BHA & BHT Free Herb Butter Chicken Kiev

Total time1 hr 30 min

Prep time35 min

Cook time25 min

4.7

(23)

Few dishes deliver a more satisfying moment than cutting into a golden, crispy chicken roll and watching a pool of herbed butter spill out — and this version earns every bit of that drama. The filling is built entirely from scratch using softened unsalted butter blended with fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, and thyme, so you know exactly what's going into it with zero synthetic preservatives or shelf-stabilizing additives to worry about. That matters more than it might seem, because many store-bought compound butters and pre-seasoned breadcrumbs routinely contain BHA or BHT to extend their shelf life. Here, plain breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, and a clean neutral oil like sunflower or avocado oil keep the whole recipe free of those additives without sacrificing any of the richness or crunch. The technique — butterflying, pounding, rolling, and chilling before breading — takes a little patience, but each step genuinely serves the final result, locking the butter inside and giving you that deep golden crust from a quick stovetop sear before the oven finishes the job. The payoff is a restaurant-worthy main course that tastes indulgent and complex while staying completely transparent about every ingredient on the list.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the herb butter

6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp fine sea salt

For the chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 7–8 oz each)
½ tsp fine sea salt

For the breading

½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
½ tsp fine sea salt

For cooking

3 tbsp neutral oil (such as sunflower or avocado oil)

For serving

2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Make the herb butter: In a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, parsley, chives, thyme, and 1/2 tsp salt with a fork until the herbs are evenly distributed throughout the butter. Scrape the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap, roll it into a log about 1 inch in diameter, and twist the ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
2
Butterfly each chicken breast: Place one breast flat on a cutting board and, holding your knife parallel to the board, slice horizontally through the thickest part, stopping about 1/2 inch from the opposite edge so the breast opens like a book. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the opened breast and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining breasts.

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