Chicken Kyiv

Quick answer

Total time: 45 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Chicken Kyiv is an Eastern European preparation of pounded chicken breast wrapped tightly around a log of compound butter mixed with parsley and garlic, triple-breaded in flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs, pan-seared to set the crust, then finished in the oven.

The butter must be frozen firm before assembly so it holds its shape during pan-searing and the early stage of oven cooking, melting only gradually inside the chicken where it functions as an internal basting sauce. The triple breading creates a crisp outer shell that also seals the butter inside, and repeating the breadcrumb coating a second time improves both the seal and the crunch of the finished piece. The defining moment of the dish is cutting in and releasing a flow of melted herb butter; a three-minute rest after removing from the oven stabilizes the interior temperature so the butter flows cleanly rather than all at once. Chilling the breaded rolls in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes before cooking keeps the breadcrumbs firmly attached through the high-heat sear, and the two-stage cooking method of pan-searing followed by oven finishing achieves a crisp exterior and fully cooked, juicy interior at the same time.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
chicken breast	2	ea
unsalted butter	80	g
parsley	10	g
garlic	1	ea
flour	70	g
egg	2	ea
breadcrumbs	120	g
salt	1	tsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Mix 80 g unsalted butter with 10 g chopped parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, and salt until well combined.

Shape into a cylinder, wrap in plastic, and freeze for 10 minutes.
2

Control

Butterfly 2 chicken breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and pound to a uniform 5 mm thickness.
3

Step

Place the chilled herb butter in the center of each chicken piece, fold in the sides, and roll tightly with the seam facing down.
4

Step

Coat each roll in 70 g flour, then dip in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs for even layers, removing any excess at each stage.
5

Control

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and cook each side for 2 minutes, rolling to brown evenly all around.

Transfer to a 190°C oven and bake for 12 more minutes.
6

Prep

Rest for 3 minutes after removing from the oven, then cut in half immediately.

Melted herb butter flowing out means it is done correctly.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Compound butter is sealed inside pounded breast with triple breading and the roll is oven-finished after an initial sear.
Finish cue: Melted herb butter flowing out means it is done correctly.
Storage and reheating: Chilling the breaded rolls in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes before cooking keeps the breadcrumbs firmly attached through the high-heat sear, and the two-stage cooking method of pan-searing followed by oven finishing achieves a crisp exterior and fully cooked, juicy interior at the same time.