Instructions

• Make the garlic butter: in a bowl mix 8 tablespoons butter (unsalted, softened), 6 cloves garlic (minced well), ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped), ¼ cup fresh dill (chopped), ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste), ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste), and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed) until combined.
• Shape the garlic butter into a tight log on a piece of plastic wrap, roll and twist the ends to seal, and freeze for 30–40 minutes, until firm enough to slice.
• Prepare the chicken: lay each of the 4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless) flat on your work surface. Butterfly each breast by slicing horizontally almost through so it opens flat. Place each opened breast between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and flatten to an even thickness with a meat mallet or the back of a heavy frying pan. Season both sides of each fillet with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste) and ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste).
• Remove the garlic butter log from the freezer and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Place one frozen piece of garlic butter in the center of each flattened chicken fillet. Fold the chicken over the butter and bring the edges together to fully enclose the butter, forming a tight parcel. Wrap each parcel tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal. Freeze the wrapped chicken parcels for about 2 hours, until the seams are frozen solid.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set up three shallow dishes for breading: place ½ cup all-purpose flour in the first, beat 2 large eggs in the second, and put 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (such as Panko) in the third. Remove the plastic wrap from the frozen chicken parcels before breading.
• One at a time, dredge each frozen chicken parcel: coat evenly in flour (shake off excess), dip into the beaten eggs, then press into the breadcrumbs to coat completely. Place breaded pieces on a tray and keep cold until ready to fry.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven to 350°F (use a thermometer). Fry the breaded chicken parcels in batches, turning as needed, until golden brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per piece. Work carefully to avoid overcrowding so the oil temperature stays near 350°F.
• Transfer the fried chicken parcels to a 9×13-inch (or similar) baking dish in a single layer and bake in the preheated 400°F oven for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the butter inside is hot. Let rest a few minutes before serving.