I have been pretty unwell the last two weeks and have neither cooked nor eaten a lot. My appetite is sketchy and by the time I prepare something to eat I no longer want it. To try to kick my appetite into gear I thought I would make some of my ultimate comfort food – Chicken Kiev’s.
Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it I cannot eat the commercial version that comes in a box. Not only are they way too high in fat they are filled with preservatives and fillers. The solution – make your own. Shocking I know 🙂
They may look complicated to make but they aren’t and you get 9 large Kiev’s from 4 chicken breasts so they are economical too.
Firstly you need to prepare your garlic butter. This ideally should be prepared the day before and frozen overnight. You can mix it up fresh and use it straight away but I have had the best luck stopping the Kiev’s from loosing all their goodness with frozen butter. This recipe makes extra butter so pop the left overs in the freezer for next time or use it when you are having steak or roast beef.
Garlic Butter
- 200 grams Butter, softened
- 200 grams Cream Cheese, softened
- 5 Garlic Cloves, crushed
- 3 sprigs Parsley
I pop everything into my Thermomix and mix at speed 6 for 20 seconds. You can use a food processor and process until combined but you can also use your muscles and mix by hand. Roll the butter into a log, cover with cling film and freeze.
Chicken Kiev
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- Bread Crumbs
I make my own breadcrumbs using stale Turkish Pide. It gives the Kiev’s a delicious crunch and golden colour.
Using a food processor or Thermomix (30 seconds/speed 5) process the chicken breasts until there are no large lumps remaining. Portion the mince into your desired serving size. I make large ones for adults (130-140 grams) and smaller for the girls and myself (80-100 grams). Wet your hands and flatten the portion of chicken into a round shape. Slice your frozen butter into 20 gram portions. Press your butter into the centre of your chicken. Gently bring the edges together and roll between your wet hands to form cylinder shape. Once you are satisfied that the join is sealed roll your chicken into your breadcrumbs.
To cook your Kiev’s you have a couple of options. You can shallow fry in Grapeseed Oil until golden and finish off in the oven at 175 degrees for 15 minutes. You can oven bake at 175 degrees for 30-45 minutes depending on your portion size or you can air fry at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. If you are oven baking or air frying lightly spray your Kiev’s with oil before cooking.
I usually make a double batch and then pop the uncooked Kiev’s into a container and freeze for up to 3 months. Pop them frozen into a preheated oven when you want an easy dinner 🙂
