If you’re wondering what Chicken Kiev is, all you need to know is this: it’s crumbed and fried chicken stuffed with melting garlic butter. Totally retro, totally simple but totally fabulous and quite possibly the greatest use of chicken breast, ever!
The trick to ensuring the melted butter stays firmly sealed inside? Partially freezing the chicken so the chicken is keep firmly in place. Yep, it’s that easy! {Bonus no deep frying option provided}
Chicken Kiev
Stuffed things are good things. Dumplings. Profiteroles. Samosas. The anticipation of cutting into something that looks so plain and unassuming on the outside to reveal something wickedly good on the inside, is like opening a tantalising birthday present.
Of all the stuffed chicken dishes in this world, Chicken Kiev is surely the king of them all! Stuffed with rich garlic butter, this Russian beauty is all kinds of incredible. Cutting through that crunchy, golden breadcrumb crust and into the juicy chicken flesh, a river of molten butter oozes from the meat across your plate – it’s a heart-stopping moment of joy that few things in this world can rival. In fact, right now I can’t think of anything that does!!!
What goes in Chicken Kiev
Garlic butter stuffing for Chicken Kiev
Here’s what you need to make the garlic butter that goes inside Chicken Kiev:
Butter – Of course! Softened and unsalted;
Garlic – Finely minced using a knife or using a garlic crusher;
Salt; and
Parsley – Finely chopped.
Crumbed chicken for Chicken Kiev
And here’s what you need to make the crumbed chicken:
Chicken breast – The best cut for pounding into a large, flat “sheet” used to roll up the garlic butter;
Panko breadcrumbs – Better than ordinary breadcrumbs because they’re slightly larger pieces which yield a better crunch!
Flour and egg – The binding agents to make the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
How to make Chicken Kiev
It’s as straightforward as it comes:
Roll up pounded chicken breast with garlic butter inside;
Crumb chicken;
Fry; then
Bake, to finish cooking.
Do you have to deep fry?? For a true Kiev experience, yes you do. BUT for the very best full baked no-fry option using a much loved breadcrumb toasting method used in this Chicken Tenders recipe, see Note 6 of the recipe card!
Part 1. Garlic butter stuffing for Chicken Kiev
Mix the softened butter with salt, parsley and garlic until smooth;
Spread butter on to parchment / baking paper into a 10 x 6cm / 4 x 2.3″ rectangle. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just roughly is fine!
Refrigerate until firm, then cut lengthwise into 2 pieces.
Part 2. Stuffing the Chicken Kiev
Pound chicken – Place a chicken breast between two freezer bags (or, as I do, use “Go Between” freeze film). Place the chicken presentation side down so that side stays neat and flat.
Now pound the chicken using a meat mallet (or rolling pin, can, truncheon or other tool of choice) until it is 0.5cm / 0.2″ thick. In a perfect world, you’d achieve a neat rectangle shape. But the world is not perfect. So if you’re like me, you’ll end up with scrappy bits and a wonky shape, and that’s totally ok.
Just be careful not to tear the chicken. But if you do, don’t worry, we will patch it up to keep all that golden garlic butter goodness inside!
Season and stuff – Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Then place a baton of butter in the middle;
Wrap – Fold the sides in. Then starting from the bottom, roll the chicken up into a log (like a burrito!);
Finish with the seam side down so it stays together;
Wrap with cling wrap, twisting the ends so it tightens into a log; and
Freeze for 30 minutes to partially firm for easier handling when coating with breadcrumbs, and to ensure the chicken stays sealed for less risk of butter leakage.
Part 3: Coating and cooking
Flour – Once the outside of the chicken is fairly firm to touch (but not rock solid frozen), unwrap and roll in flour. Make sure you coat the ends too. Then shake off excess;
Egg – Next, roll in lightly whisked egg;
Breadcrumbs – Then roll in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere;
Partially freeze again – Place the crumbed chicken back in the freezer for 30 minutes to partially freeze so the outside firms up again. As with the first partial freezing, this ensures the chicken holds its shape and the crumb coating + chicken wrapping doesn’t shift when putting the chicken in the oil so it remains sealed to keep the butter inside;
Fry until golden – Next, fry the chicken until it’s golden on the outside, just 2 to 3 minutes. It will still be raw inside, so we will finish it in the oven. We can’t cook it completely when deep frying because the shape of the Chicken Kiev is too thick for it to cook through inside before the outside becomes overly brown.
For a no-deep fry option, see Note 6 of the recipe (it involves oven toasting breadcrumbs, simple and highly effective!); and
Bake – Finish in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 65°C / 149°F. When inserting the tip of the meat thermometer to check, be sure to only pierce the flesh partway through so you don’t make a hole that causes the butter to ooze out!
Frying Chicken Kiev 
Baking Chicken Kiev
The Kiev looks so quiet and unassuming, out of the oven!! But then you cut into it. A small dribble of butter starts leak out …
…. keep cutting and the dribble turns into a butter torrent as you cut all the way through! ↓↓↓
That moment when the butter spills out of the chicken and all over your plate like a self-saucing chicken dinner is one of the most satisfying food moments you’ll ever experience.
