My Kitchen My World - Virtual Travel to the Ukraine!

Why do cabbages win at races?  Because they want to get a-head!!

This month we are cooking Ukrainian dishes.  There were plenty to choose from on the internet.  I chose for my main dish Chicken Kiev.  The queen city of Ukraine is Kiev.  I read that most Slavic people have never prepared it however because it is considered a gourmet treat.  This dish takes some preparation, but it is well worth it.  Unfortunately, my chicks suffered a minor burn in the skillet, OOPS, but not enough to mess with the taste.  Delicious!  The butter inside oozes out when you cut into it and that makes for very tender chicken.  I was surprised at the grocery store how expensive chicken has become.  Must be because gas prices are high??  I wish I had cut into this breast after it was cooked and taken a photo of the inside, but the DH was starving and ready to dig in!  Please do not let this photo deter you from making this wonderful recipe.

Chicken Kiev Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breasts
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup flour
1 ½ cups fine dry white bread crumbs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Kiev Butter: 
8 T Butter, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

First flatten out your chicken breasts with a mallet.  Make your kiev butter.  Put about a tablespoon of butter in each chicken breast and then carefully roll up the breast.  I secured mine with a couple of toothpicks.  Dip first in flour, then in egg, then in breadcrumbs.  Plop into heated oil on stovetop.  The oil must be deep enough to cover at least half the breast (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches). Cook for four minutes.  Transfer to a baking pan and cook in over at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Remove toothpicks before serving.

Along with my chicken, I served the tradition cabbage rolls.  I had never made these before and was excited to try them.  I think traditional cabbage rolls have a meat and rice filling, but I chose to just use a rice filling since I was serving them alongside my chicken.

Take a head of cabbage and core it.  Place it in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Gently pull off the outer leaves one at a time until you have about twenty removed.

Meanwhile, cook minute rice.  I did one cup of water with one cup of rice in the microwave.

Saute 1/4 stick of butter and add 1/4 cup chopped onions.  Cook until onions are soft.  Add to the rice.  Add salt and pepper.

Put about two tablespoons of the rice mixture in each leaf of cabbage and gently roll up and put in pan.  Once you have all the rolls in there, cover them with one 16 oz can of diced tomatoes mixed with 1/4 cup water.  Simmer covered for about an hour. 

Delicious!!! Definitely worth a little extra preparation time.

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