Golden, crispy fillets filled with a molten core of double garlic herb butter that oozes out in the first bite. The chicken is tender on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and served with a light, glossy garnish of green beans and peas in a shallot‑laced pan sauce and a squeeze of lemon. It feels indulgent yet fresh, turning a simple fillet into a dramatic, restaurant‑style centrepiece.
Prep: 30 mins to 1 hour
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: Serves 2
Dietary: Nut‑free
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Nutri‑Score C reflects a satisfying, moderate‑fat dish with protein from the chicken, vegetables and eggs, balanced by some creaminess from the butter and breadcrumbs.
Per serving (approx.): 520 kcal, Fat 34g, Carbs 25g, Sugars 4g, Fibre 3g, Protein 28g.
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Kyiv
- 2 chicken breast
- 100g unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 tbsp chopped wild garlic
- 100g plain flour
- 3 free‑range eggs, beaten
- 100g breadcrumbs
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
- 25g unsalted butter
- 1 echalion shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 50ml white wine
- 150g green beans
- 250ml chicken stock
- 150g peas
- 10g watercress
- 1 lemon, juice only
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Customise
- Swap the plain flour for a gluten‑free flour blend if you want a gluten‑free coating while still keeping the crisp texture.
- Use unsalted soft butter at room temperature if you find the frozen butter too hard to slice before rolling.
- Substitute the green beans with French beans or sugar snap peas for a slightly sweeter, tender‑crisp note.
- For a lighter garlic butter, reduce the amount of chopped garlic and add a touch of lemon zest for brightness.
- Replace the watercress with baby spinach or rocket at the last minute if you prefer a milder leaf with less peppery bite.
Method
1. Preparing the garlic herb butter and chicken (20–30 minutes plus chilling)
- Flatten the chicken breasts evenly between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin so they are roughly the same thickness across.
- Put the butter and garlic into a blender and blend until smooth, then add the parsley, chives and wild garlic and blend briefly to combine.
- Scrape the butter mixture onto a sheet of baking paper or cling film and roll it into a log, wrap it and freeze for at least 1 hour or chill overnight.
- Slice some of the butter log into rounds and place them in the centre of each flattened chicken breast, then roll the chicken around them and fold the edges over so the butter is fully enclosed.
- Chill or freeze the filled chicken breasts for 30 minutes so the butter starts to firm and will stay better inside during frying.
2. Breading and frying the chicken (15–20 minutes)
- Preheat a deep fat fryer to 180°C and keep an eye on it so it does not overheat; remember hot oil is dangerous and should not be left unattended.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7 so the chicken can finish cooking in a hot oven if needed.
- Season the plain flour with salt and pepper in a wide bowl, put the beaten eggs in a second bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third.
- Coat each chicken breast in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating adheres.
- Repeat the coating process a second time so the chicken is very well covered and will stay crisp during cooking.
- Carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden‑brown and evenly crisp, then transfer to a baking tray.
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 13–15 minutes or until the centre is cooked through and the juices run clear.
3. Making the green bean and pea garnish (10–15 minutes)
- Melt the butter in a sauté pan over a medium heat and add the chopped shallots and crushed garlic.
- Cook the shallots and garlic gently for 20 minutes, stirring often, until soft and starting to caramelise.
- Add the white wine and reduce by about half, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the green beans and chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer, cooking for about 5 minutes until the beans are tender.
- Stir in the peas and cook for 1–2 minutes until they are bright and just tender, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Finishing and serving (2–3 minutes)
- Scatter the watercress over the warm green bean and pea sauce so it wilts slightly but stays fresh and peppery.
- Serve each Ultimate Chicken Kyiv on a plate with the garnish alongside and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice so the rich, garlicky butter cuts through without feeling heavy.