Name: Chicken Kiev
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Bake
Ingredients: 4 chicken breast fillets; 100 g butter salted, softened; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1/2 tsp lemon zest only; 3 Tbs fresh parsley finely chopped; 1/4 cup peanut oil; flour; 2 eggs beaten; 100 g bread; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; toothpicks; lemon wedges, to serve

Recipe Disclaimer

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Ingredients (12)

4	chicken breast fillets

FILLING:

100 g	butter — salted, softened
2	garlic — cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp	lemon — zest only
3 Tbs	fresh parsley — finely chopped

FRYING:

1/4 cup

peanut oil

COATING:

	flour
2	eggs — beaten
100 g	bread
	sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

EXTRAS:

	toothpicks
	lemon — wedges, to serve

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Method:

Make the breadcrumbs:
Preheat the oven to 100ºC. Cut the bread into pieces and process in a food processor to make rough crumbs. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until dried out but without colour. Process again until fine.

Make the filling:
Process the butter in a food processor along with the garlic, lemon zest and parsley until very well combined. Spoon the butter down the length of a clingwrap sheet, roll up into a sausage shape and then press down on top so that it is slightly flattened. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.

Prepare the chicken:
Place a sheet of clingwrap or baking paper on a wooden board and place a chicken breast on top. Cover with another piece of clingwrap or baking paper and flatten slightly with a rolling pin – this is to ensure an even thickness throughout, rather than to make it thinner. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into the larger side of the chicken breast.

Cut the butter into four pieces and place a piece inside the pocket. Close and secure with a toothpick, shaping the chicken breast over and around the seam so that it is well covered and no butter will leak out. Repeat for each chicken breast. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Cook the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 190ºC.

Have all the ingredients for coating the chicken ready:
Spread a generous amount of flour onto one plate, tip the beaten eggs into a shallow bowl, spread out the breadcrumbs on a second plate. Coat each chicken breast in flour and carefully dust off the excess, dip in beaten egg and then coat generously with breadcrumbs. Season well. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for a few minutes on each side (turning gently) until golden. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Tip:
The trick is to have extremely cold butter, seal the chicken well and coat thoroughly in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs.

Words and image: Fairlady

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