Baked Chicken Kiev

http://teriskitchen.com/poultry-recipes/baked-chicken-kiev.html

Serves 4

I remember Chicken Kiev that my brother, who was a trained chef, made many years ago. He used an authentic recipe and it was so good. Chicken Kiev is traditionally made from chicken breasts with the large wing joint bone attached, stuffed with herbed butter, coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. I decided to use chicken thighs and, instead of deep frying, brown the coated chicken in a skillet and bake until done. Certainly not authentic, but absolutely delicious. If preferred, you can use boneless and skinless thighs or breasts to save on preparation time. Serve Chicken Kiev as a delicious treat for a special occasion or entertaining. Your guests will love it and be very impressed.

Ingredients

   Herb Butter

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, preferably unsalted, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

   Chicken

• 4 large chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs, store-bought or homemade
• 3 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil

For the herbed butter, cream the butter with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to several days before using.

To prepare the thighs, scrape the meat off of the bone with a small sharp knife, starting at one end, leaving the other end attached at the joint. Remove the skin and discard. Place the thigh between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place skinned side down and sprinkle inside with salt and pepper. Arrange 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of the chilled butter in the center of each thigh. (Extra butter can be used on a side dish or reserved for another use. Be certain it is not contaminated by the raw chicken.) Fold up the sides of the thighs to enclose the butter. Roll each thigh in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs, being certain to coat well. Pat the crumbs into the flesh with your hand to help them stick. Place the thighs on a rack and set, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. That will help the coating to stick and ensure that the sealed ends will not open during cooking.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the thighs in the hot skillet, cooking until both sides are nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a shallow baking dish or sheet, sealed side down, and bake until done, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately, or cover loosely with foil for up to 10 minutes.

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