When coming to new cities and countries, people always want to try something new, which also means trying local cuisine. Chicken Kiev is one of the most popular dishes in traditional Ukrainian cuisine. It is a well-known dish in Russian and Polish cuisine too. The classic term for Chicken Kiev in Poland is “côtelette de volaille”. Chicken Kiev is, basically chicken fillet stuffed with garlic butter, coated with breadcrumbs, and then baked or fried. Butter melts inside and oozes out on to your plate when you cut chicken. It really tastes delicious! Chicken Kiev stands on the same level with Ukrainian borshch and varenyky when comparing the popularity of these dishes.
Except the Russians viewed the dish as theirs, from the Muscovy region of the Soviet Union, a dish of chicken with a butter sauce covered in breadcrumbs that was refined by a Ukrainian chef in the 19th century. He was from Kiev, hence the name.
Does the name ‘Chicken Kiev’ really come from Kyiv?
It would be logical to assume that the name of the dish originates from the name of the capital of Ukraine – Kyiv., but it does not. Even though there is no documented proof, many Ukrainian chefs agree that authentic recipe originates from France. There are numerous stories about how the recipe got to Russia and Ukraine. Some stories have documented evidence, others exist just like fairy tales.
In late 1840’s rich people from Russia sent their chefs to France to master French cooking techniques and bring recipes of the best chefs to Russia. According to another version, the Chicken Kiev recipe was invented by Marie-Antoine Carême, French chef at the Court of Alexander I. He spent only several months during the whole year in Russia but that was enough to impact Russian cuisine. Therefore, invention of the recipe is attributed to his frequent visits to Russia. However, you will not find any information about “côtelette de volaille” in Carême’s cooking books today.
“Côtelette de volaille” is a purely French term, which literally means chicken cutlet. There is no solid proof, but some chefs state that the French also used veal instead of poultry because at that time chicken was an expensive product. It was treated as a real delicacy and only rich people could afford it, so chicken was a cheaper substitution of original recipe. Despite the existence of this version, French and Ukrainian chefs believe that chicken has been always the main ingredient of original recipe of Chicken Kiev.
The Ukrainian recipe of Chicken Kiev that we know today was invented in the restaurant of Continental hotel in Kiev in 1918. We can only assume that it originated from “côtelette de volaille”. Chicken Kiev was cooked only for officers of command staff of Skoropadsky Hetman and became extremely popular.
Traditional Chicken Kiev Recipe
You can easily find a huge number of Chicken Kiev recipes on the Internet but the classic version of the recipe tastes the best, so surprise your family or friends and cook Chicken Kiev for dinner. To cook Chicken Kiev at home, you’ll need:
- Herbs
- Butter 150 gr
- Garlic
- Pepper and salt
- 2 chicken fillet
- 2 eggs
- Flour
- Breadcrumbs
- Olive oil
Place the herbs, garlic, pepper, salt and butter in a mixing bowl, and mix them well. Wrap the butter with herbs in a plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. This is for the filling that you’ll put inside of the fillet. Feel free to add any extra spices or herbs as long as they complement the chicken well. You can also add some cheese to make Chicken Kiev even more delicious. The butter and cheese will melt inside and make the chicken juicy and tasty.
Slice the chicken fillet and pound it until it becomes thin. Be careful not to make holes otherwise the butter will leak. Do not forget to season chicken too with some salt and pepper. Put the butter with the herbs in the middle of chicken, then take two opposite ends of fillet, fold them in and roll the chicken from the bottom to top. Put chicken in flour, then beaten egg, and then breadcrumbs.
Chicken Kiev can be baked or fried but make sure you have enough oil in the pan. It is usually cooked for 20-25 minutes and presto! Chicken Kiev is ready to be served.
The truth behind Chicken Kiev…
FAQ
Do they eat chicken Kiev in Kiev?
Why is Kiev now Spelt Kyiv?
Have they changed the name of chicken Kiev?
What is chicken Kiev?
Chicken Kiev, also known as chicken Kyiv, [a] is a dish made of chicken fillet pounded and rolled around cold butter, then coated with egg and bread crumbs, and either fried or baked. Since fillets are often referred to as suprêmes in professional cookery, the dish is also called “suprême de volaille à la Kiev”.
Why is Sainsbury’s renaming chicken Kievs?
Sainsbury’s is renaming chicken Kievs to match the Ukrainian spelling of their capital city Kyiv in the wake of the Russian invasion. The supermarket chain said it would start rolling out new packaging in the coming weeks using chicken Kyiv, rather than the Russian spelling Kiev. Ukrainians pronounce their capital “kee-yiv”.
Why is chicken Kiev so popular?
Beyond its culinary significance, Chicken Kiev has also made a cultural impact. It has become a symbol of Ukrainian cuisine and a source of national pride. The dish has featured in literary works, films, and television shows, further cementing its place in popular culture. Payment Preferences: Can You Use Apple Pay at Chicken and Pickle?
When was Chicken Kiev invented?
Russian food historian William Pokhlyobkin claimed that chicken Kiev was invented in 1912 as Novo-Mikhailovskaya kotleta in а St. Petersburg Merchants’ Club located near the Mikhailovsky palace, and was renamed kotleta po-kiyevski in 1947 by a Soviet restaurant. However, these claims collide with primary sources.