Chicken Kiev is a dish of boned chicken breast pounded and rolled around cold unsalted butter, then breaded and fried. It is also known as Chicken Supreme. As its popularity spread internationally, various seasonings have been added to the butter. It has also been known to contain various fillings such as brocolli and blue cheese sauce. This famous method of preparing chicken or pheasant is not of Ukrainian origin as the name Kiev, the national capital, would imply. It was invented by the Frenchman, Nicolas François Appert (1749–1841), a brewer, pickler, confectioner, and chef who discovered the principles of canning and preserving of food. Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1741–1762) of Russia preferred French foods and fashions, and by the late 18th century wealthy Russian households were hiring French chefs, or sending their cooks to train in France. Because of this, French dishes were widely imitated. Russian cookbooks have recipes for a similar French dish called côtelettes de volaille—not Chicken Kiev. It is generally thought that early New York City restaurants trying to please the many Russian immigrants gave the name Kiev. The name went back to Europe and has become a popular moniker to describe the food. After World War II, Chicken Kiev became popular in Russian restaurants. The same dish made with beef is known as a Donbass patty, named for the Donbass region of Ukraine.
Trivia
- Chicken Kiev is also the label used by the media for a speech made in Kiev in 1991 by then U.S. President George H.W. Bush. It was drafted by Condoleezza Rice, then the President's Soviet and East European Affairs Advisor, and cautioned Ukrainians against "suicidal nationalism". A few months later, Ukrainians voted to withdraw from the Soviet Union.
- Chicken Kiev was Marks & Spencer's first ready-made meal.
- Burger King restaurants in Europe serve a Chicken Kiev sandwich.
Sources
- "George H.W. Bush clarifies Chicken Kiev speech" in The Washington Times
- Chicken Kiev recipe from 1970s
