For this meal, we wanted to blend some Southern USA culinary influence with Greek flavours. So, we decided to make a dredge out of key hummus ingredients (toasted chickpeas and sesame seeds) and use that to make fried chicken. We then topped it off with a sauce made of red peppers and feta.
In making this dish, we had to decide between making a liquidy coating for the chicken or egg washing and breading with a dry “breading.” We went with the liquid option, but we want to try this the other way too, and we encourage you to go whichever direction you prefer. We think that the egg wash and dry crusting option would make for a more even coating, but the dredge wound up being very crispy when all was said and done…and it kept the chicken very moist.
We served this with Balsamic Red Pepper and Spinach Rice, but it would also pair well with Grilled Zucchini, Spanakopita Rolls, Garlic Butter Shredded Eggplant, Sauteed Cucumbers, or Cucumber Baked Rice.
Time: 40 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Chicken Breast
- Dried Chickpeas
- Sesame Seeds
- Egg or water (depending on whether you’re doing the egg wash or dredge)
- Red Pepper (we roasted our own, but you can also start with roasted red pepper for expediency or ease)
- Feta
Method:
- If roasting your own peppers, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, slice your peppers, wrap them in foil, and stash them in the oven for about 25 minutes. (You won’t need the oven for the rest of the recipe, so no need to leave it on after)
- Put your dried chickpeas in a pan, and toast on the stovetop until they start to brown. Then, add your sesame seeds to the pan, and let them toast to a golden brown too.
- When your chickpeas and sesame seeds are toasted, add them to a coffee grinder or food processor, and let them cool. Then, pulse to turn the mixture into a powder/flour.
- Slice your chicken breast in half longways.
- Coat your chicken by either:
- Dip in egg wash and then coat with the dry chickpea and sesame seed flour
- Or, mix your flour with some water to make a dredge to dip your chicken in.
- Heat a heavy bottomed (Cast Iron) pan , and heat some oil or butter. Then, add your chicken to the pan, and cook for about 5-6 minutes.
- Purée your roasted red peppers in a food processor/blender/Ninja with some feta, and pour the sauce into a saucepan to heat.
- After the 5-6 minutes of chicken cooking, flip, and cook for another 5-6 minutes. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F, you are good to go.
- Plate, Devour, and Enjoy!
