Chicken Kiev Casserole (Printable)
Garlic-herb butter chicken bake with crispy Parmesan breadcrumb topping, ready in under an hour.
# 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 (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 fresh breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
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 until well 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 chicken to the prepared baking dish.
04 - In the same skillet, sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat and whisk the prepared garlic-erb butter into the sauce until smooth and emulsified. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken in the baking dish.
06 - In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, 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 golden brown and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic herb butter melts right into the sauce so every single bite carries that rich Kiev flavor without any fussy rolling.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, maybe even better, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekend lunches.
02 -
- Do not skip searing the chicken first because those browned bits in the pan are what give the sauce its depth and you cannot get that flavor any other way.
- Let the casserole rest those 5 minutes before digging in or the sauce will be soupy and run everywhere instead of coating each piece of chicken.
03 -
- Cut your chicken pieces a bit smaller than you think you need because they shrink slightly during searing and you want every piece coated in sauce, not just sitting on top of it.
- If your garlic herb butter is too cold to mix smoothly, microwave it for 10 seconds, any longer and it will melt completely and separate.