I feel that the chicken kyiv is quite the staple of the British cuisine, and so when I went vegetarian it was quite hard to find anything as a replacement, let alone finding a vegan alternative. The few I have tried have always ended up being very bland and super dry, so I admit when I saw this Plant Pioneers version, I was very hesitant to try it. But I decided to take a chance and I am actually quite glad that I did.
This is probably the closest to a chicken kyiv (so far as my memory serves) that I have found. The coating was crispy and didn’t fall apart when I cut into it, or fall off the actual chicken piece entirely like other versions I have tried. The chicken itself was soft, moist and well seasoned, and the actual butter sauce in the middle had a very creamy garlic flavour to it. Yes, the kyiv flavour itself is quite a simple one, but it just works so well so I don’t think it needs to change.
The portion in this packet was also quite generous, to the point where 1 was more than enough for me. I had this with a small serving of rice and vegetables and ended the meal feeling very much satisfied with the dinner. Yes, from a flavour perspective it is quite basic, but the flavour is so good that I don’t really care. Not every meal needs to be life changing or a wild culinary experience – simple meals I find are always the best, and are always a safe option for those days when you just want easy and convenient taste.
Plant Pioneers is only available at Sainsbury’s stores, as it is their own brand vegan range. A packet contains two servings (so two kyivs) and cost me £1.99, which is a very cheap option for a very filling dinner. It is also frozen, so is a very easy option to keep in your freezer for those comforting meals that require very little work to prepare.
Taylor Talks Vegan 