Chicken Kyiv is a traditional Ukrainian recipe, for a classic dish of flattened chicken breasts wrapped around a frozen herbed garlic butter core that's breaded, then fried and baked to cook. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ukrainian version of: Chicken Kyiv.
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Chicken Kyiv carries deep cultural significance. The dish became an international symbol of Ukrainian culinary skill during the Soviet era. Hotels in Kyiv served it to visiting diplomats and journalists. Word spread across Europe and North America. Today, the dish has regained its proper Ukrainian spelling and identity. Making Chicken Kyiv at home is both a celebration of Ukrainian heritage and a rewarding kitchen challenge that builds real cooking confidence.
Some classic recipes use a breast with the drumette bone still attached. The bone acts as a handle and gives the finished dish an elegant presentation. Ask your butcher for this cut. It requires more careful pounding, but the visual impact is worth the effort.
Ingredients:
For the Garlic Herb Butter:
100g unsalted butter, softened
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
For the Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 175g each)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
For Breading:
125g plain (all-purpose) flour
3 large eggs, beaten
100g panko breadcrumbs
50g fine dry breadcrumbs
For Cooking and Serving:
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Lemon wedges for serving
Fresh dill sprigs for garnish
Method:
Begin by making the Garlic Herb Butter: Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the minced garlic, chopped dill, parsley, chives, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper then mix everything together with a fork until the herbs distribute evenly throughout the butter. You should see green flecks scattered uniformly in every direction.
Divide the butter into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a tight log about 6cm long and 3cm thick. Wrap each log snugly in clingfilm, twisting the ends to compress the butter. Place them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Note that the butter must be completely firm before it’s used as a stuffing for the chicken, otherwise it will melt too early and leak out during cooking.
Prepare the chicken by butterflying open: Take the first chicken breast and lay flat on a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the board and slice horizontally through the thickest part. Stop about 12mm from the edge so the breast opens like a book.
Open the butterflied breast and set between two sheets of clingfilm (or greaseproof paper). Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound it to an even 6mm thickness. Work from the centre outward with gentle, controlled strikes. Don’t be too aggressive during pounding as this will tear the meat, which creates holes where butter escapes. You want a uniform sheet of chicken with no thin spots or rips.
Repeat the above process with the remaining three breasts. Season both sides of each piece liberally with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Stuff the chicken with the butter: Remove the butter logs from the freezer. Unwrap one log and place it at the wider end of a pounded chicken breast. Fold the sides of the chicken inward over the butter, then roll the breast tightly from the wide end toward the narrow tip. The goal is a compact cylinder with no exposed butter visible.
Tuck the seam side down and press gently to seal. If any part feels loose, secure it with a toothpick. However, a properly pounded and rolled breast should hold together without one.
Repeat with the remaining three pieces. The tighter your roll, the less likely the butter will escape during frying. Think of it as wrapping a gift. Every edge needs to overlap and every seam needs to face downward.
Breading the chicken rolls: Set up your breading station with three shallow dishes. Place flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and the combined panko and fine breadcrumbs in the third. The mixture of panko and fine crumbs gives you the best of all worlds in terms of coating the chicken. Panko provides crunch, whilst fine crumbs fill the gaps for a sealed coating.
Roll each chicken piece first in the flour, shaking off the excess. Next, dip it in the beaten egg, letting any extra drip away. Then press it firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, coating every surface evenly. Now repeat the egg and breadcrumb steps for a second coat. This double breading creates a thick, sturdy coating that prevents butter leaks. Place the breaded roll on a baking tray then repeat with the remaining chicken. Once done, transfer the breaded chicken to your refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes. Chilling sets the coating and ensures it adheres during frying.
Frying the chicken kyivs: Pour vegetable oil into a wok or cast iron casserole (Dutch oven) to a depth of about 5cm (alternatively use a deep fryer). Heat the oil to 170°C, using a thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Oil that is too hot burns the coating before the chicken cooks through. Oil that is too cool makes the breading greasy and soggy. Pre-heat your oven to 190°C.
Carefully lower two chicken rolls into the oil using tongs. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning gently, until the coating turns golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking tray to catch any oil drips. Repeat with the remaining two rolls (ensure the oil is back up to temperature first, though).
Sit the chicken Kyivs on a baking tray, set in the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for 15–18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74°C. This two-stage cooking method gives you a perfect crust and fully cooked, juicy meat inside.
Remove the Chicken Kyivs from the oven and let then rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Resting is essential for this dish as it allows the internal butter to cool just enough to thicken slightly. Without resting, the butter erupts the moment you cut into the chicken. A brief pause keeps the butter pooled inside until you slice deliberately at the table.
Sit each Chicken Kyiv on a warmed plate. Add a lemon wedge and a sprig of fresh dill alongside it. Bring the plates to the table before cutting. The reveal is half the experience. Slice the chicken on a slight angle and watch the golden garlic butter flow out onto the plate. Spoon the pooled butter over each bite as you eat. That combination of shattering crust, tender chicken, and aromatic melted butter is what makes this dish unforgettable.
Serve accompanied by mashed potatoes and a dressed green salad.
