Chicken Kiev Recipe for a Retro Classic Cooked For Russian Tsars

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1. 1Step 1: A couple of hours before cooking, brine the chicken breasts with salt, sugar and one garlic clove split in half.
2. 2Step 2: When your butter is easy to spread (do not microwave), add it and the garlic and parsley in a bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper. Combine the ingredients so that they are well mixed.
3. 3Step 3: Spread a 15cm square of plastic wrap out on a kitchen bench and spoon the mixture onto the wrap. Form a 'sausage' with the mixture about 10 cm long and then roll the plastic wrap over the mix. Twist both ends of the plastic wrap until the 'sausage' is firmly packed.
4. 4Step 4: Place this in the freezer until firm. You can then leave it in the refrigerator until you are ready to prep before cooking the chicken.
5. 5Step 5: Drain and dry the brined chicken breasts. Place them on a cutting board and make a thick cut down the length of the thicker side of the breast, leaving the last 1 cm intact. The cut should be deep but not go right through the breast.
6. 6Step 6: Heat your oil in a large frying pan. The oil needs to be high enough up the sides of the pan to cover half the thickness of the breasts (we cook one side at a time).
7. 7Step 7: When your herb butter 'sausage' is firm enough to cut, remove the plastic wrap and slice evenly into 16 even discs, 4 for each breast. Push the discs into the breasts and seal with toothpicks. Make sure the toothpicks do not protrude excessively from the breasts.
8. 8Step 8: Place the flour on a large plate. To the right of this place a bowl with the beaten eggs. Next to this we will have a large plate with the panko breadcrumbs. Place the breadcrumbs in a plastic bag and using a rolling pin, break the breadcrumbs down to smaller pieces, but not to a fine consistency. Place the breadcrumbs on a large plate and season with salt and pepper.
9. 9Step 9: Coat each piece of chicken in the flour, then shake off any excess flour. Dip the breast in the eggs, being sure to fully coat the breast. Drain over the bowl for a few seconds, then coat the breasts in breadcrumbs and place on a tray.
10. 10Step 10: Preheat your oven to 180°C. Place a baking tray in there for the finished chicken breasts.
11. 11Step 11: The oil in your frying pan should be at 176°C before cooking the breasts. Do not crowd the pan as the oil will lose temperature. Cook each side for around 2 minutes or until golden brown. Using a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of each breast. You need it to reach 74°C. If the pieces are perfectly golden but not up to temperature place them in the oven until they are cooked through.
12. 12Step 12: Serve immediately with mashed potato and vegetables.