Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast (6-8 ounces each) or 4 chicken cutlets (6 ounces each)
10 blades fresh chives, chopped to about 2 tablespoons
A palmful fresh parsley, finely chopped to about 2 tablespoons
A palmful fresh dill, finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
6 tablespoons chilled butter
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup plain bread crumbs
A wedge lemon
Salt and pepper
3 disposable pie tins (for breading)
Plain, round toothpicks (for securing chicken)
Directions
In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil over medium-high heat. The oil needs to be 360°F for frying. If you do not have a frying thermometer, add a cube of white bread to the hot oil. If the bread browns in a count to 40, the oil is ready.
Cover work surface with waxed paper. Arrange breasts on paper. Butterfly small chicken breasts: cut into flesh and across, but not through the breast, and open them up. The cutlets may just be removed from package and arranged on waxed paper. Cover breast meat with a second sheet of waxed paper. Pound out cutlets to 1/4-inch thick with a small heavy skillet or a rubber mallet. Be careful not to tear meat. Roll up waxed paper and breasts and set aside.
Combine chopped herbs on cutting board with chopped garlic. Cut six tablespoons cold butter into four pieces (1 1/2 tablespoons each) and coat each piece liberally with the herb garlic mixture.
In three disposable pie tins, add flour, eggs beaten with a splash of cold water and bread crumbs (one ingredient in each tin).
Uncover chicken and squeeze a wedge of lemon over breasts. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place an herb-covered piece of butter on each piece of chicken. Wrap and roll cutlets tightly up and over the butter cubes. Secure stuffed chicken with toothpicks. Roll stuffed breasts in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.
Fry the Chicken Kiev bundles 7-8 minutes on each side until deep golden brown all over.