Chicken Kyiv

Probably the most famous of all stuffed chicken dishes, chicken Kiev or chicken Kyiv is a classic and old school dish of chicken stuffed with garlic, herbs and butter and then crumbed and fried. Skip the supermarket frozen goods section and follow this recipe for juicy and garlicky chicken with a crisp and golden crust. Make sure to refrigerate or lightly freeze for 30 minutes between steps to ensure you get a better shape and no spills when frying. 

SERVES 4 

Prep time 40 minutes (plus chilling)
Cook 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• Plain (all-purpose) flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, for dusting
• 4 eggs, lightly whisked
• 240g (4 cups) panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying

Herb and garlic butter:

• 150g butter, at room temperature
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped mixed herbs, such as flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, tarragon and chives
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Serving suggestion: mashed potato, steamed peas and extra chopped chives

NOTE: Panko breadcrumbs create a very crisp and crunchy coating, but if you prefer, you could use fresh breadcrumbs.

1. To make the herb and garlic butter, beat the ingredients together in a small bowl to combine and season with salt and pepper.

2. To prepare the chicken, make an incision along one side of each breast, creating a deep pocket. Spoon a quarter of the butter mixture into each pocket, pushing to the back of the pocket. Brush edges of the pocket with a little of the egg, dust with a little flour and press together to seal. Refrigerate until butter is firm (1 hour).

3. Put the seasoned flour, remaining egg and the breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Dip each piece of chicken in flour, then egg, shaking off excess. Dip into the breadcrumbs, pressing so the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken, coating it completely. Dip once again into the egg and breadcrumbs to double coat. Lay the crumbed pieces on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the coating.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat 3cm of the vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium–high heat to 160°C, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 30 seconds. Shallow-fry the chicken pieces in two batches, turning occasionally for 5–6 minutes until golden brown (be careful, the hot oil will spit). Transfer to a wire rack on a baking tray and bake for 10–12 minutes until cooked through. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes before serving.