Za'atar Breaded Chicken Recipe

Step 1

Prepare the tahini sauce according to this recipe and the salad of your choice and set aside for now.

Step 2

Place chicken breast on a cutting board. Hold it flat with the palm of your left hand (non dominant hand), and using a sharp chef's knife, carefully slice in half horizontally into two pieces. Do the same with the second chicken breast.  You should end up with 4 cutlets at this point. (note, you can leave the chicken cutlets this size, or portion them to make 6 or 8 pieces in total. When pounded, they will expand.)

Step 3

Using a meat tenderizer (a kitchen hammer like this one), pound the chicken cutlets until thin.

Step 4

Pat chicken cutlets dry, and season well with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 5

Prepare a dredging station. Place the flour and egg wash each in a shallow bowl. And in a third shallow bowl, placed on the other side of the egg wash, mix together the bread crumbs, sesame seeds, za'atar and garlic powder.

Step 6

Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the flour, then the egg wash, and finally in the bread crumb and za'atar mixture. Place prepared cutlets on a large tray for now.

Step 7

In a large 12-inch cast iron skillet, over medium heat, heat the ghee and olive oil (you want about 1/4 inch of the ghee and oil mixture in the skillet). When ghee/olive oil mixture is shimmering, add the breaded . Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. If needed, do this in batches, do not crowd the skillet. Place cooked cutlets on a large tray lined with paper towel very briefly to drain any excess oil.

Step 8

Serve hot with tahini sauce and your choice of Mediterranean salad or balela salad.