crispy nutty chicken cutlets with zhug ranch

chicken

May 21

Zhug, an herby Yemenite hot sauce, gets swirled into creamy tangy ranch and drizzled over some nutty fried chicken for something that feels fancy and nostalgic at the same time. For the punchiest flavor possible, grind your own spices fresh (but if you don’t want to it’s okay to use pre-ground). Zhug is supposed to be spicy, but you can control just how much by controlling how many chilis you add (the Thai chilis are spicier). This recipe will give you extra zhug, which you can drizzle over grilled meat and vegetables, spread on sandwiches and mix into vinaigrettes - really anywhere you want a little *kapow* in your food.

Yield 4 servings

riffing

add 1 cup shredded coconut to the breading mix and dip in Thai sweet chili sauce instead

replace one of the herbs with arugula, radish greens or carrot tops

dredge a couple thick avocado spears and fry them

put all this business in a tortilla with shredded cabbage for taco night

sub panko breadcrumbs for corn flakes if you don’t have them

zhug
1/4 ts ground coriander
1/4 ts ground cumin
1/4 ts ground cardamom (optional)
1 ts coconut sugar or honey
4 garlic cloves
2 Serrano chilis, roughly chopped
1-2 Thai bird’s eye chili, roughly chopped (optional)
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 cup roughly chopped flat parsley
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 lemon, halved

zhug ranch
1/2 cup mayo or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 ts onion powder
1/2 ts garlic powder
1 ts low sodium soy sauce (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup zhug

chicken cutlets
1/4 cup almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 T sugar
2 ts kosher salt
1 1/2 cup corn flakes
1/4 - 1/2 ts cayenne pepper (optional)
4 small, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk or water
flour, for dredging
neutral oil, for frying

recipe prep

Combine nuts, sesame seeds, sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, cornflakes and cayenne (if using) in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Set aside on a dish or in a shallow bowl for dredging the chicken later. Wipe out any remaining dust in the food processor. Cut remaining lemon half into wedges for serving

Combine all zhug ingredients except lemon in a food processor with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend until smooth and somewhat loose, adding extra olive oil a couple tablespoons at a time as needed. Add juice from half of the lemon. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and more kosher salt, to taste.

In a medium bowl, combine all ranch ingredients including 1/4 cup zhug and stir to evenly mix. Taste, and season with pepper and kosher salt, as desired. Add up to 1/4 additional cup zhug if you want a spicier dip.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk (or water). Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Fill another (the third) shallow bowl (or a plate) with flour. Season flour with a pinch of salt and stir it around to combine. If possible, line up your workstation in this order: chicken, flour, eggs, corn flake mixture, then stove. Keep a paper towel-lined sheet pan or wire rack somewhere close by.

Pour enough oil into a large, heavy bottom (cast iron, ideally) skillet to create a 1/2-inch-deep layer. Warm the pan over medium heat until it sizzles immediately when you throw a little bit of the corn flake mix in. Once the pan is hot, dip one chicken cutlet into the flour, coating it entirely. Then coat the cutlet in egg, then the corn flake mixture, pressing to adhere crispy bits to every nook and cranny. Transfer the cutlet to the skillet using a slotted spatula and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until deeply golden brown all over. Transfer to paper towel-lined sheet tray or wire rack. Repeat process with the rest of the chicken (don’t bread all the cutlets ahead because they will end up less crispy!).

Serve topped with crunchy vegetables like carrots and radishes, or just drizzle with ranch (and extra zhug, if you like) and lemon wedges. If you have cilantro flowers and are feeling particularly extra, sprinkle those on top, too. Alternatively, cut the cutlets into planks and dunk them in the ranch. Choose your own chicken adventure.

do it ahead Without lemon juice, zhug will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. Ranch can be made a couple days ahead - just wait until day-of to mix in the zhug.

make it tenders slice the breasts lengthwise into 1”-thick strips and pour your oil into a medium saucepan, about three inches deep and bread as described above. Add a couple tenders at a time to the oil so they aren’t too crowded. Cook them for about 6 minutes each.