Crispy Wild Garlic Butter Chicken Kiev Recipes

WILD GARLIC CHICKEN KIEV

Steps:

• Remove the butter from the fridge and bring up to room temperature.
• Ideally use a blender (or a wooden spoon and elbow grease!) to blend the softened butter, minced garlic and chopped wild garlic together into a bright green butter.
• Scoop the butter out onto a sheet of cling film and roll up tightly into a sausage shape.Place the garlic butter in the fridge for an hour, or the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
• Preheat the oven to 180/350/Gas 4.
• Butterfly a chicken breast by carefully slicing through the thinnest part of the breast and opening it up like a book. Don't cut right through.
• Pop the chicken breast between two large pieces of cling film. Using a rolling pin or mallet (meat tenderiser) bash it evenly all over until it is a thin, even sheet. Be careful not to overdo it and create holes in the meat as you'll lose the garlic butter as it cooks.The thinner it is, the better, but my first one was pretty chunky (about half an inch in places) and amazingly the butter stayed in situ perfectly even though it didn't roll up particularly neatly.
• Season both sides of the meat sheet with salt and pepper.Cut the sausage of garlic butter in half lengthways, and roll one half of it up in the chicken.Aim to tuck the sides of the chicken in if possible. Repeat with the second breast and rest of the butter.(If you have any garlic butter leftover, you can re-wrap it in clingfilm and store it in the freezer.)
• Place three bowls on your kitchen counter. In the the first one add the flour, in the second one the eggs, and the final one the breadcrumbs.
• Carefully pick up a stuffed chicken breast and dust it in the flour.Then place it in the beaten eggs, turning it over to coat all sides.Hold the chicken over the bowl to let the excess egg drip off, then roll it around in the breadcrumbs, coating all sides. For an extra crispy crust, return the chicken to the egg mixture and finally the breadcrumbs.Set aside and repeat with the second piece of chicken.
• Ideally use a heavy frying pan you can use in a hot oven. A cast iron skillet is ideal for this.Heat the pan on the hob over a medium high heat.Add the oil and gently fry the Kiev's until they are golden brown.Place the skillet into the preheated oven (or onto a baking sheet if not using an oven proof pan) and bake for 20 minutes.
• On removal from the oven, you can test the internal temperature to ensure the chicken is at, or above, 75C (167F).
• I like to serve my chicken Kiev with mashed potatoes and green beans or peas. When the crusty Kiev is cut into, a pool of molten garlic butter in released onto the plate flavouring all the other items on the plate. It's heavenly!

CHEF JOHN'S CHICKEN KIEV

Steps:

• Grind garlic and a pinch of salt together in a mortar and pestle until garlic is completely smashed. Add parsley and mix until completely incorporated. Pound butter into garlic mixture with pestle until parsley and garlic are fully incorporated into the butter. Wrap the butter mixture in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 15 minutes.
• Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place 1/4 the butter mixture in the center of wider end of each chicken breast. Fold the narrower end of each chicken breast up over the butter to form a tight pocket around the butter. Gather the sides of each chicken breast to the center to form a round ball. The top of the chicken will be smooth and the bottom will be gathered. Tightly wrap each chicken breast ball in plastic wrap, put wrapped breasts on a plate, and chill in the freezer until the gathered bottoms hold together and are slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk flour and 2 teaspoons salt together in a shallow bowl. Whisk eggs together in another shallow bowl. Pour panko bread crumbs into another bowl.
• Remove chicken breast balls from plastic wrap. Gently press each chicken breast ball into flour mixture to coat and shake off any excess flour. Dip into beaten eggs, then press into bread crumbs. Place breaded chicken onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the freezer to chill until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Working in batches, cook chicken, gathered-side down, in hot oil and until lightly golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and cayenne pepper over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until you can hear the butter start to sizzle on the baking sheet, 15 to 17 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

WILD GARLIC CHICKEN KIEV

Steps:

• Slice a deep pocket in each chicken breast. To do this, insert a deep knife into the thickest end of the breast. Keep pushing down along the breast, about halfway into the fillet, being careful not to cut all the way through. Push your finger down into the hole to open it, then stuff with 25g wild garlic butter, making sure that it goes all the way into the pocket. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken breasts.
• Line up three shallow bowls and put the flour in the first, the beaten eggs in the second and the breadcrumbs in the third. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then coat in the eggs and lastly the breadcrumbs. Dip each one in the eggs for a second time, then coat again in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining stuffed chicken breasts. Cover the plate and chill for at least 1 hr.
• When you are ready to eat, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Fill a pan 2cm deep with oil and set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the kievs for 2-3 mins each side until golden brown, then transfer to a baking tray. Pop in the oven for 15 mins or until cooked through. Serve with salad leaves and a lemon wedge to squeeze over.
• Slice a deep pocket in each chicken breast. To do this, insert a deep knife into the thickest end of the breast. Keep pushing down along the breast, about halfway into the fillet, being careful not to cut all the way through. Push your finger down into the hole to open it, then stuff with 25g wild garlic butter, making sure that it goes all the way into the pocket. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken breasts.
• Line up three shallow bowls and put the flour in the first, the beaten eggs in the second and the breadcrumbs in the third. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then coat in the eggs and lastly the breadcrumbs. Dip each one in the eggs for a second time, then coat again in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining stuffed chicken breasts. Cover the plate and chill for at least 1 hr.
• When you are ready to eat, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Fill a pan 2cm deep with oil and set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the kievs for 2-3 mins each side until golden brown, then transfer to a baking tray. Pop in the oven for 15 mins or until cooked through. Serve with salad leaves and a lemon wedge to squeeze over.