Hi, all,

Happy New Year!!!

I made the low-carb version of this recipe last night for New Year's Eve dinner (just me & my hubby safely ensconced in our own home). The last time I made this (the normal way) was when he and I were still dating, so that would be about 18 years ago!

This version worked so well I just had to share it. It's a VERY fussy recipe, but it's perfect for a special occasion. Here goes...

Herb Butter:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Mix the herb butter ingredients and shape into about a 4 inch square on a piece of foil and freeze until firm, about 40 minutes. (or you can do this a day ahead)

Chicken:
8 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, tenderloins removed - or if the chicken breast halves are very large, you can slice them in half horizontally (parallel to your cutting board) so that you wind up with 2 thinner pieces. Just so you have 8 pieces of chicken.
1/4 cup Atkins bake mix
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup (maybe a little more) Keto crumbs
Lots and lots of canola oil for deep frying

One at a time, blot the chicken breast pieces dry with paper towels, then place them between two sheets of plastic wrap on an "indestructible" surface (like a cutting board). Using a flat meat pounder or a heavy flat bottomed pan, whack the chicken pieces until they flatten out to about 1/4 inch thick.

Line up 3 shallow bowls on your work surface: in the first one put the bake mix, in the second the beaten eggs, and in the third the crumbs. Have about 16 or so wooden toothpicks ready, and cut the frozen butter into 8 pizza-style wedges so that you have roughly triangular pieces.

Now comes the fun part: Take each piece of chicken and place a wedge of the herb butter on it. Roll/fold it up tucking the ends in so that no butter shows. Secure this with a couple of toothpicks. Now take the "package" and roll it first in the bake mix, then dip in the egg, and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs. Make sure each item completely covers the chicken, and tap off the excess.

Place the coated chicken pieces on a tray or plate and refrigerate for at least an hour. In fact, I put mine in the freezer for the last 15 minutes.

Put about 3 inches of canola oil into a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan - if you have a deep fryer, so much the better! Heat the oil slowly until it reaches 360 degrees F. Preheat your oven to about 275 degrees F. and have a baking dish ready lined with paper towels.

Fry three of the chicken parcels at a time (or however many will fit in your fryer comfortably) for about 6 minutes. Turn them over half way through using tongs and being careful not to pierce the crumb coating. As they finish, put them in the baking dish and place them in the oven to stay warm while the rest cook.

Serve them immediately - if done right, they will have a little liquid herb butter center that will be exposed when you slice into them. Even if the butter has leaked out, they're still darn good!

Like I said, this is a very fussy recipe - my husband often accuses me of trying to dirty every dish and utensil in the kitchen - but it is definitely worth it for a special occasion. Oh, and warn your diners about the toothpicks...

Enjoy!