It might be retro, but food this good will NEVER go out of fashion, for good reason!
Serve this decadent chicken dish with a big leafy salad tossed with a simple salad dressing. If you want to go all out, do as I’ve done and add a side of Mini Potato Dauphinoise! Though if that’s not within your reach or time constraints are inhibiting you, at least add a side of mashed potato or crusty bread as the perfect vehicles for mopping.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Kiev
Ingredients
Garlic Butter Stuffing:
- 6 tbsp / 90g unsalted butter , softened (or salted butter)
- 2 tsp parsley , finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , very finely minced (2 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp salt (skip if using salted butter)
Chicken:
- 2 x 220 – 250g (7 – 8oz) chicken breast , skinless and boneless (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 egg , lightly whisked
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)
- Oil for frying , canola or vegetable oil (~4 cups / 1 litre)
Serving:
- Parsley , finely chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Garlic butter filling: Place ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
- Shape and chill butter: Scrape butter on to a small sheet of baking / parchment paper and roughly shape into 10 x 6cm / 4 x 2.4" rectangle. Refrigerate until firm, then cut in half lengthwise to form two batons.
- Pound chicken: Place chicken smooth side down between two freezer bags or paper (Note 3). Pound to an even 0.5 cm / 0.2" thickness using a meat mallet (Note 4 for tips!)
- Season: Sprinkle each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Stuff and roll up chicken: Place a baton of butter in the middle. Trim edges if needed, then add trimmings into the centre. Fold sides in over the butter, then roll the chicken up starting from the bottom, finishing with the seam side down.
- Wrap and partially freeze: Wrap the chicken log in cling wrap, twisting the ends tightly to create a firm log shape. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes until the surface is fairly firm to touch, but not frozen solid. (Note 5)
- Crumb: Place egg, flour and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Coat in egg, drip off excess. Then coat in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.
- Partial freeze: Place crumbed chicken in the freezer for 30 minutes until fairly firm to handle (but not frozen solid).
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Place a rack on a tray.
- Fry: Heat oil in a heavy based pot to 190°C / 375°F. Carefully place chicken in the oil and cook, turning once or twice, until golden (2 – 3 minutes). It will still be raw inside.
- Bake: Place chicken on a rack and bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 65°C / 150°F. Pierce the top so you don't cause butter leakage!
- Rest for 2 minutes, then serve, sprinkled with a pinch of parsley if desired!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
10 mouth-watering ways with chicken breast
Life of Dozer
On the move…again!!! Getting a little renovations done, and I fully intended to live through it. However, I was strongly advised against it by “everybody” so I’m moving out for the duration of the build.
Dozer started to express concern when he saw his toys being boxed up…….
After making so many of your recipes successfully, I’m gonna try this, it looks epic! My question is, I’d be making it for the hubby and two young kids, both eat like birds and no way they’d finish a whole breast each. How do you think mini kievs would go? Could I just cut a breast in half and then halve all other ingredients? Obvs the cooking time would be affected… could it be done, do you think?
Made this AGAIN today. Totally worth all the faff to have that glorious garlic butter ooze out. The little hacks are just genius. 😘
This recipe worked very well for me and was really succulent and tasty. I noted previous comments about the oven time needing to be longer. However, I could not see a temperature for the oven and used 180 degrees for 20 minutes and it came out at 67C and was just beautiful. Cooked for friends and went down well.
My son made these kievs for my birthday and they were great. He forgot to check we had breadcrumbs so coated them in crushed corn flakes. Like other people commented here it took longer to get 65C but he found it easy to do and I may get more in the future. We always bake store bought kievs in gratin dishes in case they break and one did this time but still delicious and nothing was lost.
I have made and they are great but my breasts sometimes come undone but the butter is still in tact – is it an option to butterfly the chicken before pounding it – my mallet tends to butcher the chicken and it comes off the breast???
This was so helpful as I’ve never made a successful kiev until now. I found it easier to make a batter consisting of 1tbl mayo, 1 egg and 2tbl of corn flour and whisking it altogether, dip the chicken in this batter then the breadcrumbs…It means you have clean hands and the coating sticks better. I double coated mine and they were awsome
Great to hear Liz!!! – Nx
I love this recipe, chicken Kiev is my Favourite meal of all time. Unfortunately my husband prefers the Creamy Garlic not the Butter Garlic like myself. Any recommendations for a creamy Garlic feeling so we both can be satisfied. Thanks
Here’s an idea (untested!): could you sub half or 3/4 of the butter with cream cheese and/or sour cream? It’s a risk but you’d probably get a creamy centre…
Nagi, I sure feel your pain. We have been out of our house for four months now for a major renovation. It does go by quickly. Can’t wait for my new kitchen! Made this recipe and was absolutely delicious. I did fry it and then bake it. Mine wasn’t fully cooked after 15 minutes for some reason. It looked so heavenly when I made that first cut into it. Back in the oven it went for another 10 minutes. I was so disappointed, but it still was absolutely delicious. Way to go on sharing another incredible recipe and making me look like a way better cook than I really am. Good luck on your project and kisses to Dozer.
