This Baked Chicken Kiev recipe serves up tender chicken breasts stuffed with a luscious garlic herb butter, all coated in crispy breadcrumbs – oven baked to perfection!
What’s in This Baked Chicken Kiev Recipe?
These juicy chicken breasts are literally packed with flavor! Crispy, juicy, and loaded with herb butter, this baked chicken kiev is sure to become a firm favorite!
- Butter: Unsalted butter melts into the chicken as it bakes, creating a pocket of juicy flavor!
- Herbs: Minced fresh parsley and green onion, along with a bit of garlic, gives the butter filling a flavorful punch!
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for stuffing. For a shortcut, look for thin-sliced chicken breasts at the grocery store. This will save you the time and mess of pounding your chicken flat.
- Breadcrumbs: We like Panko breadcrumbs for their light and crisp texture, but any breadcrumbs will do.
- Spices: Paprika and cayenne pepper give this chicken a bit of a spicy kick.
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes the chicken and helps the breading stick.
Variations on Easy Chicken Kiev
- Herbs: Fresh herbs will make for the most flavorful butter, but you can substitute with a smaller quantity of dried herbs (1 teaspoon of dried chives and 1 tablespoon of dried parsley).
- Butter: Substitute with an equal amount of blue cheese, omitting the garlic and herbs, if desired.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover baked chicken Kiev in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat chicken Kiev, place it in a covered baking dish in the oven at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
How to Freeze
Baked Chicken Kiev can be frozen raw or cooked.
- Raw: To freeze chicken Kiev raw, assemble the chicken rolls (without breading them) and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow rolls to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before breading and baking.
- Cooked: To freeze chicken Kiev fully cooked, place the chicken rolls in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow rolls to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- Make the garlic and herb butter log up to 4 days in advance. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assemble the chicken rolls (without breading them) up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use. Bread just before baking.
Baked Chicken Kiev Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (½ stick)
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley divided
- 1 tablespoon minced green onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 cloves
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 6-8 ounces each
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the butter and 1 tablespoon each of parsley, green onion, and garlic. Spoon onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a small log. Twist closed and freeze for 40 minutes, until firm.¼ cup unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons minced parsley, 1 tablespoon minced green onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Butterfly each chicken breast horizontally, then pound each half to ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cut the butter log lengthwise into 4 equal pieces, then place 1 piece in the center of each chicken breast.
- Tightly roll up each piece of chicken from the long side, tucking the ends under and securing them with toothpicks. Chill for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken chills, preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Create a breading station. In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, cayenne, and remaining parsley. Place the buttermilk in another shallow bowl.1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, ⅓ cup buttermilk
- Dip the chicken into the buttermilk, then coat evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove and discard the toothpicks before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to use a baking dish to contain any butter that may leak out of the chicken breasts. You can also line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Place the chicken on top of a wire rack set on a baking sheet or dish to help the meat get crispy on all sides and prevent soggy bottoms.
- If the chicken is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil about halfway through baking.
How to Make Baked Chicken Kiev Step by Step
Make the Butter Log: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon each of parsley, green onion, and minced garlic. Spoon onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a small log. Twist closed and freeze for 40 minutes, until firm.
Pound the Chicken: Butterfly 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally, then pound each half to ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
Stuff the Chicken: Cut the butter log lengthwise into 4 equal pieces, then place 1 piece in the center of each chicken breast. Tightly roll up each piece of chicken from the long side, tucking the ends under and securing them with toothpicks. Chill for 30 minutes.
Dredge the Chicken: While the chicken chills, preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Create a breading station. In a shallow bowl, combine 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon of ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley. Place ⅓ cup of buttermilk in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the buttermilk, then coat evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the Chicken: Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove and discard the toothpicks before serving.
The main difference between chicken cordon bleu and chicken Kiev is the filling. Chicken Kiev is stuffed with chilled butter, while Chicken Cordon Bleu is stuffed with ham and cheese. Both are rolled and prepared the same way.
Sometimes, chicken appears pink even when it is fully cooked through due to several factors, including the diet of the bird. We always recommend checking the temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer to be sure it is fully cooked through.
To fry chicken Kiev, prepare the chicken as directed and heat 1 ½-inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 360°F. Fry the chicken breast bundles for 7-8 minutes on both sides, until golden brown and 165°F internally.
We chose to serve our with steamed broccoli, but use any roasted or steamed vegetable you like. This dish would be great with a side salad, mashed potatoes, or rice as well.
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