Makes 4 Kiev’s
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter, softened
1 clove garlic
½ tsp chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
Zest of 1/2 – 1/3 of a lemon
1 1/2 cup plain flour
2 or 3 egg whites
100 – 150g Panko bread crumbs (you can use other breadcrumbs but I prefer this brand as they have a coarser texture, giving the dish a better crunch)
Sunflower/olive oil
Method
In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with a clove of grated or finely chopped garlic, the parsley, lemon zest and some salt and pepper.
Garlic butter
Mix well then divide into four portions, place on a plate and then chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes
Garlic butter portions
Take a clean chopping board and lay out a chicken breast with the smooth, flat side of it facing downwards on the board.
Using a sharp knife make a cavity in the chicken breast as pictured above. Try not to cut through the chicken breast, instead carve out a cavity, leaving a piece of meat as shown at the bottom of the chicken breast to help wrap the butter up later on.
Once the butter has firmed up in the fridge, place it in the cavity which you have carved out in the chicken breast.
Fold the small piece of meat at the bottom of the chicken breast in to cover the garlic butter.
Then roll the chicken breast up from one side to the other, firmly moulding the chicken breast in your hands and ensuring the meat is tucked in neatly, as shown below.
Place the chicken Kiev in the fridge while you repeat the process with the other chicken breasts. Using three separate containers, set up a crumbing station as shown below.
Crumbing station
The first container is plain flour, the second is egg whites mixed with a tablespoon of cold water and the final container is the Panko breadcrumbs. Carefully take your Kiev and gently coat it in a light dusting of flour (the flour helps the egg whites stick to the meat). Roll the floured chicken Kiev in the egg whites, completely wetting the Kiev and then gently toss the Kiev into the container with the Panko breadcrumbs, making sure the chicken Kiev is evenly coated. Transfer the Kiev to a clean baking tray and then repeat the process with the other Kiev’s.
Chicken Kiev’s ready for the oven
Preheat the oven to 180C then using a pastry brush and a small bowl, gently dab some oil all over each of the chicken Kiev’s. This will help the Kiev’s crisp up in the oven and is much healthier than deep frying. Cook for approx 25 minutes, remove from the oven and then season with salt. The butter may leak out of your Kiev’s but it is not the end of the world, you can spoon it onto the plate before serving or you can dress the Kiev with the butter once you have plated up. Either way your chicken breast will be beautifully tender and succulent. Enjoy!
Baked Chicken Kiev w/ Asparagus & Parmesan Salad
