Sesame Za’atar Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Cucumber Salad Recipe

Instructions

1. 1

   Carefully butterfly each chicken breast by splitting the chicken breast horizontally and opening it like a book. Put it between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and, using a mallet or rolling pin, pound it until it is about ¼-inch thick. Then cut each thin breast in half.

2. 2

   In a flat dish, beat together the eggs with the turmeric, cumin and pepper. Place all the chicken in this mixture and let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Ideally, you can leave it in this mixture overnight.

3. 3

   Make the Cucumber Salad: Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, thinly slice the cucumbers into a medium-size bowl. Do the same with the celery, then add it to the bowl with the cucumbers. Drizzle the vinegar, oil, honey and salt over it. Using your hands or tongs, aggressively toss (and squeeze a little) the mixture together. Let stand for as short as 15 minutes or as long as overnight.

4. 4

   In a second flat dish, mix together the breadcrumbs or matzo meal with the sesame seeds, salt and za’atar.

5. 5

   To fry: Heat a large fry pan with the oil (about ⅛-¼-inch deep). The oil should be shimmering before adding the chicken. To bake: Heat the oven to 475˚F. Generously grease a cookie sheet with oil.

6. 6

   Remove one chicken piece at a time from the egg, shake off the excess and coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Firmly press the mixture onto the chicken breast.

7. 7

   If frying: Slide 2-3 pieces of chicken into the fry pan at a time, cook for 3-4 minutes or until uniformly golden brown, flip and repeat. If baking: Place the breaded cutlets on the oiled sheet, immediately flip (so that both sides are coated in oil), bake for 5-6 minutes, flip and repeat. Serves 4-8.