Family Favorite Chicken Kiev Kotlet

Our family’s version of Chicken Kiev Kotlets is juicy and moist, double-coated with homemade breadcrumbs and stuffed with rich cranberry butter. This dish has become a holiday and birthday staple, perfect for feeding a crowd. Each kotlet is handcrafted, bursting with luscious cranberry butter as it bakes. And for the little bone attached? It’s the ultimate touch of elegance and tradition.

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Chicken Kiev kotlet cross-cut with a bed of rice and cranberry sauce.

Prep Time:1

Cook Time:30

Chilling Time:2

Course

Main Course

Cuisine

Armenian

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken boneless thighs and breast grounded
1 onion medium size, grounded or shredded
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon curry
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
3 cup breadcrumbs or more
100 grams butter
10 grams cranberries fresh and frozen

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken Mixture

Grind chicken, onion, and garlic.
Mix in spices, egg, and breadcrumbs.
Chill for 30 minutes.

Compound Butter

Blend the soften butter and cranberries together.
Spread the butter on a saran wrap and form a square block. Chill in the fridge.
Cut into thumb size bars and keep cold until ready to use.

Shape the Kotlets

Divide into 10-12 equal balls, approximately 100g each.
Flatten into oval patties on a breadcrumb-covered surface.
Place a piece of chilled compound butter in the center, arrange a reserved bone if using, and seal into a torpedo shape.
Chill the kotlet for 15 minutes to hold the shape.

Coat

Dip each kotlet in foamy eggs, then coat with breadcrumbs.
Chill for at lease 20 minutes or freeze to help them hold their shape.

Oven-Baked

Preheat oven to 400°F(200°C)
Brush the kotlet with oil and place on wire rack
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Pan Fried

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry kotlets for 4–5 minutes per side, flipping frequently for even browning.

Pan-Fried & Oven-Finished

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brown kotlets in a pan for 1–2 minutes per side, then transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 20–30 minutes until fully cooked.

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

You can use a whole chicken by de-boning and grinding the meat.

For the best flavor and juiciest kotlets, use a mix of thigh and breast meat.

Chill the butter stick beforehand to prevent it from melting too quickly.

Double-coating the kotlets helps retain moisture and keeps the butter from oozing out while cooking.

Make sure to have plenty of breadcrumbs for coating.

I prefer making my own breadcrumbs, as they enhance both the taste and texture. Store-bought breadcrumbs can sometimes have a stale or rancid flavor.

You don’t need to defrost the kotlets before cooking. Simply add an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time.

If using an instant thermometer, make sure you place the probe from above so the juices don't run out. Fully cooked kotelts should register 165°F (75°C)

If using an instant-read thermometer, insert the probe from above to prevent the juices from escaping. Fully cooked kotlets should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving and is not guaranteed for accuracy.

Servings: pieces

Calories: 841kcal

Author: Noune DiCesare

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