Chicken Kiev Casserole (Print Version)
Deconstructed chicken Kiev baked in garlic-herb butter sauce with crispy Parmesan breadcrumb topping.
# What You'll 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 Make It:
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 if using, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until evenly blended and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper, then sauté until just cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the seared chicken to the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
04 - In the same skillet, sprinkle the flour over the remaining drippings and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat and whisk the prepared garlic-herb 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 crumbs 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 the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It delivers all the indulgent, garlicky magic of traditional Chicken Kiev with half the effort and zero deep frying.
- The crispy panko and Parmesan topping gets those perfectly golden edges that everyone fights over at the table.
- One pan means cleanup is painless, which is honestly the real reason this ends up on my weekly rotation.
02 -
- Do not skip softening the butter before mixing the herb paste because cold butter will leave lumps that never fully incorporate into the sauce.
- The sauce will look slightly thin when you pour it over the chicken but it thickens considerably during baking, so trust the process.
- Letting the casserole rest for those 5 minutes before serving is the difference between a neat scoop and a soupy mess on the plate.
03 -
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before cutting so every piece cooks at the same rate and nothing dries out.
- Toast the panko briefly in a dry pan before mixing it with Parmesan and butter for a topping that stays crunchier through baking and reheating.