Cajun Chicken Kiev

Sweet Daddy D’s Cajun Chicken Kiev is Cajun Fusion. Classic European with Cajun and Creole twists. Start with a typical Chicken Kiev recipe, then add traditional South Louisiana seasonings, Andouille Sausage, and a special Crawfish Butter. Breaded and cooked to a golden brown, this iconic recipe is transformed into a dish that could have been born on the Bayou!

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• What Is Cajun Chicken Kiev?
• Here’s What You Need
• Here’s What You Do
• Hints and Tips (FAQs)
• Cajun Chicken Kiev
• Comments or Questions?

What Is Cajun Chicken Kiev?

Chicken Kiev, created in the early 19th Century as a delicacy for Russian royalty didn’t become popular in the US until after World War II. That's when famed New York restaurant, The Russian Tea Room, placed Côtelette à la Kiev on its menu to lure Russian and Ukrainian immigrants who had settled in that city. By the 1960s this created some demand back in Kiev from US tourists who requested the dish. 

Although considered Russian, the dish’s roots actually trace back to France. Exactly what route that took is up for some debate. One version is that Russian royalty sent chefs to Paris in the 1840s to learn culinary techniques from French Chefs. The Russian chefs returned with a similar dish made with veal, which was changed to chicken, considered more of a delicacy at that time and place. Another version is that famed French Chef Antonin Carême introduced the dish while he was the personal chef of Tsar Alexander I of Russa and still another version brings the dish to Russia by Napoleon during his ill-fated invasion in 1812. 

Regardless of its heritage, like most French dishes, Chicken Kiev is perfect for adaptation to the culinary musings of South Louisiana. Traditional South Louisiana seasonings, Andouille Sausage, and compound butter made with crawfish tails and herbs, Cajun Chicken Kiev is a perfect fusion that honors both cuisines. 

Here’s What You Need

Here are some of the key ingredients for this recipe:

Note on the Chicken: This dish is traditionally made with boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can substitute chicken thighs if you prefer.

Note on the andouille sausage: Andouille Sausage is a highly seasoned smoked pork sausage, commonly used in Cajun and Creole cuisines. Highly seasoned does not necessarily mean spicy, although some brands may have lots of pepper. Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQs) Section below for possible substitutes.

Note on the Crawfish Butter: Crawfish Butter is a compound butter that uses ground crawfish tails and South Louisiana seasonings to build its distinctive flavor. Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQs) below for other options. 

Serving Suggestion: This recipe for Cajun Chicken Kiev is perfectly matched with Crawfish Butter Sauce. This is a sauce created around the same Crawfish Compound Butter with which we stuffed the Chicken Kiev. Although this sauce will be delicious with many other dishes, it is specially designed for this dish.

Equipment

Here is some of the equipment I used in making this recipe:

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Here’s What You Do

First…you have a beer. This recipe has a few moving parts, so that's all the more reason to prepare yourself, take your time, and enjoy the process. That begins by knowing what you need and what you’ll do with each ingredient. To do that, pop the cap off a beer and read the recipe all the way through. Once you know what's required, perform your mise en place so that all you have to do is assemble the recipe. 

Mise en place

Chicken:

• Trim any excess fat and loose pieces off the chicken breasts.
• Slice the breast in half lengthwise.
• Using a meat tenderizer, flatten chicken breasts to about ¼ inch thick.
• Sprinkle kosher salt and Creole seasoning on both sides and set aside.

Note on prepping the chicken: Once you have trimmed the breast, slice it in half lengthwise. Place the chicken breast on a flat cutting surface. Press the chicken breast slightly with one hand while you slice horizontally starting with the thicker end all the way through to the thinned end. Take your time. You may use "thin-sliced" breasts from your grocer instead of slicing them yourself.

Other Ingredients:

• Slice the andouille sausage into 8 very thin slices.
• Slice the Crawfish Butter into 4 pieces approximately 1 tablespoon each.
• Place the AP flour in a bowl suitable for dredging and season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Place the eggs in a suitable bowl and scramble.
• Place the seasoned breadcrumbs in a separate dish or bowl suitable for dredging.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set some toothpicks out, and have a cooling rack that fits in the baking sheet handy.

