Russia · Meat Dishes · High protein

Chicken Kiev

Name: Chicken Kiev
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 4 large chicken breasts; 100 g all-purpose flour; 2 large eggs; 150 g panko or regular breadcrumbs; to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 liter vegetable oil for deep-frying; 100 g unsalted butter; 3-4 cloves garlic; 3 tbsp fresh parsley; 2 tbsp fresh dill; 1/2 lemon zest

A legendary dish of disputed origin claimed by both Ukrainian and Russian cuisines. Tender chicken breast pounded thin, wrapped around chilled garlic herb butter, coated in crispy breadcrumbs and fried golden.

45 min 450 kcal 4 serves Medium💪High protein🇷🇺Russia★★★★★4.8· 6 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

4 largechicken breasts
100 gall-purpose flour
2 largeeggs
150 gpanko or regular breadcrumbs
to tastesalt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litervegetable oil for deep-frying
100 gunsalted butter
3 clovesgarlic
3 tbspfresh parsley
2 tbspfresh dill
½ lemon zest

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“The magic of chicken Kiev is that moment when you cut into the crispy golden crust and a stream of herb butter gushes out onto the plate. Getting that right requires two things most people skip: properly sealing the chicken around the butter with no gaps, and freezing the rolls for at least 30 minutes before frying. If there's even a tiny crack, all that beautiful butter leaks out during cooking and you're left with a dry cutlet. I pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap to an even thickness — too thin and they tear, too thick and the center stays raw. The classic filling is dill-parsley butter, but I sometimes add a clove of finely grated garlic for extra punch.”

Freeze the butter logs until completely solid before wrapping in chicken. After breading, refrigerate the rolls for 30 minutes — this double-chill method virtually guarantees the butter stays inside during frying.

Method

Mix the softened butter with minced garlic and chopped herbs. Roll into a log using parchment paper and freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm.
Place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness of about 5-6mm. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Cut the frozen butter into 4 pieces. Place one piece in the center of each chicken fillet and roll up tightly, ensuring the butter is completely sealed inside. Dredge each parcel in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Chill the breaded cutlets for 20 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil for deep-frying to 170°C. Fry the cutlets in batches for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
Drain on a wire rack and serve immediately, traditionally with mashed potatoes.

FAQ

Butter leaks when the chicken is not sealed tightly enough or the herb butter was too warm when rolled. The herb butter must be fully frozen solid before wrapping — shape it into a log, wrap in cling film and freeze for at least 2 hours. When rolling, place the frozen butter in the center of the pounded breast, fold the sides in first, then roll tightly from bottom to top without any gaps. Press the seam firmly. After rolling, refrigerate the shaped cutlet for 30 minutes before breading, then chill again for 30 minutes after breading. Cold filling expands less rapidly during frying and stays inside. Also check that the chicken is pounded evenly to 5–6 mm — thin spots can tear and let the butter escape.

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Comments (2)

Просто Мария
29d ago
Готовлю котлеты покиевски уже лет десять и каждый раз волнуюсь что масло вытечет. По этому рецепту наконецто получилось идеально, масло внутри осталось! Главое хорошо заморозить перед жаркой минут на 20.
Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels before cooking this chicken kiev. Surface moisture creates steam instead of sear — it's the difference between golden skin and a pale, flabby exterior.