Chicken Kiev

[ordinarygull Profile Website]

looking back at my most recent posts you will think I'm stuck in a 70's time warp....


Tonight we have made chicken kiev, and my question is - has anyone made this and not lost all the butter from the middle?

I plugged up the pocket with the little chicken fillet bit after filling with butter, floured it, and double egg and breadcrumbed with panko crumbs, and rested in fridge for a while and am now baking it a hot oven.

Just took a peek, and it's swimming in garlic butter - I know it will still taste ok, but I want hot butter to squirt at me when I cut into it!!!

Please share your squirty butter secret with me!!!

og

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Hmmm! The double egg and breadcrumb should have stopped them leaking! I made them years ago when we had some really scary people coming for the weekend - they worked really well, and I don't think I had any special tricks, other than what you've done. Maybe my eggs were stickier!!!
HH

[jeral Profile]

I've found that shallow frying both sides is better than oven (after assembling and chilling) and if in doubt about possible leaking pinning with a water-soaked cocktail stick(s) the pocket opening even if the mini fillet is used as a plug. Some pockets are a simple slit in one end so like filling a sock but most entail a slit across the belly. Use stick(s) like a darning needle: ––__–– rather than arrow shot through. Then dipped into seasoned flour, egg thoroughly, crumbs, egg, crumbs. Not overfilling the pocket is good too.

If shallow frying, pan must be big enough and oil at a good (but not smoking) temperature, so pan big enough to take two breasts comfortably without reducing the temp of the oil dramatically on putting in. Try a bit of crumb/egg as a ball to see how hot the oil is. Adjust as necessary. Should take about 6 mins (3 mins each side) Let rest on blotting paper.

If oven, cocktail sticks and not overfilling could work, or under fill and cheat by making a separate buttery sauce, serve the kievs cut with the sauce looking as if it's just run out

[mismatched Profile]

I must confess to always using M&S Chicken Kievs, yes I know that is cowardly. Even their Kievs leak butter, I like to put that butter on a baked potato

[Global_Worming Profile]

OG.My method is I take off the fillet and flatten it to use as a patch on the filled breast.I then make up and double dip then put in the fridge for a couple of hrs so the butter sets.I then shallow fry till golden.
I think the trick is the butter is solid so the egg wash sets and seals before the butter melts

[Tatihou Profile]

On the very rare occasion that I have made them (and you've inspired me to do so again because I love them) on advice I froze the garlic / herby butter before putting it in the chicken. Then by the time it starts to melt, the chicken has had more of a chance to seal.

But you may already have been using frozen butter...

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Aah! I've just remembered - and it might have been what made the difference - after double dipping and chilling - we deep fried - not oven - perhaps it was the quick cooking of the hot oil that formed the seal effectively? It was only in a saucepan, but it worked and they were suitable oozy and delicious!
HH

[Puss-in-boots Profile]

The only thing i can say as others have is that my butter has always been frozen, but i have always oven cooked them and they still sometimes leek so i think i will try and pan fry next time i make them, not that i have in a while but i think i may have to make some soon.

[ordinarygull Profile Website]

Ah, so it seems frying rather than baking is the answer. I can't imagine why I went for baking anyway - it's hardly a low fat dish to start with!!!

[ShotleyGirl Profile]

Louis always cuts a small pocket in the side of the breast filet and uses cold butter straight from the fridge to fill, but doesn't use too much. He then dips in egg and then covers with polenta - they usually come out ok and not too much butter leaks either, could be you use more butter than we would?

[jeral Profile]

FWIW I took to pan frying kievs mainly because it was too hard to tell when they were cooked "just right" if in the oven as either under or over is equally unacceptable.

Provided the oil temperature is right, it seals the outer so that the oil is not absorbed. Too hot and the crumb will burn before the chicken is cooked, or if too low a temperature the crumbs will sop up oil like a sponge.

Using a bigger pan (pref heavy bottomed) is better, as since more oil is needed to get a "decent" depth, it also means its temp remains more stable. Any excess oil can be properly filtered and saved in a different container (not mixed back in with unused oil).

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Good advice Jeral!
HH