Chicken Kiev — For the Man Who Learned to Make the Meatloaf

Clara called Wednesday. She'd read the entire manuscript. 'Rachel,' she said. 'This is extraordinary. This is not a cookbook. This is not a memoir. This is a love letter to every woman who has ever stood at a stove and fed someone she loves.' A love letter. To Mom. To Soo-Jin and Sandra and Jen and Beth and Tamara. To every woman who stands at a stove. Clara has editorial notes — she wants Chapter Four tightened (the desert chapter is long), Chapter Seven expanded (the Caleb chapter needs more about the early feeding, the first foods), and the recipe formatting standardized. But the bones are good. The story is good. The voice is good. 'The voice is the best part,' she said. 'It's young and sharp and funny and honest. It's not trying to be anyone else. It's just Rachel. That's what makes it work.' Just Rachel. Not trying to be Donna. Not trying to be a food writer or a journalist or a blogger. Just Rachel, standing at a stove, telling the truth. The revision will take two months. Due back to Clara in April. Then: editing, copyediting, design, printing. Publication: spring 2022. Spring 2022. The book will be REAL. On shelves. In libraries. In the hands of women who need it. I told the blog readers: 'The book is done. "For All the Donnas" (working title) is coming in 2022. It's about military wife cooking. It's about my mother's recipe binder. It's about dinner at 1800. And it's for you.' The comments: hundreds. Hundreds of women saying 'I'm buying this.' 'I'm pre-ordering.' 'I'm giving this to my mother.' 'I'm giving this to every military wife I know.' Valentine's Day is this week. Ryan made heart-shaped meatloaf — HE made it. Not me. He used my recipe card (Mom's recipe, my handwriting) and shaped it into a heart and baked it (adjusted down twenty degrees, because he LEARNED) and served it with mashed potatoes. 'The meatloaf is love,' he said. Full circle. From 'the ring was panic, the meatloaf is love' to a man who makes the meatloaf himself. Valentine's Day. Heart meatloaf. A manuscript done. A husband who cooks. The love letter continues.

Ryan made the meatloaf this year — from Mom’s card, in my handwriting, adjusted down twenty degrees because he paid attention — and I stood there watching him plate it next to mashed potatoes and thought: this is what it’s all been for. The book, the blog, the binder, all of it. But a love letter needs more than one chapter, and Valentine’s Day deserves a second course. Chicken Kiev is the recipe I reach for when the occasion feels like it should be something — golden outside, impossibly buttery inside, the kind of dish that says I planned this, I meant this, you matter. If Ryan owns the meatloaf now, I’ll take the Kiev.

Chicken Kiev

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the herb butter. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix until fully combined. Spoon onto a sheet of plastic wrap, roll into a log about 1 inch in diameter, and freeze for 15 minutes until firm.
2. Prepare the chicken. Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Stuff and roll. Cut the chilled herb butter into 4 equal portions. Place one portion of butter near the bottom of each flattened breast. Fold in the sides and roll the chicken up tightly around the butter, enclosing it completely. Secure with toothpicks if needed. Refrigerate rolls for 10 minutes.
4. Set up a breading station. Place flour in one shallow dish, beaten eggs in a second, and breadcrumbs in a third. Working one at a time, dredge each chicken roll in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, then coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs. Press gently so breadcrumbs adhere.
5. Sear. Preheat oven to 375°F. In an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil until shimmering. Sear the breaded chicken rolls for 2—3 minutes per side until golden brown on all surfaces.
6. Bake. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20—25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove toothpicks before serving.
7. Rest and serve. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before plating. Serve with lemon wedges and, if you’re Ryan, mashed potatoes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 42g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg