Stilton and Watercress Chicken Kiev
Pan-fried and oven-baked chicken supremes stuffed with a compound butter flavoured with crumbled stilton, watercress, garlic and lemon. The breaded cutlets are seared until golden, then finished in the oven to ensure they are cooked through while the cheese butter filling remains creamy.
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 ¾ oz stilton, crumbledgorgonzola1:1vegetariancheese
maintains creamy texture and salty tang
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¼ cups watercress, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
- 4 free-range chicken supremes, skin removed
- ⅝ cups all-purpose flour, for dusting
- 2 free-range eggs, beatenstandard eggs1:1vegetarian
no functional difference
- 4 oz panko breadcrumbs
- olive oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Mix softened butter with crumbled stilton, crushed garlic and finely chopped watercress in a bowl. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- 2
Wrap the butter mixture in cling film, shape into a short fat cylinder and freeze for 10 minutes.
- 3
Using a thin sharp knife, cut a long thin pocket lengthways through the thick end of each chicken breast, being careful not to pierce all the way through.
- 4
Remove the butter from the freezer, cut into 4 equal pieces, then halve each piece. Stuff 2 pieces into each chicken pocket.
- 5
Place flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs into 3 separate shallow bowls. Mix lemon zest into the breadcrumbs and season the flour with salt and pepper.
- 6
Coat each stuffed chicken breast first in flour, then in egg, then in breadcrumbs, shaking off excess. Transfer to a baking tray.
- 7
Heat oven to 400°F/350°F fan/gas 6. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat until shimmering, then add the kievs and cook for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown, working in batches if needed.
- 8
Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 18-20 minutes until cooked through and golden all over. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.
Tips
Ensure the butter cylinder is well frozen before stuffing to keep the filling contained during cooking.
If the oil is not hot enough before adding the chicken, the coating will absorb oil rather than crisp up.
Good to Know
Store breaded uncooked kievs in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking. Cooked kievs will keep in the fridge for 2 days.
Prepare and freeze the compound butter for up to 2 weeks, or prepare the stuffed kievs in advance and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Serve with chips and a watercress salad.
Common Mistakes
Do not push the knife all the way through the chicken breast to avoid the filling leaking out during cooking.
Ensure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken to avoid a soggy rather than crispy coating.
Substitutions
Vegan Options
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
no functional difference