Stuff the Chicken Breasts

What happens in this step? This is the step that Cajunizes the Chicken Kiev. We’ll wrap the seasoned chicken breasts around the base flavors of butter, andouille, and crawfish!

Fry the sliced andouille to brown them slightly, then set them aside.

Spread the seasoned, flattened chicken breast onto your working surface. Place two slices of andouille and 1 slice of Crawfish Butter in the center of the breast.

Note on the andouille sausage: This recipe was developed using traditional andouille sausage which is thicker than most sausages (approximately 1 ½ inch diameter). If your sausage is not thick (about 1 inch in diameter) you may want to use more slices.

Fold in opposite sides of the breast, then the other opposite sides to seal the andouille and butter inside the breasts as well as possible. Use a couple of toothpicks (or as many as you need) to hold the stuffed breasts together.

With the seam on top, place all four stuffed breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set that in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Pro Tip on stuffing: Until you’ve done this a few times it can be challenging. Don't stress too much trying to make it perfect. The breasts will be somewhat pliable, so you can tug and stretch to try to seal it, then use some toothpicks to keep it closed. Setting the stuffed breasts in the freezer for a short time firms them and helps keep things together. The toothpicks will be removed before serving.

Coat the Stuffed Chicken Breasts

What happens in this step? We want a crispy crust on the chicken. This "dry-wet-dry" method accomplishes that.

Pro Tip for a crispy crust: Setting the kievs in the freezer will not only help firm them up but will also dry the surface somewhat. Dusting the surface with AP flour (shaking off the excess) helps the egg wash stick which, with the excess dripped off, helps the breadcrumbs stick. Combining this technique with the proper oil temperature (350 degrees Fahrenheit) will produce a crispy crust.

Remove the stuffed chicken from the freezer. Set up the seasoned flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs so that you can easily coat the chicken in three steps. 

Roll each stuffed chicken breast in flour to coat completely. Shake off any excess flour.

Dip the floured chicken breast into the beaten egg to thoroughly coat. Make sure to get egg in all the nooks and crannies. Allow any excess egg to drip off before rolling each chicken breast in the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs lightly into the breasts to help them adhere. Make sure the chicken breasts are completely coated in the breading mixture.

Place the breaded chicken breasts, seam side up, back on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and place it back in the freezer for 15 minutes. While it's in the freezer, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pro Tip on keeping the chicken kiev sealed: The egg serves as somewhat of a glue that helps seal the breast. Toothpicks also serve this purpose as does using the freezer during the building steps. We’re trying not to let any of the butter leak while cooking so when you cut into the cooked chicken, the butter will run out and look absolutely delicious. 

Cook the Kievs

What happens in this step? We’ll use a two-step approach. First, brown the kiev slightly in a frying pan with oil, then finish cooking them in the oven. 

Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a cast iron skillet and heat it to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the chicken breast for 2 minutes on each side, then remove them to a rack on a baking sheet.

Once all four breasts are ready, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. 

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the Cajun Chicken Kiev rest for about 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving. It is highly suggested to serve this with Crawfish Butter Sauce, a match made in heaven.

Note on alternate cooking method: The Chicken Kiev may be deep fried in vegetable oil (oil temp: 350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 8 to 10 minutes until reaching 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

Pro Tip: The chicken breasts should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature. Use an instant-read thermometer to measure the internal temperature. 

Pro Tip: You can turn the breasts over halfway through the baking if you’d like to foster spreading the melting butter around, but it's not totally necessary.

Serving Suggestion: This recipe for Cajun Chicken Kiev is perfectly matched with Crawfish Butter Sauce. This is a sauce created around the same Crawfish Compound Butter with which we stuffed the Chicken Kiev. Although this sauce will be delicious with many other dishes, it is specially designed for this dish.

Hints and Tips (FAQs)

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Ladle generous amounts of Crawfish Butter Sauce on top of this Cajun Chicken Kiev...de-fricken-licious!

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