This crispy Chicken Kiev is made with chicken breasts wrapped around butter flavored with garlic, dill, parsley and lemon. The breaded Kievs are deep-fried until lightly golden, then finished in the oven. Two short freezing stages help firm the butter and shaped chicken before cooking.
Why You'll Love This Chicken Kiev
- Crisp coating and buttery center: The breadcrumb coating contrasts with the melted herb butter inside.
- Fresh garlic-herb flavor: Dill, parsley and lemon give the rich butter filling a bright, fragrant flavor.
- A sauce built into the chicken: The melted filling can be spooned over potatoes or vegetables when serving.
- Easier shaping with short freezes: Firming the butter before filling and chilling the shaped Kievs makes them easier to handle and coat.
I first tried Chicken Kiev in a small restaurant, and the garlic-herb butter spilling from the center was what made it memorable. Making it at home means taking a little care with the wrapping, but the filling becomes a sauce of its own once the chicken is cut open. If you enjoy golden breaded chicken, these Italian breaded chicken cutlets are another option with a crisp coating.
Two chicken breasts make four Kievs in this recipe. Slicing and flattening the breasts creates fillets that can fold around the filling, while the oven finishes cooking the chicken after the coating has browned. For another chicken dinner with lemon, garlic and butter, try chicken spiedini.
Key Ingredients in Chicken Kiev
The complete quantities are in the recipe card below. These are the ingredient details that matter when preparing the filling and coating.
- Chicken breasts: Two breasts are sliced into four fillets and flattened evenly. An intact piece of chicken is easier to wrap around the butter without leaving gaps.
- Unsalted butter, dill and parsley: Softened butter mixes evenly with the chopped herbs, then firms up in the freezer for shaping. Unsalted butter keeps the seasoning under your control.
- Garlic and lemon: Minced garlic flavors the filling, while lemon zest and juice add citrus flavor to the butter. Salt and black pepper season both the filling and the chicken.
- Flour, eggs and breadcrumbs: All-purpose flour and beaten large eggs help the plain dried breadcrumbs adhere. Covering the ends as well as the sides gives the shaped chicken an even coating.
- Sunflower oil: Enough oil to cover each Kiev allows it to brown in the deep fryer before the oven finishes the cooking.
How to Make Chicken Kiev
The full recipe card includes the oven setting, cooking allowance and doneness temperature. Browning the coating is the first cooking stage; the chicken still needs its oven finish.
1. Prepare the herb butter: Mix the softened butter with the herbs, garlic, lemon and seasoning. Shape into a wrapped log and freeze until firm enough to slice.
2. Flatten the chicken: Slice the breasts horizontally to make four fillets. Pound them evenly between sheets of plastic wrap, then season with salt and black pepper.
3. Fill and shape: Place a piece of firm butter on each fillet, fold in the sides and roll the chicken around it. Make sure the filling is enclosed, then briefly freeze the shaped Kievs to firm them up.
4. Coat, fry and bake: Coat in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Deep-fry individually until lightly golden, then transfer to a baking dish and finish in the preheated fan oven. Check the chicken with a thermometer before serving.
Tips for Chicken Kiev
- Warm and dry the knife: Run the blade under warm water, then dry it before slicing the firm butter log. This helps it cut cleanly.
- Keep your hands cool: Clean, cool hands help keep the butter firm while you wrap the chicken. Dry them before handling the fillets.
- Check the seams: Fold the chicken over the filling so the edges overlap. Avoid forcing in more butter than the fillet can enclose.
- Cover the ends: Check the breadcrumb coating at both ends of each Kiev before frying. These areas are easy to miss when turning the chicken through the coating dishes.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly, within two hours, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C); check the meat with a thermometer.
For longer storage, cooked portions can be wrapped individually and frozen in a freezer-safe container. A conservative storage guide is up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. The breadcrumb coating may soften after freezing and reheating.
What to Serve with Chicken Kiev
Boiled or mashed potatoes and green beans work well with the melted garlic-herb butter. Add ciabatta bread for the juices, or serve with air fryer potato wedges for another potato option. A Japanese cucumber salad adds a crisp, tangy accompaniment.
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Recipe
Chicken Kiev
Ingredients
For the garlic-herb butter:
- 120 g unsalted butter - softened
- 4 tablespoons fresh dill - finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley - finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
For the chicken:
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts - approximately 2 breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the coating and frying:
- 75 g all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs - beaten
- 120 g plain dried breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Mix 120 g unsalted butter with 4 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 3 garlic cloves, minced. Place the mixture on plastic wrap, shape into a log and wrap tightly. Freeze for 15 minutes, until firm enough to slice.
- Slice 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts-approximately 2 breasts-horizontally to make 4 fillets. Place each fillet between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness without tearing the meat. Season evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Unwrap the chilled butter log and cut pieces that fit inside the 4 flattened chicken fillets. Place a piece on each fillet, fold the sides over the filling, and roll tightly to enclose it completely. Use only as much butter as each fillet can seal around. Place the shaped Kievs on a plate and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C, fan/convection. Place 75 g all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs and 120 g plain dried breadcrumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Coat each Kiev in flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in egg and coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs, including the ends.
- Heat the sunflower oil in a deep fryer or pan, using enough to cover a Kiev without exceeding the maximum fill line. Once the oil is hot, carefully lower in 1 Kiev and fry until lightly golden on all sides. Lift out, drain excess oil and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining 3 Kievs, frying 1 at a time.
- Bake the 4 Kievs in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 74 °C. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken meat, avoiding the butter-filled center.
- Serve the 4 chicken Kievs with potatoes and green beans, spooning any cooked butter juices from the baking dish over the chicken. Take care when cutting into the hot filling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
This dish is pure comfort food. The garlicky butter just explodes with flavor when you cut in, and the chicken stays so moist.