Rustic Chicken Keiv - Retro Recipe Day 4

So here we still are with Retro Week and I'm noticing that the things I want to cook from back in the 70's and 80', are often ones that have stuck around and are still eaten today. The main reason for that is, I believe that food has got better in general. Some of the recipes I could cook are unhealthy and full of cheese, pastry, eggs and even more cheese.

So I ignored the steak and kidney pudding (I can't bear suet), the chicken cordon bleu and the vol-au-vents. The jam roly poly (suet again) and the eggs mornay. And stuck with the classic Chicken Kiev. This one was cooked on the bone and coated in large crisp Panko breadcrumbs,and baked - not fried!

Now I won't lie and say making this is the easiest thing in the world. The reason for this - and this stresses out some top chefs too - is to ensure the garlic butter doesn't leak out before you serve it. There are many ways to get this right. Some chefs believe that its best to make the garlic butter and freeze it before shallow frying. Some use cocktail sticks. Some make the whole thing and freeze it before cooking. Some use the mini fillet you find inside the chicken breast to enclose it. You don't always get the mini fillet with a cheaper multi buy chicken breasts, so its probably best to buy as a pack of two on the bone, or purchase from the local butcher. This is the way I have done it.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, on the bone, skin removed.
25g butter, softened
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
flour for dusting
3 eggs
pack of panko breadcrumbs

Method:

Mash the garlic and parsley into the softened butter until incorporated. Set to one side on the counter. Remove the mini fillet from inside the chicken breast and lay between two pieces of cling film. Using the bottom of a pan, bash the mini fillet to thin it out. Set aside till needed. Make a pocket in the chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. Put about a teaspoon of the garlic butter in the pocket and close gently. Cover the cut with the thin slice of mini fillet and gently press to attach. Repeat with the other chicken breast.

Dust both kievs with flour and gently lower in the beaten eggs, and then the breadcrumbs. Dip again carefully in the egg and then the breadcrumbs to give a thick coating. Place in a baking dish and chill for a few hours to set.

Set the oven to 190 C and bake the keivs for about 40 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Serve with a wedge of lemon, with chips and green beans or peas. The joy (relief!) you feel when you cut open the cooked kiev and the butter oozes out is unmeasureable!