Chicken Kiev - not really

Chicken Kiev is an Ukrainian dish filled with garlic and parsley butter. My take on Chicken Kiev has a bit of a twist. It is packed with flavor and is truly delicious. Serve the chicken with riced potatoes and herb oil. A fresh salad on the side or butter- and garlic-fried sugar snaps makes great accompaniments.

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You will need

Filling

5.3 oz (150 g) butter, browned and cooled

¼ cup (50 ml) Philadelphia cream cheese with garlic & herbs

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest, finely grated

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

¼ cup (50 ml) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup (50 ml) basil, finely chopped

1 tsp (5 ml) red chili, finely chopped

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

Freshly ground black pepper

A pinch of salt

Chicken

2.2 lb (1000 g) chicken breast, halved horizontally and pounded to ⅜ inch thick

Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Old Bay seasoning

Breading

2 eggs, beaten

¼ cup (50 ml) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (50 ml) cornstarch

1 cup + 2 tsp (250 ml) panko breadcrumbs

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Neutral oil for frying

Herb Oil

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) parsley, finely chopped

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) basil, finely chopped

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) olive oil

½ tsp (2 ½ ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest, finely grated

⅛ tsp salt

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

To Serve

Potatoes, boiled and riced

Parsley, chopped

How to make it

Filling

1. Blend all the ingredients for the filling and spread the mixture on plastic wrap. Shape it into a roll and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut the filling into the same number of pieces as the halved chicken fillets.

5.3 oz (150 g) butter, browned and cooled

¼ cup (50 ml) Philadelphia cream cheese with garlic & herbs

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest, finely grated

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

¼ cup (50 ml) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup (50 ml) basil, finely chopped

1 tsp (5 ml) red chili, finely chopped

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

Freshly ground black pepper

A pinch of salt

Herb Oil

2.  Place the herbs together with the garlic, lemon zest, oil, salt, and honey in a blender. Blend until the oil is smooth.

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) parsley, finely chopped

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) basil, finely chopped

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) olive oil

½ tsp (2 ½ ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest, finely grated

⅛ tsp salt

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

3. Pour the oil into a clean bottle or jar as is or let it sit for an hour and then strain it through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh sieve.

Chicken

4.  Slice the chicken fillets horizontally so that each fillet becomes two thin fillets. Put the chicken in a plastic bag and pound it until it is evenly thin.

2.2 lb (1000 g) chicken breast, halved horizontally and pounded to ⅜ inch thick

5. Brush the fillets with Worcestershire sauce and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Old Bay seasoning on both sides. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Worcestershire sauce 

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Old Bay seasoning

6. Place the filling in the center of the chicken fillets, fold in the ends, and roll them up. Wrap the fillets tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to form small packages. Put the fillets in the freezer for 30 minutes until the surface is firm but without the fillets being fully frozen.

Breading

7.   Prepare the breading station by whisking the eggs in a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Mix the wheat flour and cornstarch on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Measure out panko onto another plate and season with salt and pepper.

2 eggs, beaten

¼ cup (50 ml) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (50 ml) cornstarch

1 cup + 2 tsp (250 ml) panko breadcrumbs

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8.  Remove the plastic wrap from the chicken rolls and dip them in the flour–cornstarch mixture. Shake off any excess. Then dip them in the eggs and finally in the panko so they are completely coated. Place them on a plate and freeze for another 30 minutes.

9.  Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and place a rack over a baking sheet or oven dish.

10.  Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pot to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken in batches until nicely colored all around, turning during frying. This should take about 2–3 minutes. Place them on the rack-lined baking sheet.

Neutral oil for frying

11.  Place the chicken in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C). Pierce the top so the butter doesn’t leak out. Let rest for 2 minutes.

12. Serve the chicken with herb oil and boiled, pressed potatoes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Herb oil

Potatoes, boiled and riced

Parsley, chopped

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