Ukrainian chicken kiev
Ingredients
- Butter 175 g (6 oz)
- Lemon 1, grated for zest and squeezed for juice
- Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
- Chopped chives 3 Tbsp
- Chicken breasts 6 large pieces, boned
- and skinned
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- Ground black
- pepper 1/2 tsp Cooking oil
- for deep-frying
- Eggs 2, beaten
- Dried white
- breadcrumbs 175 g (6 oz)
These butter-stuffed, deep-fried chicken breasts are a Russian restaurant classic. They are surprisingly easy to prepare.
Serves 6
Method
- Mash butter with lemon zest and juice, garlic and chives. Mould mixture into a rectangle, wrap in foil and refrigerate.
- Lay chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them flat with a rolling pin or meat mallet. Remove plastic wrap and season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Working quickly, cut chilled butter into 6 fingers and place one along the centre of each fillet. Fold chicken tightly over butter to enclose completely. Wrap each chicken parcel in plastic wrap and freeze for 20–30 minutes.
- Heat oil for deep-frying in a large pan.
- Remove chicken parcels from freezer and unwrap.
- Dip chicken parcels into beaten egg, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, then coat with breadcrumbs. Firmly press in breadcrumbs so coating is secure.
- Lower 2–3 parcels into hot oil, depending on the size of pan and fry for 5–6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat to cook remaining parcels.
- Serve hot.
