Chicken Kiev

Delicously, unhealthy chicken recipe I make very infrequently because I enjoy unclogged arteries...but we can't be good all the time! :-)

Chicken Kiev
Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbls stick butter, separated
About 2 Tbls of favorite dry herbs mixed (I used oregano, parsely and a little dill)
1 C flour
2-3 large eggs, beaten together
1-2 C seasoned bread crumbs (homemade recipe below)
Canola oil

Heat oil to about 350 degrees over medium to medium-high heat in a medium sized skillet. You should have enough oil to cover half of each chicken breast roll. Butterfly open chicken breasts. Place each breast between 2 pieces of parchment paper and pound lightly until flattened out. Roll each Tbls butter in dry herbs to coat. Place 1 Tbls of butter in the middle of each chicken breast. Individually wrap the chicken around the butter and seal with toothpicks. Make as tight a seal around the butter as possible so that it doesn't melt out. (Coating and frying will seal small gaps.) Dredge each chicken roll in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. Fry chicken in the oil until all sides are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes on each sides. It is important to cook the chicken well enough because you cannot cut into it to check doneness. (The first few times I made this, I didn't cook it all the way through and had to microwave to finish! Still delicious but definitely embarrassing!) When the chicken is cooked through, let drain slightly on a cooling rack set over paper towel. Do not take the toothpicks out until the chicken in the dinner plate! Once they are removed and the chicken is cut into, the melted butter and herbs will pour over the plate and you don't want to lose all that tastiness!

Homemade Breadcrumbs
For this recipe, I used a half of a loaf of bread that I had in my refrigerator. Stale bread works the best. Slice and toast the bread until slightly browned. When cooled, tear into pieces and add to food processor. Pulse a few times until halfway to the consistency you desire. Add garlic powder, dried herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme), salt and pepper. Finish pulsing until you have the desired consistency.

Making it homemade is so easy and a great way to use old bread. You can control the seasoning and salt content, as well as match the seasoning to the rest of the dish. Experiment with lots of different kids of savory breads, even the ends of sandwich bread loaves!

(If you try it and like it, let me know!)