Chicken Kiev

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I learned about Ukrainian culture from a neighbor in our apartment building. She taught my family how to make pysanky—colorful dyed Easter eggs—and sparked my interest in the food of her country. I didn’t learn how to make chicken Kiev until many years later, but once I saw my handiwork, it immediately called up fond childhood memories.

When served with Eastern European sides like borscht and roasted cabbage, these rolled, stuffed and breaded chicken breasts are perfect for special meals at home. Although it looks elegant on the plate, with its golden crumb coating and the melted butter oozing from its center, this chicken Kiev recipe is deceptively easy to make.

What is chicken Kiev?

Chicken Kiev is a dish made of chicken rolled around butter that’s breaded and then fried or baked. The dish is similar to chicken cordon bleu, which consists of breasts stuffed with thin slices of ham and Swiss cheese. The exact origins of chicken Kiev (also called chicken Kyiv) are unclear, but it’s named after the capital of Ukraine.

While many chicken Kiev dishes are fried, or fried and then baked, our lower-fat version is cooked entirely in the oven. Dredging the meat in buttermilk before rolling it in a crunchy crumb coating gives it a flavor boost.

Ingredients for Chicken Kiev

• Butter: This recipe doesn’t include any salt, so it’s a great place to employ salted butter. The butter should be softened slightly so, if yours is cold, soften butter quickly by cutting it into cubes or rolling it out with a rolling pin.
• Chives: Chives, a more delicate relative of garlic and onions, are added to make a compound butter. Dried chives doesn’t retain much flavor, so avoid them if you can. At the grocery store, chives can often be found packaged in plastic clamshells alongside other fresh herbs.
• Garlic: For extra punch, the chicken Kiev’s compound butter stuffing also contains minced garlic. If you like strong flavors, you can use more than one clove.
• Chicken breast: For this dish, it’s traditional to use a skinless, boneless chicken breast that includes the first wing joint (called a “supreme”). However, a boneless breast is easier to work with. If you like the extra crunch and flavor, it’s fine to use breasts with the skin on.
• Cornflakes: Using cornflakes Americanizes this dish, giving it a lovely golden color and a sweet, grainy flavor.
• Parsley: A touch of minced parsley, which is common in Eastern European recipes, adds freshness and a touch of color to the breading mixture. Either milder curly or stronger-tasting flat leaf parsley will work just fine.
• Paprika: Paprika is associated with Hungarian cuisine, but it’s used all over the region. Look for Hungarian paprika for this recipe.
• Buttermilk: Tangy cultured buttermilk is made by adding lactic acid bacteria to milk and letting it thicken. It adds flavor to the chicken during the dredge process. If you can’t find it, you can use a buttermilk substitute like thinned-out yogurt or sour cream.

Directions

Step 1: Make the compound butter

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In a small bowl, combine the butter, chives and garlic.

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Shape the butter into a 3×2-inch rectangle. Cover and freeze it until it’s firm, about 30 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: This recipe doesn’t include any salt, so if you’d like, you can add some to the butter mixture, and some to the cornflakes mixture that you’ll make later.

Step 2: Stuff the chicken

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Flatten each chicken breast to a 1/4-inch thickness.

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Cut the chilled butter into six 1-inch pieces, and place one piece in the center of each chicken breast. Roll up the chicken from one of the long sides, and tuck the ends under.

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Secure the chicken rolls with toothpicks.

Editor’s Tip: To flatten the breasts, place them, one at a time, on a clean cutting board covered in storage wrap. Cover the breast with another layer of storage wrap. Using something heavy—such as a meat mallet, rolling pin, the bottom of a skillet or a can of food—smack the meat evenly all over until it is the thickness called for in the recipe.

Step 3: Dredge the rolls

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In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes, parsley and paprika.

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Add the buttermilk to another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the buttermilk, turning to coat.

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Then dip the chicken into the cornflakes mixture, making sure all sides are covered.

Step 4: Bake the chicken Kiev

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place chicken in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish, seam side down. Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170°. Discard the toothpicks before serving.

Editor’s Tip: The USDA recommends the internal temperature of chicken to be at least 165°, so if you’d rather not risk the chicken drying out at 170°, test it with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken. If it reads 165°, you can take it out of the oven early.

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Chicken Kiev Variations

• Gussy up the butter: Amp up your stuffing by stirring in lemon juice and zest or a spoonful of Dijon mustard for tang. You can also crumble in some blue cheese or feta. Fresh herbs are a welcome addition, too.
• Change the breading: Want an alternative to cornflakes? Regular bread crumbs or crispy panko, will both work perfectly. No matter which crumb you choose, you can change the seasonings by adding minced fresh dill, salt, pepper or smoked paprika.
• Brine the chicken: For juicier chicken, try letting it soak in a brine for 30 minutes before stuffing it. Our article on everything you need to know about brine is essential reading!

How to Store Chicken Kiev

Once chicken Kiev has cooled, store it in an airtight container in the fridge, ideally in a single layer to protect the crumb coating.

How long does chicken Kiev last?

Leftovers are best eaten within four days. Note that the breading will become less crisp the longer it’s in the refrigerator.

How do you reheat chicken Kiev?

This isn’t a great dish to reheat in the microwave, as the breading will steam and remain soft. For best results, place leftovers in a baking dish and reheat them, uncovered, in a 350° oven until the chicken is just warmed through. The dry heat will help restore some of the coating’s crisp texture.

Chicken Kiev Tips

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What’s the best way to pound chicken breasts?

If you have a meat mallet, this is a great time to use it. If not, choose a heavy, clean household object to flatten the breasts. Hit each piece, focusing on the spots that are chunkiest, until the meat is a uniform 1/4-inch thickness.

What can you serve with chicken Kiev?

It’s fun to pair this chicken Kiev recipe with other classic dishes from Ukraine, such as cucumber salad, chilled beet salad or beet borscht. It will also pair nicely with Hungarian-style green beans or anything made with mushrooms. For dessert, try khrustyky, cheese pie or a slice of paska with jam.

Can I add a sauce to this dish?

If you’re wondering how to make chicken Kiev even more delicious, consider saucing it with this white wine and cream-laced mushroom pasta sauce and serving it with the noodles.