Chicken Kiev Casserole (Printable version)
Deconstructed Chicken Kiev with garlic-herb butter sauce and crispy breadcrumb topping in one comforting pan.
# What you need:
→ Poultry
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Garlic-Herb Butter
02 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
08 - 1 tsp lemon juice
→ Sauce & Base
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
12 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Topping
13 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dill (if using), salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix until thoroughly combined and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper, then sauté until just cooked through and lightly golden, approximately 5–7 minutes. Transfer the seared chicken to the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
04 - In the same skillet, sprinkle flour over the remaining drippings and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3–4 minutes.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat and whisk the prepared garlic-herb butter into the sauce until smooth and emulsified. Pour the finished sauce evenly over the chicken in the baking dish.
06 - In a medium bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and melted butter. Toss until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Sprinkle the mixture uniformly over the casserole.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the garlicky, buttery magic of traditional Chicken Kiev but in a fraction of the time with zero risk of the butter escaping.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means you will genuinely look forward to lunch.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step after baking because the sauce needs those five minutes to thicken back up and hold together when you serve it.
- Adding a handful of shredded mozzarella or Gruyere under the breadcrumb layer transforms this from great to absolutely unforgettable.
03 -
- Toss the chicken pieces in the flour before sautéing instead of cooking flour separately for an even easier one pan approach with similar results.
- Pulse stale bread in a food processor if you run out of panko, the texture will actually be better than store bought.