This is what I’ll be eating for my final meal of 2024. It’s everyone’s favourite garlic butter stuffed chicken breast, only more camp thanks to the addition of pink peppercorns and therefore PERFECT for An Occasion. A juicy bird displays her finery. Give ‘em the old razzle-dazzle.
Oh, and it’s your LAST CHANCE to subscribe to a whole year of Flavour Nuggets for 25% off the regular price! Subscribing gets you an extra weekly recipe (sometimes 2!), plus unrestricted access to the entire recipe archive and subscriber chats. Popularised in the 80’s and 90’s pink peppercorns now have retro appeal but, more importantly, a distinctive floral flavour. If you’ve not had them and are worried this might be fiery, don’t. The flavour is nothing like the green, black or white versions; they’re mellow and fruity with citrus notes. In fact, they’re not a peppercorn at all but a berry from the South American Baies rose plant. They add their enchanting qualities to an otherwise straightforward garlic and parsley butter, blended to ensure a pleasing homogenous herbal cascade. Nothing - I repeat: NOTHING - is worse than a disappointing cut-through, which goes for everything from sandwiches and cakes to Wellingtons, pies and Kyivs. There is a surprising amount of variation in the methods of Kyiv recipes out there; this is how I do mine and it has not let me down yet. Many remove the small fillet on the underside of the breast and reserve it for another use, while I use part of it to make a little plug/dam for the garlic butter reservoir. I can’t remember where I first came across this method, but it wasn’t an original idea. It works a treat so thank you to whoever came up with it. Another thing to note is that a Kyiv should be briefly fried and then finished in the oven. Not only does this - obviously - cut down on frying time it also ensures the chicken doesn’t become overcooked and dry. Also, there’s something satisfyingly cheffy about transferring a dish to the oven to finish cooking. Just me? The reasons for the success of the Kyiv are obvious: fried chicken meets garlic butter. Two of our greatest culinary creations combined. I was going to make the point that the only way to improve this would be to slap it into a sandwich and then I remembered: I already did. Some other uses for that festive butter:
Party Chicken Kyivs I’d serve this with buttery mash, plus a salad with a punch of acid - the point is to have something fresh and lemony. I use a piping bag to stuff the chicken breasts which makes the task much easier - these are sometimes sold as ‘icing bags’ in the baking section of the supermarket. 2 skinless chicken breasts Combine the softened butter, parsley leaves and garlic in a small blender and whizz until well blended. You can of course mash this together too. Stir through the pink peppercorns. Take your piping bag and sit it upright in a tall glass (like a pint glass). Transfer all the butter into it then twist the end and swing it around in a circular motion to send all the butter down to the end. Lay it on a surface then use something flat (like a dough scraper or other flat edge) to encourage the butter down towards the pointed end and remove air bubbles. Store in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Remove the thin fillet strip of meat from the underside of each chicken breast and set aside. Insert a small, long, sharp knife into the thickest end of each chicken breast to make a pocket, taking care not to cut through the flesh on either side. Snip the end off the piping bag with scissors, then pipe the butter into the holes you’ve made in the chicken breast, ensuring they’re nice and full but not so full they’re about to burst. Cut a small piece of the trimmed chicken fillet and use it to plug the butter cavities. You’ll only need a little piece. Spread one plate or wide dish with seasoned flour, another with beaten egg and another with panko crumbs. Dip the Kyivs first into the flour, then into the egg, then coat fully with the crumbs. This is easiest if you put them in and then shimmy them about rather than touching them too much with your hands. Repeat the process so you have a double coating on each Kyiv. Pop them into the fridge for 1 hour. Heat the oil to 160°C at a depth of 1 inch, in a high-sided pan suitable for deep frying. Have a lined baking tray ready. Fry each Kyiv for a few minutes on each side, or until golden. It’s best to do them individually - it won’t matter that one rests while the other cooks. Place on the lined baking tray and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
Last chance to take advantage of my festive subscription offer! Until next time, Flavour Fans x
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Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Flavour nugget #9: party Kyivs
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