Description
This homemade Chicken Kiev is a classic dish featuring tender, pounded chicken breasts rolled around a flavorful herb and garlic butter, coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs, fried to golden perfection, and finished in the oven for a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Perfect for a special dinner, this recipe combines aromatic herbs with a delicate lemon zest for a deliciously indulgent yet approachable meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz. each)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Herb Butter
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 3 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 2 tbsp minced chives
- 2 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- Zest of 1 lemon
Breading
- 4 eggs, whisked
- 3 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 0.5 tbsp dried dill weed (optional)
Frying
- 2-3 cups canola oil
Instructions
- Soften the Butter: Remove the unsalted butter from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes until soft enough to blend smoothly.
- Mix the Herb Butter: In a bowl, thoroughly combine the softened butter with minced parsley, chives, dill weed, pressed garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until the mixture is aromatic and evenly blended.
- Shape the Butter: Spread the herb butter onto a piece of plastic wrap in a log shape, wrap tightly, and freeze for about 15 minutes to firm it up for easier handling.
- Butterfly the Chicken: Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast horizontally almost through, then open it like a book. Place inside a zip-lock bag to contain it during pounding.
- Pound the Chicken: Gently pound the butterfly chicken breast with a meat tenderizer until it is about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick, ensuring even thickness for uniform cooking.
- Season the Chicken: Generously season both sides of the pounded chicken breasts with salt and black pepper to enhance their natural flavor.
- Prepare the Butter Portions: Remove the herb butter from the freezer and slice it into 8 equal pieces, allocating 2 pieces per chicken breast.
- Assemble the Chicken Rolls: Lay each chicken breast flat on plastic wrap, place 2 slices of herb butter on one side, then roll tightly while tucking in the sides to seal the butter inside.
- Wrap and Refrigerate: Completely wrap each chicken roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the butter to firm.
- Preheat Oven and Oil: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a deep skillet, heat canola oil to 350°F for frying the chicken rolls.
- Set Up Breading Stations: Prepare three shallow bowls: one with whisked eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, one with a mixture of flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and one with Panko breadcrumbs mixed with dried parsley and optional dill weed.
- Bread the Chicken Rolls: Unwrap the chilled chicken rolls, dredge each first in seasoned flour, then dip into the egg mixture, and finally coat thoroughly with the Panko breadcrumb mixture. Repeat for all rolls.
- Fry the Chicken: Carefully lower each breaded chicken roll into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until the coating turns a crispy, golden brown.
- Bake to Finish: Transfer fried chicken rolls to a wire rack set in a baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20-24 minutes to ensure the chicken is fully cooked and flavors develop.
Notes
- Freezing the herb butter before assembling helps prevent it from melting too quickly during frying.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Ensure the oil temperature is steady at 350°F to achieve a crispy coating without absorbing excess oil.
- Refrigerating the assembled rolls overnight enhances flavor and firmness, improving handling and final texture.
- Substitute canola oil with vegetable or peanut oil if preferred for frying.
