Cheesy chicken Kiev recipe

A retro classic - golden crumbed chicken parcels that ooze melty cheese as you cut them open.

Chicken kievs are so easy to buy in shops you might never have thought to try making them yourself. But it's worth giving these cheesy chicken kievs a go because the results are delicious. It's easier than you'd think. You simple wrap the chicken around the herby cheese filling, then wrap the parcels in clingfilm to set them. Leave them overnight to chill and the next day you're ready to coat in breadcrumbs and fry. Alternatively, if you're pressed for time, you can get away with chilling them for just 30 minutes. This recipe serves four and we find it goes down well even with picky eaters. There's something so satisfying about cutting the kievs open and watching all the warm cheese spill out.

Ingredients

• 4 x 175-200g skinned chicken breasts
• 150g pack Boursin Garlic & Herbs cheese
• 2 tbsp plain flour, well seasoned
• 1 large egg, beaten in a shallow bowl
• 60g dried breadcrumbs
• 3-4 tbsp sunflower oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Method

1. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken breasts part of the way through, to open them out. Put each breast between two pieces of cling film and pound them to a flat square-ish shape with a rolling pin (not too energetically, you don't want to tear the flesh).
2. Divide the cheese into four and put a portion in each piece of chicken, spreading it to a thumb’s length. Fold up the meat, tucking the ends in to make a parcel. Roll them up tightly, individually, in cling film, twisting the ends, to make a tight sausage shape. Chill for 30 mins, or overnight if possible.
3. Take off the cling film, coat the parcels in the flour, dip in the beaten egg, then roll them in the breadcrumbs to coat completely.
4. Set the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Put a baking sheet in to heat up. Heat a frying pan, add half the oil, then fry the chicken on all sides (don’t forget the ends) two at a time, until lightly browned (6-8 mins), then put them on the hot tray in the oven and bake for 20 mins, until golden and cooked. Serve hot – so the cheese runs when you cut them open – with lemon wedges and salad.

Top tips for making cheesy chicken kievs

Swap the cheese for a portion of garlic butter in the centre of each kiev, for a more traditional version.

These cheesy chicken kievs are under 550 calories a portion. But to cut the fat content further, use 100g low-fat soft cheese, adding 2-3 cloves crushed garlic, 4tbsp chopped parsley or tarragon and a squeeze of lemon juice.

You might also like…

600 calorie meals

Low calorie meals

Healthy chicken recipes