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Ukrainian

Chicken Kyiv

Non-vegetarian

Котлета по-київськи · Kotleta po-kyivsky

Chicken breasts wrapped round a core of cold garlic-and-herb butter, breaded and fried so the butter bursts out when cut. A famous restaurant classic named after Ukraine's capital.

Chicken Kyiv is an Ukrainian main course, ready in about 1 hour 50 minutes and made with butter and chicken breast. It serves 4 and is rated advanced to cook.

Start cooking
Chicken Kyiv cut open to show herb butter, served with noodles
Photo: Jason Lam / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-2.0
Prep
30 min
Cook
20 min
Rest
1 h
Total
1 h 50 min
Serves
4
Level
Advanced
Calories
734

Ingredients

4 servings

For the herb butter

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mash the butter (opens in a new tab) with the garlic (opens in a new tab), parsley (opens in a new tab), dill (opens in a new tab), lemon and a pinch of the salt. Shape into 4 small logs, wrap and freeze until firm.

    • 5 min
    Potatoes being mashed
    How it looks · Photo: Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Butterfly each chicken breast (opens in a new tab) and pound between cling film to an even 5 mm. Season, place a frozen butter (opens in a new tab) log in the centre and roll the chicken tightly round it, folding in the sides so the butter is completely enclosed.

    • 15 min

    Food safety: Wash hands, boards and utensils after handling raw chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Coat each in flour, then egg (opens in a new tab), then breadcrumbs (opens in a new tab); repeat the egg and crumbs for a double coat. Chill for 30 minutes to set.

    • 10 min

  4. Step 4

    Heat the oil to 170 °C and fry the Kyivs two at a time until golden, about 5 minutes.

    Food safety: Never leave hot oil unattended; fill the pan no more than a third full.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer to a tray and finish in the oven (opens in a new tab) until the chicken reaches 74 °C in the centre. Rest 2 minutes, then serve — warn diners about the hot butter (opens in a new tab).

    Food safety: Chicken must reach 74 °C; the melted butter inside is very hot.

About this dish

Origin
Ukraine · Origin disputedStrongly associated with Kyiv; its exact origin is debated between Ukrainian, Russian and French-influenced restaurant traditions.Also popular in Russia, United KingdomMore food from Ukraine
Dish
Dinner · Main courses
Cooking method
Deep-fried, Oven-baked
Taste
buttery, garlicky, herby, savoury
Diet
No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Butter · Chicken breast · Garlic · Parsley · Dill · Lemon juice
Techniques
Baking · Deep-frying

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom butter, breadcrumbs
  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, breadcrumbs
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, breadcrumbs
  • May contain: Soyfrom breadcrumbs
  • May contain: Sesamefrom breadcrumbs

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

734 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 287 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 26%
  • Carbohydrate 18%
  • Fat 56%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy734 kcal256 kcal
Protein47.2 g16.4 g
Carbohydrate32.4 g11.3 g
Net carbohydrate30.5 g10.6 g
Sugars2.1 g0.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.9 g0.7 g
Fat45.4 g15.8 g
Saturated fat18.5 g6.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol282 mg98 mg
Sodium1109 mg386 mg
Salt equivalent2.8 g1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
706 mg
Calcium
95 mg
Iron
3.3 mg
Magnesium
69 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
269 µg
Vitamin C
4 mg
Vitamin D
0.5 µg
Vitamin B12
0.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
117 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Freezing the butter and sealing the chicken completely are what stop the butter leaking.

Common mistakes

  • Gaps in the chicken wrap or a single crumb coat — the butter escapes into the oil.

Serve with

  • Serve with mashed potatoes or buckwheat and a green salad.

Storage

  • Freeze breaded, uncooked Kyivs for up to 2 months; cook from frozen in the oven at 190 °C for 35–40 minutes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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