Classic Chicken Kiev Recipe

This delicious Chicken Kiev Recipe is stuffed with tasty herb butter that is then breaded and fried until golden brown. You will love the flavors in this and just how easy it is to make.

If you are looking to try this out with a couple of side dish recipes, then I recommend serving it with some Roasted Carrots or my tasty Rice Pilaf.

Chicken Kiev

Chicken Kiev, more recently known as Chicken Kyiv, is a bone chicken breast stuffed with a chunk of herbed butter and rolled up with the edges tucked in so that the butter does not escape during cooking. The rolled chicken is then coated through the standard breading procedure of seasoned flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs and is then fried until crisp. Once you slice the cooked chicken, the butter will pour out and serve as stuffing and sauce.

While most believe chicken Kiev is Ukrainian or Russian, it can be traced back to France as a dish traditionally known as côtelette de volaille. Regardless, it is a simple-to-prepare dish and is easy enough for a weeknight meal with family and elegant enough to serve guests.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken – You will need boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe that are pounded until a ¼” thick.
• Butter – Unsalted room temperature butter is used in this dish.
• Parsley – I always prefer to use Italian flat leaf parsley.
• Onions – You can use yellow, white, or sweet onions in this recipe.
• Garlic – This will be used in the herb butter and adds a huge punch of flavor.
• Lemon – Some zest and juice will give some bright flavors to the chicken.
• Eggs – You will need some eggs for the standard breading procedure.
• Flour – This is used to coat the chicken Kiev while breading it.
• Breadcrumbs – Whether homemade or store-bought, you will need this to cover the chicken before frying completely.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Start by mixing the butter, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl until completely combined.

Form the butter into a log and place it in the freezer for 20 to 25 minutes or until very firm.

Pound the chicken with a mallet between two pieces of plastic until it is about a ¼” thick and set them to the side.

Once the butter is chilled, cut it into 4 equal size pieces. Set aside.

Season the inside of the pounded-out chicken with salt and pepper and place the 1 butter chunk in the center and roll it up, making sure that it is tight and sealed.

Place the rolled chicken Kiev on a piece of plastic wrap, roll it up tight, and twist the ends to ensure it is a tight chicken roll. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes or until firmer.

Prepare the standard breading procedure in shallow bowls of separate seasoned flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs.

Remove the chicken from the plastic and coat in the flour, then the egg wash, and finally the breadcrumbs ensuring it is completely coated. Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded.

Fry the chicken in enough oil to cover half of it for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides.

Transfer to a sheet tray with a rack and parchment paper and bake on the bottom rack of the oven at 400° for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked throughout.

Rest for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing and serving.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished cooking.

How to Store: Cover the chicken cordon bleu and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for one day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Place the desired number of chicken kiev on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake it at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until warm.

Chef Notes + Tips

• You can use dark thigh meat and pound it thin, although the finished product will undoubtedly be smaller.
• If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium-low.
• Feel free also to try this with veal scallopini.
• You can also pound the chicken in a plastic zip bag.

Chicken Kiev Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between chicken Kiev and chicken cordon bleu?

• While both are similar, chicken Kiev is stuffed with herb butter, while chicken cordon bleu is stuffed with ham and cheese. Both are breaded and fried.

More Chicken Recipes

• Chicken Cacciatore
• Coq au Vin
• Chicken Adobo
• Grilled BBQ Chicken
• Italian Chicken Marsala

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this, then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

Video

SaveSaved

Classic Chicken Kiev Recipe

Share

Print

5 from 15 votes

This delicious Chicken Kiev Recipe is stuffed with tasty herb butter that is then breaded and fried until golden brown.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes minutes

Freeze Time: 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Butter:

• 1 stick softened unsalted butter
• ¼ cup finely minced fresh parsley
• 1 finely minced garlic clove
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• neutral flavored oil for frying

Instructions

• Start by mixing the butter, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a medium size bowl until completely combined.
• Form the butter into a log and place it on a half sheet of parchment paper and roll it until is enclosed, and place it in the freezer for 20 to 25 minutes or until very firm. See video.
• Pound each chicken breast one at a time with a mallet between two pieces of plastic until it is about a ¼” thick and set them to the side.
• Once the butter is chilled, cut it into 4 equal size pieces. Set aside.
• Season the inside of one of the pounded-out chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place the 1 butter chunk in the center and roll it up and fold in the sides, making sure that it is tight and sealed.
• Place the rolled chicken Kiev on a piece of plastic wrap, roll it up tight, and twist the ends to ensure it is a tight chicken roll. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes or until firmer. See video.
• In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour with salt and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs with salt and pepper. Finally, in another separate shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.
• Remove the chicken from the plastic and dredge in the flour, shaking lose any excess, then thoroughly coat it in the egg wash, and then finally the breadcrumbs ensuring it is completely coated. Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded. See video.
• Fry the chicken in enough oil to cover half of it at 350° in a medium size saucepan for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides.
• Transfer to a sheet tray with a rack and parchment paper and bake on the bottom rack of the oven at 400° for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked throughout.
• Slice and serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished cooking.

How to Store: Cover the chicken Kiev  and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for one day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Place the desired number of chicken cordon bleu on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until warm throughout.

You can use dark thigh meat and pound it out thin, although the finished product will certainly be smaller.

If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium-low.

Feel free to also try this with veal scallopini.

You can also pound the chicken in a plastic zip bag.

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 32gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 363mgPotassium: 542mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 475IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 3mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: russian, Ukraine

Author: Chef Billy Parisi