Shellfish Free Herb Butter Chicken Kiev
Few dishes deliver a more satisfying moment than slicing into a golden, crispy chicken roll and watching a pool of herby, melted butter spill out onto the plate. This classic preparation layers fresh parsley, chives, and thyme into softened butter, which gets tucked inside a pounded chicken breast and sealed with a careful roll and a three-step breadcrumb coating. The result is a crust that sears to a deep, crackling gold in the skillet before finishing in the oven to cook the chicken all the way through without drying it out. Every single ingredient here is straightforward pantry and produce-aisle fare ā no seafood, no hidden shellfish-based sauces, no ambiguous seasoning blends to second-guess. That matters more than it sounds, because plenty of restaurant versions of this dish arrive at the table with butter sauces or accompaniments that can introduce unexpected ingredients. Here, you control everything from the herb blend to the oil used for searing. It's a genuinely impressive dinner that rewards a little patience with technique, and the payoff ā that molten herb butter pooling across the plate ā is absolutely worth it.
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Learn more āIngredients
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
- Ā½ tsp fine sea salt
For the chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 7ā8 oz each)
- Ā½ tsp fine sea salt
For the breading
- Ā½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- Ā½ 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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