Chicken Kiev

Ingredients

• 2 whole large chicken breasts (2 pounds total), skinned, boned, and halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon snipped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a 1/4-pound stick of butter, chilled
• 1 beaten egg
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Instructions

1. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Place each breast half, boned side up, between 2 pieces of clear plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine onion, parsley, and garlic; sprinkle on chicken.
2. Cut chilled butter into four 2 1/2x1/2-inch sticks. Place one piece in the center of each chicken piece. Fold in sides; roll up jelly-roll style, pressing edges to seal. Stir together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Coat rolls with flour, dip into egg mixture, then coat with crumbs. Cover; chill 1 to 24 hours.
3. In a large skillet melt the 1 tablespoon butter and add oil. Add chilled chicken rolls; cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or till golden brown, turning to brown all sides. Transfer to a 12x7x2 1/2-inch baking dish. Bake in a 400° oven for 15 to 18 minutes or till no longer pink. Spoon drippings over rolls.
4. Microwave directions: Rinse chicken; pat dry. Pound chicken as above. Assemble, coat and chill chicken rolls as above, except coat rolls on 3 sides only. Place chilled rolls, uncoated side down, on a rack in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Micro-cook, covered with waxed paper, on 100% power (high) for 7 to 9 minutes or till no longer pink, giving dish a half-turn and rearranging after 4 minutes. Do not turn rolls over.
5. Cheesy Chicken Kiev: Prepare as above, except, for the butter in chicken rolls, substitute four 2x1/2-inch sticks of caraway cheese, Gruyère cheese, blue cheese, Camembert (rind removed), Brie (rind removed), or cheddar cheese.
6. Pick-a-Butter Chicken Kiev: Prepare as above, except, for the butter in the chicken rolls substitute 1/4 cup (1/2 recipe) parsley butter or lemon-tarragon butter (see tip, page 36 shaped into four 2 1/2x1/2-inch sticks and chille