“They have chicken Kiev. The butter squirts everywhere.” ~Mad Men

Chicken Kiev is one of those old school recipes popular in the 1960s. It’s origins are widely disputed, but scholars seem to agree that it has its root in Russian cooking with an influence from French technique. It’s one of those classic recipes I’ve been wanting to try for a long time. I have always harbored a small fascination with the 30s/40s/50s/60s. The way in which they lived, what they wore, what they ate, routines of housewives/families…

As a little girl, I loved the Nickelodeon channel that used to play old shows such as I Love Lucy, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Dick Van Dyke, and Mary Tyler Moore… I remember noticing how different their cuisine was from ours today. Food trends are in fact a thing!

For dinner a couple weeks ago, I made this Baked Chicken Kiev recipe from the Betty Crocker Lost Recipes Cookbook. Chicken breasts notoriously dry out when baking, especially if they’re pounded out thin; but by stuffing them with a compound butter (butter, chives, and garlic) and enrobing them in buttermilk and seasoned cornflake crumbs (do NOT use the frosted flakes), the little round fillets stayed pretty moist and flavorful.

The crispy, buttery roulades hot out of the oven were at once familiar and new. Everyone knows fried chicken, but this was something different. The butter bursts forth from its cozy cocoon upon first puncture and adds that much extra seasoning to the crunchy exterior. I didn’t even miss the chicken skin that I usually like on my fried chicken (don’t judge). This is like your typical coated chicken. You’ll want a knife and fork for this one, otherwise you’ll have seasoned butter dripping down your chin all over you.

It was slightly healthier; but since I paired it with buttermilk mashed potatoes, butter-poached mixed veg, and dinner rolls; I more than compensated for any healthiness! I’m pretty sure I was 2lb heavier the next morning…

What is one “classic” recipe you can remember from childhood?