Chicken Kiev Casserole (Printable version)
Juicy chicken baked in garlic-herb butter sauce with a crispy golden breadcrumb topping in one 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
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
# 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 the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dill, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until just cooked through and lightly golden. Transfer the seared chicken to the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
04 - In the same skillet, sprinkle flour over the residual drippings and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat. Whisk the prepared garlic-erb butter into the sauce until completely smooth and emulsified. Pour the finished sauce evenly over the chicken in the baking dish.
06 - In a medium bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and melted butter. Toss until the mixture is evenly moistened. Sprinkle uniformly over the casserole.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the garlicky, buttery magic of traditional Chicken Kiev but effortless enough for a Tuesday night.
- That crunch on top will have people fighting over the corner pieces before the dish even hits the table.
02 -
- Do not skip resting the casserole after baking, because cutting into it immediately will cause the sauce to run everywhere and the layers to collapse.
- The garlic herb butter should be fully soft before mixing, because cold butter will leave unpleasant pockets instead of melting smoothly into the sauce.
03 -
- Pound the garlic into a paste with a pinch of salt using the flat side of your chef knife before adding it to the butter, because this releases far more flavor than chopping alone.
- Toast the panko briefly in a dry skillet before mixing it with Parmesan and butter for a topping that stays crunchy even after sitting on the table for twenty minutes.