Chicken Kiev
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Chicken Kiev is a drool worthy dish straight from Eastern Europe. You wrap chicken around a scrumptious garlic butter interior before dredging it in breadcrumbs and flour, ensuring the perfect crispy exterior.
This dish is completely scrumptious but I mean how could it not be? It has everything you need, it’s got perfectly tender chicken, a crisp exterior, and a savory molten interior. This meal packs quite a hit in ways that are deeply satisfying and completely drool worthy.
What Is Chicken Kiev?
Hails from Eastern Europe, specifically places like Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. Chicken breast is pounded out, stuffed with a garlic herb compound butter, coated with eggs and breadcrumbs, and eventually fried and/or baked. The best part of this chicken truly is the filling.
You roll the flattened chicken around some garlic herb compound butter and it melts when heated up in the oven. My garlic butter is packed full of fresh herbs, lots of fresh minced garlic, and some bright lemon juice. With a sinfully rich interior, a crispy exterior, and perfectly tender chicken, this dish is hands down phenomenal.
Ingredients
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Garlic butter
- Butter – Unsalted and softened to room temperature.
- Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
- Herbs – Fresh parsley and dill chopped up fine.
- Lemon juice – From about 1 lemon squeezed fresh.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
Chicken
- Chicken – Boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- Flour – All purpose is all we need for this recipe.
- Breadcrumbs – I used panko because it’s my favorite breadcrumb for these types of recipes, it’s got the perfect crunch! Feel free to use whatever is your favorite.
- Eggs – 2 large eggs, beaten.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
- Oil – A mild vegetable oil to fry up our chicken in with a neutral taste and a high smoking point.
How To Make Chicken Kiev
Prepare The Butter and Chicken
- Prepare the garlic herb compound butter: Mix all the garlic butter ingredients together using a fork or a spatula. Place it onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log. Place it in the freezer for 30-40 minutes to freeze. It needs to be firm so that we can slice it.
- Prepare the chicken: Lay each breast flat onto your work surface. Butterfly the chicken breast by slicing it horizontally. Place the chicken breast opened between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and then flatten using a meat mallet. If you don’t have a meat mallet you can also use the back of a heavy frying pan such as a cast iron skillet. Season each breast fillet with salt and pepper on both sides.
Assemble And Cook The Chicken
- Assemble the chicken kiev: Cut the frozen butter into 4 equal pieces. Place a frozen piece of garlic butter in the centre of a chicken fillet, fold the chicken over the garlic butter, gathering the sides to the center to form either a round ball or a log. Wrap each chicken piece in plastic wrap and twist the ends to make sure it’s wrapped tightly. Place the wrapped chicken pieces in the freezer for about 2 hours until the seams have frozen.
- Form the breading: Add the flour onto a shallow plate, crack the eggs in another shallow plate and whisk, and in a third bowl the breadcrumbs. Roll the frozen chicken first into the flour and make sure it is coated evenly, then roll it into the eggs and finally roll it through the breadcrumbs. Repeat with all the chicken pieces.
- Finish the dish: Heat the oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven to 350 F degrees. Preheat your oven to 400 F degrees. Deep fry each piece of chicken for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the fried chicken into a baking dish such as a 9×13-inch casserole dish, then transfer to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
What Is Compound Butter
Compound butter is basically flavored butter and then frozen or chilled until it sets and can be sliced. It can be sweet or it can be savory. In this case compound butter is regular butter mixed in with herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and a bit of lemon juice. This butter is great because it’s quite versatile and can be used on any meats, such as steak or pork chops.
What To Serve With Chicken Kiev
Now this dish is a doozy all on it’s own, super filling and packed full of a few food groups right in each tasty chicken breast. But if you’re looking for a big spread, here’s some perfect accompaniments to go along with it.
Starches
Veggies
- Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots
- Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
- Roasted Green Beans And Mushrooms
- Roasted Potatoes With Garlic Aioli
- The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Salads
- Mexican Chicken And Rice Salad
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad
- Kale And Quinoa Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
- Greek Salad
- Warm Kale Salad With Roasted Butternut Squash
Can I Use Chicken Thighs?
You can actually make this dish with boneless skinless chicken thighs. You still have to go through the process of pounding the thighs between two pieces of parchment paper so that they’re all the same thickness. This will ensure even cooking and it will cook pretty quick.
