Chicken kiev

Keep the Kiev intact: don’t pierce or cut it before cooking, and place it seam-side up on the baking tray. For a homemade Kiev, chill it for about 20 minutes after coating so the butter firms up.

Check the thickest part of the chicken with a food thermometer, keeping the tip away from the garlic-butter centre. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking poultry to 75°C for 30 seconds; the meat should also be steaming hot throughout.

Many frozen Kievs can go straight into the oven, but cooking times differ from chilled ones. Follow the packet’s frozen-cooking instructions, and make sure the chicken is steaming hot all the way through before serving.

It’s a classic with mashed potato and peas; chips or new potatoes with green beans also work well. The garlic butter makes a rich sauce, so a simple vegetable side balances the plate.

Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge within two hours; eat within 48 hours. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout, taking care that the chicken near the centre is hot too.

Plain chicken has 23.3 g protein per 100 g, compared with 22 g in chicken Kiev. The Kiev also has 294 kcal per 100 g, as the crumb and garlic butter add energy.

Leave it to stand for a couple of minutes before cutting. The filling is very hot, and resting also gives the garlic butter a moment to settle rather than rushing straight onto the plate.