For the last decade, recurrent neural networks (RNNs) have been commonly applied to communications channel equalization. The major problems of gradient-based learning techniques, employed to train recurrent neural networks are slow convergence rates and long training sequences. In high-speed communications system, short training symbols and fast convergence speed are essentially required. In this paper, the derivative-free Kalman filter, so called the unscented Kalman filter (UKF), for training a fully connected RNN is presented in a state-space formulation of the system. The main features of the proposed recurrent neural equalizer are fast convergence speed and good performance using relatively short training symbols without the derivative computation. Through experiments of nonlinear channel equalization, the performance of the RNN with a derivative-free Kalman filter is evaluated.