Chicken Kiev

The Story:

Have you ever had Chicken Kiev?  If you haven't you really need to.  It consists of a breaded chicken breast that looks hot and delicious out of the oven.  When you cut into it hot, lovely, garlicky butter and herbs rush out and soak everything in wonderful richness.  When I was in College: Round 1, my friend Casie and I used to walk to Safeway, buy boxed frozen Chicken Kiev (notice I'm capitalizing it because it is very important), come back to her boyfriend's apartment and bake and devour it on the spot.  I am not sure why a boxed frozen piece of chicken was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten, but it was.  So when I ran across a recipe for Chicken Kiev in my trusted Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, I was ready to try it immediately.



The Recipe:

Chicken Kiev (modified from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)
Makes 4 Servings

2 tablespoons green onion
2 tablespoons parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/2 stick butter, chilled
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cracker crumbs, fine
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt
1 tablespoon butter

Chop onion and parsley (if fresh), press garlic.  Then mix in a small bowl.  (Two things here.  If you don't have a garlic press with a little comb attachment to clean it out, you really should get one.  Also, since I use parsley, but not enough to keep it around fresh, I will buy it fresh, chop it all, use what I need at the time, then dry the rest on a jelly roll pan for a few days and store it in a labeled plastic baggie or old spice container.  I'm surprised at how often it comes in handy!)

Using a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts thin (1/8 inch thick).  Try to make them rectangular (I'm thinking this is impossible.)  The cookbook suggests putting the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, but I'm not sure why.  Maybe it prevents splattering?  Anyway, pound those babies. Then sprinkle each chicken piece with salt and a quarter of the garlic mixture.

Cut the butter in half, longwise.  Then cut each of those pieces in half longwise again, so you have four small sticks of butter.  Place a stick of butter on top of each piece of chicken and roll up, trying to get really good coverage so no butter can get out.

Mix egg and water in a shallow dish, place the flour and crumbs into shallow dishes too.  Roll each chicken piece in flour.  Then roll each in egg, crumbs, egg, crumbs.  Try to coat and seal any holes or cracks.  Place rolls in 8"x8" pan and chill 1-24 hours. 

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken rolls, turning to brown on all sides.  Return to dish.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 16-20 minutes.

I served it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.



The Verdict:

This, unfortunately, did not beat the old Safeway standard.  Your goal is to keep all the butter locked inside until it is time to cut it open and eat, but this doesn't happen all the time.  As far as I could tell, I only had one that remained sealed until it was served.  Nonetheless, I was proud that it worked with one and it did taste good.  I would probably make it again, but I would try to use larger pieces of chicken, and maybe go easier on the green onion and parsley.  Not a bad meal, but not what I had hoped.