Thomasina Miers’ recipe for wild garlic chicken kiev

Wild garlic came early this year. It has been growing abundantly in shady woods and has been all over the farmers’ markets, its pungent scent unmissable. Its flavour is strong, so a little goes a long way, but it adds a beautiful fragrance to dishes like this seasonal twist on chicken kiev.

Wild garlic chicken kiev

Larger chicken pieces will be less fiddly than smaller ones.

Prep 20 min
Chill 30 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4

25g wild garlic leaves
150g softened unsalted butter
Zest of ½ lemon
1 garlic clove, finely crushed with salt
Salt and black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
70g plain flour, seasoned
150g dried breadcrumbs from an old loaf or panko crumbs
4 large chicken breasts
Vegetable oil, to fry

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/gas 4. Finely chop the wild garlic and put it in a bowl with the butter and lemon zest. Add the garlic, mash everything together with a fork and then season to taste.

Lay out a piece of clingfilm, shape the butter into a sausage shape in the middle, wrap tightly and refrigerate for least 30 minutes to harden.

Once the butter is firm, pour the beaten eggs on to a deep plate, then pour the flour and the breadcrumbs on to two others. Put the chicken breasts on to a board flat side down, stick a sharp knife into the fat end and slice open a small pocket; be careful not to slice all the way through.

Cut the butter into eight slices and stuff a couple of slices of butter into each pocket, squeezing the edges together to re-seal. Dip each of the breasts into the flour, shake off the excess, then turn in the egg and then the breadcrumbs.

Pour 1cm vegetable oil into a large frying pan and put on a medium heat. When it’s hot enough to make a breadcrumb sizzle, cook the chicken for two to three minutes a side until golden and crisp, probably in two batches so as not to crowd the pan.

Transfer to a baking dish or tray and bake for a final 15 minutes to finish cooking. Rest for five minutes, then serve with new potatoes and a green salad.

And for the rest of the week

Use leftover wild garlic to add character and depth of flavour to omelettes, potato frittatas and simple, thick Vichyssoise-style soups. Make double the butter and freeze so it’s ready to transform a plate of mussels or more garlic bread.