Easy Chicken Kiev

This is one of those recipes that I think, "I can't believe I haven't shared this one!"  This is my go-to company dinner.  It is delicious, easy and always gets rave reviews.

I remember the first time I had chicken kiev.  I was at a well-to do friend's home when I was a little girl, and her cook--yes, they had a hired cook--made us chicken kiev for lunch.  It was the traditional chicken kiev--pounded thin, rolled around a cube of butter and dipped in bread crumbs and herbs.  I thought I had just tasted the most delicious thing in the world.

Fast forward a few years (or more), and I discovered a recipe for EASY chicken kiev in college.  My mom had bought me an easy recipe book, as I was just learning to cook, and this was one I could make without burning, mixing up ingredients or undercooking.  That is saying a lot--just ask the cumin coated chicken fiasco or the great chicken flauta flop back in my college days.

Here I am, married, years in a career, 2 kids and some years later, and this is still one of my favorite recipes.  I was bringing dinner to some friends, and I thought, "I have to SHARE this recipe!  It needs to be in other kitchens!"

So, here you go.  This is my adaptation.  It is rich and delicious and makes your belly happy.

Here is the infamous book--well loved and used, as you can see.  It is full of recipes from home economic teachers in CA.  The teacher who contributed this recipe is Bonnie Pius from Sanger High School.

Though the recipe calls for chicken breasts, I have started using tenderloins at times.  They cook faster and are very tender.  (When I use tenderloins, I change the cooking time to 20 minutes and then do the last ten minutes after adding the last ingredients).

Italian bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, and basil all ready to mix (fresh basil works well too). . .

Take each chicken for a butter bath.  Yes, this is a butterific recipe.

Cover it in the bread crumb mix until it is camoflauged!

Put in your sprayed pan and get ready to cook.

While it is cooking, cut up your green onion and parsley

Mix the left over butter with apple juice or white wine (I use apple juice and it works well) and pour over the partly cooked chicken . . . finish baking.  That last little naked chicken is my diet, breadcrumbless chicken in the back.  He is very sad.

Voila!  You will thank me! Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Kiev

(serves 4)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (original recipe said 1/2 cup, but I always run short.  I use Italian seasoned bread crumbs.)

2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 chicken breasts (or I use 6 tenderloins)

1/4 cup apple juice or dry white wine

1/4 cup green onion chopped

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 375.  Melt butter in microwave.  In a different bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese, basil, and garlic powder

Dip each chicken piece in butter and then roll in the bread crumb mixture.  Place in a sprayed 9 by 13 pan.

Bake breasts for 35 to 40 minutes or tenderloins for about 20 minutes.

While baking, combine apple juice with left over butter.

Cut up onion and parsley.

sprinkle onion and parsley on top of chicken.

Pour apple juice and butter mix over top of chicken.

Bake 10 minutes more.