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Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. We are forever grateful for everything we have. No turkey in the oven or stove-top this year. I remember last year my mom was the one who was busy with all the cooking. This year I got a day off (from cooking). But I have a recipe to share still. Another Russian and Ukranian classic dish 😉
Chicken Kiev is such a popular dish in Russia and Ukrainian. Now, the Ukrainians will say that chicken kiev was originated in Ukraine. The Russians will say the same thing. In this blog though, I just tag the recipe as both Russian and Ukrainian to be fair 🙂
So what in the world is chicken kiev. You heard it, read it and if you have never tasted it, it’s good!
It is basically a boneless chicken stuffed with garlic butter and herbs, breaded and deep fried (or bake sometimes). I do the deep-fried version ha! When you slice into the chicken, the melted butter is released out. Just watching that makes you happy. Yes ? Let alone eating it!
Another recipe from the Polish & Russia Cookbook by Lesley Chamberlain and Catherine Atkinson.
CHICKEN KIEV
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp butter softened
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 skinless chicken breast fillets
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- Oil for deep frying
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges to garnish
Instructions
- Mix the butter in a bowl with the garlic, lemon rind, tarragon and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Shape the butter into a rectangular block about 2-inch long, wrap in a foil and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator
- Place the chicken, skinned sides down, on a piece of oiled clear plastic wrap. Cover with a second of piece of plastic wrap. Gently beat the fillet pieces with a rolling pin until fairly thin, about 1/8-inch thick
- Cut the butter lenghtways into four pieces and put one in the center of each chicken fillet. Fold in end of chicken and roll into small logs, make sure it completely cover the butter
- Tip the beaten egg and the bread crumbs into separate small dishes. Dip the chicken pieces first in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Dip them a second time in egg and crumbs, then put on a plate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight
- Heat the oil in a large pan or deep fat fryer to 350 F. Gently place each breast in oil, sealed-side down, and cook until golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges if you like
