– Savour the centuries-old Dish at Chapter 2 –
Such an obscure origin!
The name itself is impressive – Chicken a la Kiev, and 2 nations have staked claim to it, Russia, and France.
According to the Russians, Chicken Kiev originated in the Muscovy region of the old Empire. The recipe – chicken filled with butter sauce and covered in breadcrumbs – was modified to perfection in the 19th century by a Ukrainian chef, hence the misleading name. (Chicken a la Kiev – Russian POV)
The French have their own stake to it and love to flaunt the Made in France tag. The invention of Chicken a la Kiev was made in Paris, according to them. A Parisian chef, Nicholas Francois Appert, is credited with inventing the forerunner of the dish in the 1800s. This chef, who was high on inventiveness, also devised a way of preserving food in bottles and was awarded 12,000 francs by none other than Napolean Bonaparte himself. His dish, supreme de poulet, was particularly popular with everyone. It was chicken breast, pounded well, rolled around generously in herb butter, and fried well.
It is probably an early avatar of Chicken a la Kiev adopted later by Russians as the aristocracy tended to bring in French chefs and adopt their cuisine. Marie-Antoine Careme was a famous French chef who spent some months in St. Petersburg in 1818 in Alexander’s court and left a deep impact on Russian cuisine.
So, what exactly is Chicken a la Kiev?
It is a delicious dish made of chicken breast pounded thin, with a generous dollop of butter added to its middle, then rolled and coated with a mixture of eggs and breadcrumbs, and finally either baked or fried. While the Russian version mainly uses plain butter, the Westerners tend to favour herbed or garlic butter.
There are some tried and tested sides that go amazingly well with Chicken a la Kiev like mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, different pasta shapes, homemade chips, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, fluffy white rice, mixed green salad, and garlic butter grilled corn.
Enjoy!
Gracing with its presence from London to New York, from Melbourne to Moscow
Forget trying to figure out where it arrived from and concentrate on the dish. The delicious, breaded chicken breast is a huge hit with all classes of diners. In the past, it was primarily favoured by the higher class, possibly owing to its rich ingredients.
Today, it is available all over the world, right down to its ultra simple, easy-to-make meal form in supermarkets across the globe.
Cotelette de volaille is a variation of the dish. It involves adding copious amounts of butter to pounded, boneless chicken meat, then rolling it in breadcrumbs prior to baking or deep frying so it is created with an utterly juicy and tender consistency with a crisp thin crust. It is quite popular among Eastern Europeans.
The Kolkata Connection
Thanks to the British, Chicken a la Kiev not only arrived in Kolkata’s Park Street but also made its way into the hearts of diners who visited the iconic restaurants along the avenue. The Britishers left long ago, but it remains on the menu in many places till today in its original form, made with a sufficiently crisp exterior nestling a soft heart of butter inside.
Says a Kolkata gourmand,” I used to accompany my parents as a boy for family dinners and Chicken a la Kiev was frequently ordered. The staff came attired in elaborate bibs while serving, so that splashes of generous butter would not leap out from the dish to spoil their uniforms!”
Chapter 2’s delectable Chicken a la Kiev
The founders here are dedicated to retaining the long-treasured heritage recipe of the dish that has found a place in the hearts of millions of foodies worldwide. The chefs in Chapter 2 prepare it by following step by honoured step so it evokes the same intense food emotions you feel if you have tasted the ‘original’ dish. It involves hard work to make it mouthwateringly scrumptious each time, loaded with divine flavours but what’s life without passion, especially when it comes to food?
Ready to indulge now?
Remember though, that Chicken a la Kiev is not a “holy” dish by any yardstick! It comes loaded with calories from the delish fat that goes into it. So, if you’re up for a bit of naughtiness, go for it at Chapter 2.
