Chicken Kiev | Gluten Free & Dairy Free

While most people have turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing at Christmas, we do things a little differently. We always go to my Aunt Jill’s house for Christmas Eve dinner, and we always have Chicken Kiev — it’s a family tradition!

Chicken Kiev is a Russian dish that consists of pounded chicken, cold butter, cheese, eggs and bread crumbs. It’s not the healthiest dish, but it is one of the tastiest, for sure!

For years, I have eaten this dish with my family, but because I don’t eat gluten or dairy, I’ve always paid the price later. I am not intolerant or allergic to wheat (breadcrumbs) or the dairy (butter and cheese), but my body definitely feels much better without it, and, thankfully, I don’t really miss it, because there are so many great alternatives.

This year, I decided that I was going to try to make Chicken Kiev, but make it gluten free and dairy free — I had this idea on the 22nd of December, tried it that night, made it the 23rd and had it ready for the 24th. It was a last minute thing, but it was the best decision ever!

Seriously, this is a total food win! I always try to make sure that we are able to eat the same things as everyone else at family get-togethers (or I always bring all the dessert so I know that I can eat it, too), and this recipe is a winner! This will forever be our Christmas Eve dinner with the family! One of my cousins ate it by accident (thinking it was the regular gluten and dairy filled Chicken Kiev), and he loved it! Hooray!

I can see myself making this a few times a year — it’s that good! It’s a labor of love, but, honestly, it’s really not that bad. The part that takes the longest is pounding the chicken, but you can prepare it the day before and then pop it in the oven the day of if you have company. You can also make some and keep it in the freezer, and then thaw it and cook for a last minute dinner.

I would have had this recipe posted for you the day or two before Christmas, but I figured that 1) you already had your food plans, 2) that it was better for me to say “no” to adding another thing to my list and use that time to be with family and do holiday-y things and 3) that I would for sure have it for you for Christmas 2019! Let’s just say that I am way ahead of the game because it’s still 2018!

Recipe notes: You will see that there are two kinds of gluten free crumbs in this recipe. I think it’s better with both of them, but you could certainly do all Nut Crumbs or all Watusee Foods Chickpea Crumbs. Do whatever is best for you. They are both fantastic breadcrumb alternatives, and I always use them both for this recipe.

If you are intolerant to nuts and can do dairy, then feel free to use organic, grass fed butter and organic cheese -- my aunt uses jack cheese and regular parmesan. . The vegan cheese, vegan butter and the nut crumbs are all made of nuts.

Lastly, I use 2 different brands of cheese for this recipe. Miyokos Creamery makes the most delicious vegan mozzarella and vegan butter. We use their butter for everything, including this recipe. I also use Follow Your Heart Parmesan Cheese, which is vegan. It’s our favorite parmesan cheese and works great in this recipe.

Want to see me make Chicken Kiev? Check out this short video on Youtube!

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INGREDIENTS

4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless

1/3 cup Nut Crumbs, original or Italian flavor

1/3 cup Watusee Foods Chickpea Crumbs

1/2 cup Follow Your Heart Parmesan Cheese

4 oz Miyokos Vegan Mozzarella

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 TB Miyokos Vegan Butter, melted

Herb Butter:

4 TB Miyokos Vegan Butter, room temperature

1 TB parsley

1/2 tsp oregano

Directions:

It’s best to make this and then put in the fridge for 4 hours before baking, but you can certainly make it and eat right away. So if you plan to eat this right away, then preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Make your herb butter: Mix the room temperature vegan butter with the parsley and oregano and set aside.

Mix your bread crumb mixture: Mix the NutCrumbs, Watusee Foods Chickpea Crumbs, Follow Your Heart Parmesan Cheese, oregano, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper and set aside.

Cut the Miyoko’s Vegan Mozzarella into 4 even pieces and set aside.

Melt the other 4oz of Miyoko’s Vegan Butter (not the herb butter) and set aside.

Pound your chicken using a meat mallet or, in my case, I used a 4lb sledge hammer because I couldn’t find my meat mallet. If you don’t have a meat mallet, then use something like a rolling pin or hammer. Just make sure that you cover your rolling pin or hammer in plastic wrap to protect it from raw meat and to make sure that nothing gross from your hammer gets on your chicken. (I just ordered myself a real meat mallet)

Make a little assembly train in this order.

Raw, pounded chicken.

Have an empty plate for assembly.

Herb butter mixture.

Vegan Mozzarella cheese.

Melted Butter.

Breadcrumb mixture.

Take a piece of the raw chicken and place it on your empty assembly plate. Take some of the herb butter mixture and rub it on the piece of chicken (just the one side). Then take a piece of the mozzarella cheese and place it on the butter mixture. Roll the chicken (see in video). Roll the chicken in the melted butter and then the breadcrumb mixture. Set the chicken in a baking dish. (I use a pie dish).

You can certainly bake this right away, or you can leave it in the fridge for a few hours or even over night to have the next day. It’s best to pop in the fridge for at least a few hours, but you can make it right now.

Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Just make sure that chicken is no longer pink.