Chicken kiev

Method

1. In a bowl, mix together the butter, parsley and garlic with a good pinch of salt and pepper until well combined. Spoon the herb butter onto a sheet of baking paper and roll up into a short, fat cylinder. Freeze for at least 15 minutes or until firm.
2. Meanwhile, put each chicken breast between 2 sheets of cling film and put them onto a chopping board. Bash them gently with a rolling pin until they are an even thickness (about 7.5mm or as thin as you can without tearing the meat).
3. Remove the butter from the freezer and slice thinly. Divide the slices among the flattened chicken breasts, placing them in the middle of each (you may have some butter left over). Fold over the long sides of the flattened chicken, enclosing the butter as much as possible (A), then fold the short ends over the folded sides/butter to make a neat parcel with the seam on top (B). Turn the parcels over so the seam is underneath, put on a clean tray or chopping board, loosely covered with cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
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4. Heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Put the seasoned flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls, in that order. Remove the chicken from the fridge and, working with one at a time, dust each kiev in the flour, gently shaking off any excess, then dip into the eggs and coat in the breadcrumbs, making sure each one is completely covered (see tip).
5. Heat a good layer of oil, 1-2cm deep, in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, carefully put the kievs into the pan, with the seal underneath (you may need to do this in batches). Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning gently onto each side to brown (C). Carefully transfer to a baking sheet, then bake for 12-15 minutes. If they are turning too dark, cover loosely with a sheet of foil. Remove from the oven and serve with mashed potatoes or steamed rice and greens, with extra garlic butter if you like.