Name: Chicken Kiev balls with tarragon-garlic butter
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 16

Chicken Kiev balls with tarragon-garlic butter

There’s a lot to love about chicken Kiev – especially the garlic butter stuffed in the centre of the chook or beneath the skin. This bite-sized take has the garlic butter in the centre, with yet more for dipping. These little numbers are excellent for entertaining; they can be assembled ahead of time, then quickly cooked to order.

Serves 16

Prep

30M

Cook

20M

Total

50M

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Ingredients

20 gm butter, diced

½ onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

300 gm coarsely minced chicken

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp finely chopped tarragon, plus extra to serve

Finely grated rind of ½ lemon

180 gm sourdough breadcrumbs

2 eggs

Seasoned plain flour, for dusting

2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Garlic butter

200 gm butter, softened

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon

1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped chives

Finely grated rind of ½ lemon

Method

Main

1. 1 For garlic butter, beat ingredients in a bowl to combine and season. Place 16 half-teaspoonfuls of garlic butter on a tray lined with baking paper and place in freezer until firm (8-10 minutes). Set remaining garlic butter aside.

2.2 Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent (3-4 minutes). Set aside to cool, then combine in a bowl with chicken, yolk, tarragon, lemon rind and 80gm breadcrumbs. Season generously to taste, then roll into 16 balls with wet hands. Press a piece of firm garlic butter into the centre of each, roll mixture around it to enclose and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3.3 Lightly whisk eggs in a bowl with 1 tbsp water, place seasoned flour in a separate bowl and combine remaining breadcrumbs in a tray with parsley and season to taste. Dip balls first in flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mixture, shaking off excess in between, then place on a tray lined with baking paper, cover and refrigerate until required.

4.4 Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 170C. Deep-fry balls in batches, turning occasionally, until cooked through (4-5 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Drain on paper towels and season to taste.

5.5 Melt remaining garlic butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Scatter chicken Kiev balls with extra herbs and serve with melted garlic butter.

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Vanessa Austin