Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• preferably free-range
• skin removed
• 150g/5½oz butter
• at room temperature
• bunch fresh parsley
• finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 2 spring onions
• finely chopped
• 50g/1¾oz Cheddar
• grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp golden breadcrumbs
• sunflower oil
• for deep-frying
• 2 cucumbers
• peeled
• core removed
• 2 spring onions
• chopped
• 50g/1¾oz soured cream
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• large pinch paprika
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 free-range eggs
• hardboiled
• peeled
• sliced

Directions

• For the kievs
• slit each chicken breast down its longer side
• almost cutting through to the other side (the breast should open out like a book). Place the opened chicken breast between two pieces of clingfilm and flatten with a rolling pin. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining three chicken breasts.
• Mix the butter
• parsley
• garlic
• spring onions and grated cheese in a bowl. Divide this stuffing into four and form each portion into a sausage shape. Set aside.
• Pour the beaten eggs into a bowl and spread the flour and breadcrumbs onto separate plates.
• Meanwhile
• for the salad
• peel the cucumbers into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler and mix with the spring onions
• soured cream
• mayonnaise and paprika. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the slices of hard-boiled egg. Set the salad aside until ready to serve.
• Lay a chicken breast flat on a chopping board
• season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• and place a portion of stuffing in the middle. Roll the chicken very tightly around the stuffing and then dip in the flour to coat the chicken evenly. Dip into the beaten egg
• and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and stuffing.
• Heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns light golden when dropped into it. Alternatively
• use an electric deep-fat fryer heated to 160C/325F. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) NB: it’s important that the oil temperature isn’t too hot or the outside of the chicken will burn before the inside is cooked.
• Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes until the coating is golden and crispy and the chicken is cooked through (test the chicken by removing to a plate and piercing with a skewer – the juices will run clear when the chicken is cooked).
• Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
• Serve the chicken kievs with the cucumber salad alongside.