If you’re looking for a never-fail, always-juicy chicken recipe, let me turn you onto this oven-baked chicken Kiev. I wrap thinly-sliced chicken breasts around a log of herb butter, coat them in crunchy breadcrumbs, and bake them to tender perfection in the oven. Once you slice into the chicken, the melted buttery filling oozes out and creates a wonderful sauce for both the chicken and any sides. It’s so decadent and delicious!
Chicken Kiev in the Oven
Chicken Kiev, like chicken cordon bleu, is one of those dishes I grew up hearing about and thought was only for grown-ups at fancy dinner parties. But it turns out anyone can enjoy this juicy chicken stuffed with melty herb butter. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and the results truly are so impressive. The butter makes the chicken so moist, and I love the crunchy breadcrumbs on the outside.
While you certainly can pan-fry chicken Kiev with wonderful results, I opted to go the easier route. My baked chicken Kiev is just as crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside as the pan-fried version, but with so much less work. I just place my chicken pockets in a baking dish and let my oven do the work!
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Keep the Butter Cold
When I first tested this recipe, I realized how crucial butter temperature is to the success of chicken Kiev, especially when baking it in the oven. If the butter isn’t fully firm when you roll the chicken, it will leak out during the long bake time. I always freeze the butter log until it’s rock solid (about 40 minutes) and keep it cold while prepping the chicken. This ensures that the butter melts inside the meat as it cooks, basting the chicken from within and giving you that signature burst of garlicky flavor when you cut into it.
Baked Chicken Kiev Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick, room temp*)
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley (divided)
- 1 tablespoon minced green onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 2 cloves)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- 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, 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
- Pounding the chicken to an even ¼-inch thickness ensures it cooks evenly and stays juicy without overbaking the edges.
- 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.
- Make sure the butter is fully enclosed inside the chicken before baking. Any small opening can cause the butter to leak out during cooking. Pinch or tuck the edges tightly, and use toothpicks or kitchen twine if needed.
- Don’t skip the chill time before cooking! Chilling helps the butter firm up again and allows the coating to adhere better, which keeps the filling inside and ensures crispier chicken.
- 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.
- Sometimes, chicken appears pink even when it is fully cooked through due to several factors, including the diet of the bird. I always recommend checking the temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer to be sure it is fully cooked through to 165°F.
- Let the baked chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This keeps the juices inside and helps the melted butter settle instead of running out immediately.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, or a crisp green salad to soak up that garlicky butter sauce.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Bake Chicken Kiev Step by Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients needed to make this chicken Kiev recipe. Bring the butter to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before beginning so it’s easy to combine with the herbs and spices. Mince the garlic, parsley, and green onion.
Make the Butter Log: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of room-temperature 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, or until firm.
Pound the Chicken: Butterfly 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally, then pound each half to a ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. For a shortcut, you can use store-bought thin-sliced chicken breasts.
Stuff the Chicken: Cut the chilled 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 or twine. Chill for 30 minutes.
Dredge the Chicken: While the chicken chills, preheat your oven to 425°F. Spray a high-sided 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 breaded chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven 35-40 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Optionally, you can 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.
Remove and discard the toothpicks, and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover 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
This baked chicken Kiev can be frozen raw or cooked.
- Cooked: To freeze the fully-cooked dish, 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.
- 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.
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