Chicken Kyiv

About This Recipe

Chicken Kyiv is arguably Ukraine's most internationally famous dish, though its precise origin is disputed between Ukrainian and French culinary historians. The defining element is the herbed butter core — carefully folded inside a pounded chicken breast, then double-breaded and fried until the coating is shattering-crisp while the butter inside remains molten. When the crust is broken, the fragrant butter flows out like culinary gold. In Ukraine, the dish is considered refined restaurant fare and is a source of national pride. Making it at home requires patience and attention to technique, but the result is spectacular.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 largechicken breast fillets
• 150 gunsalted butter, very cold
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced to a paste
• 3 tbspfresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbspfresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tsplemon zest
• 1 tspsalt (for butter)
• 100 gall-purpose flour
• 3 largeeggs, beaten
• 200 gfine breadcrumbs
• 1 tspsalt (for breading)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1 litersunflower oil, for deep frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the herb butter

   Beat the cold butter until slightly softened. Mix in garlic, parsley, dill, lemon zest, and salt until fully combined. Shape into a log on plastic wrap, roll tightly, and freeze for at least 1 hour until very firm.

2. 2

   Prepare the chicken

   Butterfly each chicken breast by cutting horizontally almost all the way through and opening flat. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even 5–6 mm thickness using a meat mallet.

3. 3

   Fill and wrap

   Cut the frozen butter log into 4 portions. Place one piece of butter at the edge of each pounded breast. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Roll the chicken around the butter tightly, folding in the sides as you roll to completely encase the butter with no gaps. The roll must be airtight or the butter will leak.

4. 4

   Freeze the rolls

   Place the chicken rolls on a plate and freeze for 30 minutes. This firms them up and makes breading much easier.

5. 5

   Bread the chicken

   Set up a breading station: seasoned flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Coat each roll in flour (shaking off excess), then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing firmly. Dip back in egg and coat in breadcrumbs again for a double layer. Freeze for another 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Fry and finish in oven

   Heat oil to 175°C. Fry the chicken rolls for 4–5 minutes until deep golden brown all over. Transfer to a baking tray and finish in a 190°C oven for 12–15 minutes until cooked through (internal temp 74°C). Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

7. 7

   Serve dramatically

   Serve on a warm plate and cut into the kyiv at the table to release the cascading herb butter. Accompany with roasted potatoes and a crisp green salad.

Variations

• •

  Add blue cheese to the herb butter for a bolder filling.

• •

  Use a mixture of tarragon and chives instead of parsley and dill for a French-inspired version.

• •

  Bake-only version at 200°C for 25–30 minutes for a lighter alternative.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Breaded but uncooked kyiv rolls can be frozen for up to 1 month and cooked from frozen (add 5 extra minutes to oven time).

Frequently Asked Questions