Za’atar Chicken Cutlets with Cabbage Salad

April 8, 2021

I happened to have all the ingredients to make this Za’atar Chicken Cutlets with Cabbage Salad. The Za'atar coating on the chicken is excellent. The leftovers, if there are any, would be great to serve in pita bread with the cabbage salad.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients

TAHINI SAUCE

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

½ cup tahini

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

CHICKEN AND ASSEMBLY

3 large eggs, beaten to blend

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup panko

½ cup raw white sesame seeds

⅓ cup crushed dried thyme and/or oregano

¼ cup sumac

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total)

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil (for frying; 3-4 cups)

½ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

½small red onion, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 salt-brined Middle Eastern–style or other pickles, halved lengthwise, sliced on a diagonal

Directions

TAHINI SAUCE

1Whisk garlic, tahini, lemon juice, oil, and ¼ cup water in a small bowl to combine; season with salt.

CHICKEN AND ASSEMBLY

1Place eggs, flour, and panko in 3 separate shallow bowls. Mix sesame seeds, thyme, and sumac into panko.

2Working one at a time, hold a long knife parallel to a cutting board and cut chicken breasts in half, slicing along side to make 4 thin cutlets. Place a cutlet between 2 large sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound to ⅓" thick. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

3Season both sides of a cutlet with salt. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into egg wash, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge in panko mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

4Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy high-sided skillet to come ½" up the sides. Heat over medium until an instant-read thermometer registers 400° F. Working in batches and returning oil to 400° F after each batch, carefully lower cutlets into skillet with tongs; cook, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer cutlets to paper towels to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.

5Place cabbage, onion, olive oil, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt. Toss, lightly squeezing, until cabbage is slightly wilted. Add pickles and toss again just to combine.

6Serve cutlets with cabbage salad and tahini sauce.

Recipe by Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit, March 16, 2021.

close full screen

00:00