A fake chicken kiev

For NaBloPoMo November 2014 my challenge is to upload a post every day thoughout the month. That's 30 days and 30 posts. The more page views I get per day the more money I will donate to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT). Help support my challenge by logging on daily and donating directly www.chect.org.uk. 

Yesterday's total views: sorry blogger playing up so I have no idea 

I've always wondered whether it's easy to make a chicken kiev at home. You've probably realised from some of my previous posts that am a bit partial to the occasional chicken kiev. But they are very buttery and clearly fried that it makes me feel a little bit guilty. Saying that perhaps that's why they taste so good! I still haven't found a homemade version to try so if you know of one do let me know. I'd prefer it to be baked or shallow fried rather than deep fried. In the meantime I tried an adapted version with garlic butter in chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham. It was pretty good and probably a lot healthier than a regular chicken kiev but even I have to admit it wasn't quite the same without the breadcrumbs.  

Garlic butter stuffed chicken wrapped in Parma ham

(Serves 2 | total prep and cooking time 45 mins + refrigeration time) 

Ingredients 

- 2 chicken breasts

- 6 rashers if Parma ham or proscuito

- 3-4 tablespoons butter

- 4 garlic cloves - crushed

- tablespoon of chopped parsley 

Method

- heat the oven to 180 degrees fan 

- in a bowl stir together the butter, garlic and parsley. Separate into 2 portions and refrigerate for at least 30 mins but preferable longer. Tip: you can make a larger portion of this, roll into a cylinder, refrigerate, cut off 2 discs to use and freeze the rest in cling film

- pound the chicken breast fillets with a meat mallet until they become the thickness of a pound coin

- place the butter mixture in the centre and roll the chicken breast like a parcel encompassing the butter

- cover evenly with 3 rashers of Parma ham evenly spaced out to cover the whole chicken breast 

- Spray or brush with a little olive oil and place on a baking tray

- cook in the oven for 30 minutes until the juices run clear from the chicken