Though it's named for Ukraine's capital city, chicken kiev is probably not a Ukrainian dish. Some say it was conceived by the French inventor Nicolas Appert in the 18th century; others claim it was created at private club in Moscow in 1912. Either way, we love it for its crisp exterior and its luscious core of dill-flavored butter.
Chicken Kiev
We love this dish for its crisp exterior and its luscious core of dill-flavored butter.
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter (like Horizon), at room temperature
- 1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp. cayenne
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each)
- 4 cups Fresh Bread Crumbs
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 cup flour
- 3 eggs, beaten
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Stir together the butter, dill, lemon juice, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Spread a 12"-long piece of plastic wrap on a work surface and mound the butter onto one end, forming a 2" x 3" rectangle. Wrap the butter in the plastic, retaining the shape, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and, using a mallet, pound them evenly to 1⁄4" thickness. Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Cut chilled butter lengthwise into 4 equal-size bars; place 1 in center of each breast. Fold ends over butter; roll up each piece tightly to enclose butter.
- Whisk together bread crumbs, thyme, and 1 tsp. salt in a bowl and season generously with pepper. Put flour and eggs into 2 separate shallow dishes. Working with 1 chicken roll at a time, dredge in flour, then eggs, followed by bread crumbs. (Firmly press bread crumbs onto chicken; shake off excess.) Transfer to a sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- In a large straight-sided skillet, pour in oil to a depth of 1⁄2"; heat over medium heat until it registers 325° on a deep-fry thermometer. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium-low; cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.
