Preparation:
To prepare the garlic butter, combine the softened butter with the garlic
and parsley in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and white pepper, as
desired.
Flatten chicken breasts slightly by pounding them gently between two pieces
of waxed paper, in order to assure even cooking. The butter will not adhere
well to the chicken breasts if they are shiny and wet; so dry them with a clean
kitchen towel or paper towel.
Either spread a layer of the garlic butter mixture in the center of each
opened chicken breast, or use a piping tube to evenly distribute the savory
butter down the center and along one side of each one. Roll each chicken
breast over the butter and place in the freezer for one hour.
Remove the chicken breasts from the freezer and dredge through the flour,
then dip in the slightly beaten eggs and roll in the breadcrumbs.
Either fry in a deepfryer set at 320-F degrees for about 7 minutes, or bake
on a baking sheet (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) in a pre-heated 350-F
degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes. If you elect to bake the chicken breasts,
you can "dredge, dip, and roll" them first, then set them in the freezer on
a rimmed tray that can go directly to the hot oven; this reduces leakage
during baking.
Serve the Chicken Kiev warm, with a vegetable medley and a side of
shoestring potatoes or rice pilaf.
Tips from the Galley: The deep-frying method of preparation adds calories
and fat to the meal, while the baking method eliminates additional empty
calories.
On the other hand, the deep-frying method retains most of the garlic butter
filling because it cooks the chicken so quickly; the baking method may
permit
some of the filling to escape from the center of the rolled chicken breasts
because of the additional cooking time. If you decide to bake your Chicken
Kiev, make sure your baking dish has a shallow rim around it; this will
prevent spillovers in the oven and allow you to capture the melted garlic
butter so you can pour it over the top of this delicious dish before
serving. |