Falafel Chicken Schnitzel

, from Issue #55. October, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Falafel Chicken Schnitzel

Chickpea flour combined with almonds and spices gives these chicken thighs an aromatic, crunchy coating that can be enjoyed by everyone, including those needing to avoid gluten.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

600 grams boneless chicken thighs, skin off
1 cup chickpea flour
100 grams roasted, skin on almonds
1 teaspoon each ground cumin and paprika
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
vegetable oil and butter for cooking
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Tahini, Yoghurt and Garlic Sauce

½ cup thick plain yoghurt
3 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Trim the fat off the chicken. Cut each thigh into 2 pieces and slash the thicker parts of the meat to make them an even thickness.

Combine the flour, almonds and spices in a food processor and season well. Process until the almonds are finely ground. Tip into a wide shallow dish.

Whisk the eggs and garlic in a shallow dish and season.

Heat a little oil and a small knob of butter in a sauté pan. Dip the chicken in the egg, letting the excess drip back into the dish then coat well in the almond mixture.

Cook over a medium heat until golden and cooked through. Chicken thighs take longer than breasts to cook. Keep warm in a low oven if cooking in batches.

Sauce: Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl and season. Top with a sprinkle of paprika or cumin to serve.

To serve: Place on plates and serve with the Yoghurt Tahini Sauce if desired. I served ours with a salad of rocket, thinly sliced red onion and cucumber.