetti as the lava of garlic butter dresses the pasta well.