Chicken Kiev Casserole (Printable)
Baked chicken with garlic-herb butter, creamy sauce, and crispy golden panko topping for a comforting family dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Garlic-Herb Butter
02 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)
06 - 1 tsp lemon juice
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Sauce & Dairy
09 - 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Breadcrumb Topping
12 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
13 - 2 tbsp butter, melted
14 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme or parsley
→ Extras
15 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
16 - Nonstick cooking spray or oil (for greasing)
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or oil.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, dill (if using), lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated. Set aside.
03 - Distribute the chicken pieces evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
04 - Dot spoonfuls of the garlic-herb butter mixture over the arranged chicken pieces, spacing them evenly.
05 - Pour the heavy cream and chicken broth evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese across the top.
06 - If desired, sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the casserole for an extra cheesy layer.
07 - In a small bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and dried thyme or parsley until evenly coated. Sprinkle the mixture uniformly over the casserole surface.
08 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and the chicken is fully cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F).
09 - Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- All the garlicky, buttery magic of classic Chicken Kiev without the fussy rolling and sealing step.
- The creamy sauce practically makes itself while the casserole bakes, so you get rich flavor with almost zero hands on work.
02 -
- Do not skip the rest time because the sauce needs those minutes to settle and thicken, otherwise you end up with a watery pool on your plate.
- Cutting the chicken into uniform bite sized pieces is the single most important step for even cooking, so take an extra minute to do it right.
03 -
- Take the butter out of the fridge at least an hour before you start so it softens naturally and blends without lumps.
- Broil the casserole for the last two minutes if you want an extra crispy, deeply golden topping that everyone will fight over.