Chicken Kyiv
Chicken Kyiv (aka Kiev) is a popular Ukrainian gourmet dish. Chicken breasts are stuffed with butter and herbs, then deep-fried. There is a period that the chicken must be chilled, so plan ahead. I typically make the filling, butterfly, and flatten the breasts early in the day, then refrigerate until I am ready to assemble completely. You must freeze for 1 hour before cooking. This dish is delicious with egg noodles to scoop up the rich herb butter. A perfect side dish is Ukrainian braised cabbage and carrots.
deep fried, stuffed chicken breast.
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 cups neutral oil for frying
filling
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
breading
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt, divided use
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided use
1/2 teaspoon onion powder, divided use
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup panko or dry bread crumbs
1 | In a small bowl, mix the filling ingredients together until the herbs are evenly distributed. Roll into 4 logs and refrigerate until ready to use. |
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2 | Butterfly the chicken breasts, being very careful not to create any holes. Place each butterflied breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a smooth mallet until it is uniform in thickness. Do not be overly aggressive with the pounding, as you want to ensure there are no holes. |
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3 | Place a butter log at the small end of a breast and roll up burrito style, tucking sides in as you roll, so the butter is completely enclosed in a tight package of chicken. Use toothpicks to keep together if necessary - put them in sideways, so they are not sticking out. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken, then freeze the bundles for 1 hour. This is a good time to prepare your side dishes. |
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4 | When ready to cook, remove chicken from the freezer and set up your dipping stations. On a plate or wide, flat bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. On a third plate, mix the panko with remaining1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. |
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5 | Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap from chicken bundles. Roll each bundle first in flour, covering well, then tapping off excess. Then dip in egg mixture, then roll in panko, covering completely. |
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6 | Heat oil to 350°F in a deep, wide dutch oven or wok. Fry each bundle until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all bundles are fried. |
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7 | Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. |
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8 | Remove toothpicks if used, and serve. |
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