Sadly, I think this is my first ever Nagi ‘fail’ where I can’t work out what I did wrong 🙁
I followed the directions (even freezing for slightly longer than stated both times round because the chicken still felt very ‘squishy’ after 30 mins) yet for one of the breasts, it split open along the seam when deep frying, fortunately along the top, so I just didn’t turn it and lose all the butter into the oil, and the other must have split during baking (though the split wasn’t visible).
I knew that mine wouldn’t have any butter in because I could see that it had all bubbled out in the oven (I put down baking paper on the tray as a precaution), but was very disappointed that my husband’s had leaked as well – I was so looking forward to seeing it come out like in the video.
Plus, it definitely needs a lot more garlic! There was hardly any garlic taste at all. (and I used the largest of the cloves in my bulb to make sure that I was getting lots in there…)
Hi Jo, I’m so sorry you had issues here – sounds like they may of needed slightly longer in the freezer. I love my garlic too – so one clove per breast and you should definitely be able to taste it – although if your garlic is old, it may of lost some flavour. I hope you give it another shot! N x
Nagi thank you for the delicious recipe. It was the most delicious chicken kiev I have ever tasted. I have now made over 50 of your recipes and all have worked perfectly. I work with young people from socio-economic challenged backgrounds and we always give them a good meal in our place, since lockdown 1.0 we have been delivering food packs based on your recipes and showing kids how to cook them…all our kids now think I’m a chef queen…..you’re the real queen of the cooker, fair play!
These look great! Would it work to cook from completely frozen?
Hi Sara, as in making in advance? You’d need to partially thaw first. N x
Yes that’s what I meant, thank you 🙂
WOW , we love crunchy chicken ,will certainly try this one ,we love butter no problem with that ,but would like to experiment with cream cheese , garlic and butter mixture ,to keep the inside a little more solid when I cut into it . Do you think a little cornstarch would work in that case ?
Love all your recipes so nice to have someone like you Nagi , I could plan my weekly dinners , with no worry . From what I read from all your reviews ,you are inspiring so many people around the world ,and with the pandemic witch was so hard on everyone ,, with a new recipe from you on our computer most daily ,, and your wonderful stories and picture of Dozer made our days so much better and put a smile on our face ,,you are the type of person that makes the world a better place .
Poor Dozer with the move you are doing ,my dog would panic to see suitcase ,when we travel ,she never wanted to stay in the hotel ,she wanted to stay in the van ,because of the fear of being left behind ,because we made the mistake to leave her in a air condition hotel room because it was to hot when we went to eat out ,only once, never again ,they never forget ,we ordered in the room , from then on .
Hi Jen – I think it’s going to affect the texture mixing cornstarch in – I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s the signature ooze that makes this great!! N x
OK ,thank you Nagi ,I will take your recommendation.
Lovely recipe will.make after summer
Good luck on the reno
What I’d give to be going into summer Gillian!! We are heading into winter here! N x
You are so awesome. I have tried many of your recipes and for someone who hardly cooked a couple of years ago I now have time to cook and get tons of compliments even from the kids on your recipes. I feel like I’m taking cooking lessons from from you. Thanks so much for sharing. Say hi to Dozer!!
That’s amazing Chantal, I’m so glad you’re loving all the recipes! N x
Love your recipes. The idea to partially freeze the chicken after wrapping the butter and doing the breadcrumbs is genius! However I’ve noticed lately that part of the direction instructions are covered by the pictures. We can still follow the directions in the complete recipe but it is a little frustrating.
Keep well Nagi and keep up the good work!
Hi Kathy, I’m unsure what you mean here – if you’re having technical issues can you please send me an email so I can have this looked into? Thanks – N x
This looks yummy thanks for the recipe. 🙂 Also I can relate to what dozer is thinking. I made a major move with my rescue lab/pointer mix and he was pretty forlorn with all the boxing up. We are settled now and he is happy enough and adjusting to a new normal for both of us. Again looking forward to trying this recipe!
It’s always a bit confusing, but he they seem to adapt don’t they Linda?! N x
I’ve made this before with limited success. I can’t wait to try your amazing technique! Good luck with the move/reno.
I’d love to know if you give this method a go Brenda!! N x
Giving it 5 stars already! I can’t wait to make this very soon! I have not made ONE of your recipes that was not a resounding success. You are actually the only food blogger that I follow right now because of all of your delightful recipes and instructions. Thanks so much!
That’s awesome to here Diana, thanks so much!!! N x
This looks AMAZING!!! One of the things my kids absolutely LOVE and these look great definitely going to try this! Cannot wait
I hope it’s a hit Abby!! N x
I have never left a comment before but you are amazing. Love trying your recipes they are always winners. Just wanted to say when I make Kiev’s I add cheese to the butter mixture. But I really like the idea about part freezing and I think that would also help the cheese from oozing out too soon.
And everything is GREAT with cheese Marilyn – absolute genius idea!!! N x