A little extra work, yes, but this chicken kiev recipe repays you with tonnes of flavour and value. I usually make the Kievs in advance and keep them in the fridge. The biggest fear with them is that they burst and fall apart when you’re frying, but by breadcrumbing twice they hold together perfectly. Much better than anything you’d buy in a tray!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts (about 200g each)
- 4 eggs 200ml milk
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 200g dried breadcrumbs 100ml vegetable oil
For the butter
- 150g soft butter
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
- 1 handful of parsley, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Start by making the butter: put the butter, garlic, Parmesan and parsley into a bowl and mix together. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
- Remove the inner fillet from the chicken. Make an incision along the side of the breast. Don’t go through the other side or to the ends of the breast. You should have a hollow pocket that’s easy to fill.
- Fill the pocket with the garlic butter, enough to just reach the edge of the pocket, then chill the breasts in the fridge.
- Set up a breadcrumbing station: whisk the eggs and milk together to create a wash. Sprinkle the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Put the breadcrumbs on another plate.
- Toss the breasts in the seasoned flour, then coat in the egg wash, followed by the breadcrumbs. Repeat the process again to create a thick layer of breadcrumbs that seal in the open side of the chicken breast. Pinch the gap to make sure it’s tight.
- Shallow-fry the breasts in the oil in a non-stick pan for 2 minutes on each side over a medium heat. The oil should not be too hot so that the chicken cooks through and goes golden brown all over.
- Remove the evenly golden breasts from the pan and place in an ovenproof tray. Cook for a further 8 minutes in the oven before serving piping hot.
Chicken Kiev Recipe from Flavour by Mark Moriarty