How To Brine Your Chicken
If you’ve got the time, brine your chicken for 2 to 4 hours in a solution made with water, salt and other things you may prefer like soy sauce or beer. Basic brine ratio is 1 tbsp salt to 1 cup of water. This will allow that seasoning to penetrate into the meat and result in juicier, more flavorful, and more tender meat.
Leftovers
Fridge
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Keep in mind though that the breading will become more soggy the longer it’s kept in the fridge!
Freezer
Absolutely! Freeze this stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months! Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating back up in the oven, on the stove, or on the microwave.
More Chicken Recipes To Try:
- Roast Chicken
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- One Pan Roasted Honey Orange Chicken And Potatoes
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Chicken Rice Pilaf
- Chicken Parmesan
- Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Chicken Kiev
Video
Ingredients
Garlic Butter
- 8 tablespoon butter (unsalted, softened)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced well)
- ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh dill (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Chicken Kiev
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (such as Panko)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- vegetable oil for frying
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prepare the garlic herb compound butter: Mix all the garlic butter ingredients together using a fork or a spatula. Place it onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log. Place it in the freezer for 30-40 minutes to freeze. It needs to be firm so that we can slice it.
- Prepare the chicken: Lay each breast flat onto your work surface. Butterfly the chicken breast by slicing it horizontally. Place the chicken breast opened between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and then flatten using a meat mallet. If you don't have a meat mallet you can also use the back of a heavy frying pan such as a cast iron skillet. Season each breast fillet with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Assemble the chicken kiev: Cut the frozen butter into 4 equal pieces. Place a frozen piece of garlic butter in the centre of a chicken fillet, fold the chicken over the garlic butter, gathering the sides to the center to form either a round ball or a log. Wrap each chicken piece in plastic wrap and twist the ends to make sure it's wrapped tightly. Place the wrapped chicken pieces in the freezer for about 2 hours until the seams have frozen.
- Form the breading: Add the flour onto a shallow plate, crack the eggs in another shallow plate and whisk, and in a third bowl the breadcrumbs. Roll the frozen chicken first into the flour and make sure it is coated evenly, then roll it into the eggs and finally roll it through the breadcrumbs. Repeat with all the chicken pieces.
- Finish the dish: Heat the oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven to 350 F degrees. Preheat your oven to 400 F degrees. Deep fry each piece of chicken for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the fried chicken into a baking dish such as a 9×13-inch casserole dish, then transfer to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Equipment
Notes
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Keep in mind though that the breading will become more soggy the longer it’s kept in the fridge!
- Freeze this stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months! Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating back up in the oven, on the stove, or on the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This recipe came out stupendous. My husband was in love. I was short on time though and I hadn’t read through the recipe fully, so I ended up skipping out on freezing the chicken and instead kept the edges together with toothpicks. I also didn’t have time to fry them and instead brushed the tops with olive oil and put them all right away into the oven. And they still turned out phenomenal. I can’t wait to make them again!
I’m trying this later and in the meantime I love the numbered photos idea.
Thank you from someone who doesn’t like reading lengthy instructions!
Can you air fry this instead of deep frying it? If yes, any guidelines for doing so?
Love your website – especially your suggestions for what to pair a dish with along with the links to the recipes!
Hi Laura! Yes, you can, I would air fry it at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes, turning it over halfway through. Best to use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature to know when the chicken is cooked through, should read 165F.
there’s no video link??????????????????????
The video is in the recipe card, if you’re not seeing it you must have ad-blocker turned on.
This is definitely my chicken Kiev go to recipe.
It is so easy,juicy,& tasty.
I make dinner every Sunday for my family and this is one of their favourites.
I am making this today for Easter dinner at my families request.
Thank you Jo.I love for your delicious recipes.
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes!
This recipe is great. My daughter begged that we have it again, so this is round no. 2 for us. I feel pretty accomplished making it too 🙂 The most challenging part for me is butterflying the chicken and rolling it all up neatly. I bet with more practice, I’ll be a rockstar! Thanks again for the great recipe! It’s really worth all the work.
My pleasure, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this recipe!
I am wanting to make this for mothers day. If I prepare at home today can I fry the chicken and place it in the fridge baking it the next day?
Yes, you can definitely do that.
Loved the recipe!!!How do you reheat this the next day?
I’m so glad you like it! You can reheat it in the microwave or oven.
This recipe is drool worthy! Definitely be making this soon.