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Chicken Kiev

Ingredients
Serves 4
- 175g/6oz softened butter
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 4 skinned (but bone in) chicken breasts, wing bone cleaned
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 110g/4oz flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 225g/8oz soft white breadcrumbs
- 1tbsp rapeseed oil
- 325g/12oz picked French beans
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive ol
- 2 shallots, cut into rings
Method
- Put 150g/5oz of the softened butter, 1 tbsp of the parsley and garlic into a bowl and mix together. Spoon onto a sheet or cling film, then roll up into a sausage and freeze for one hour until solid.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
- Slice the chicken breast in half widthways so that it opens up like a book then place a couple of pieces of the frozen butter on top. Fold the fillet back over the butter to enclose it totally.
- Put the flour and beaten eggs into separate bowls. Put the breadcrumbs and remaining parsley into another bowl.
- Dip the filled chicken breasts into the flour and then the egg making sure that the breasts are totally coated, then dip these into the breadcrumb mix and coat well.
- Put these onto a clean plate and tap gently to make sure the crumbs are sticking.
- Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan then add the last 25g/1oz of butter and put the chicken breast in, presentation side down first and cook for a couple of minutes until a light golden colour.
- Turn the chicken over and place in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, depending on size, basting frequently with the butter and oil mixture.
- Meanwhile, heat a pan of salted water until boiling, add the beans and simmer for 3-4 minutes until just cooked then drain.
- Whisk the white wine vinegar, mustard and olive oil together in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper, then add the shallot rings and drained green beans.
- Toss to coat, and then pile onto the plate. Put the chicken on top and slice open in the centre to let the butter run out.