All you really need is one good chicken schnitzel recipe…

Schniztel is typically a tenderized, flattened piece of breaded veal, chicken, turkey or beef fried in oil. While cultures across the globe have their own unique variations, schnitzel was brought to Israel by Eastern European Jews, where the classic veal was substituted with chicken, and it was coated with egg, breadcrumbs and sometimes sesame and paprika.

For this Ethiopian Chicken Schnitzel recipe, we’ve added in Ethiopian Berbere spice to blend Eastern European, Israeli and Ethiopian cuisines. Berbere is a traditional spice blend commonly found in Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes, and often contains dozens of spices, including red chili peppers, fenugreek, ginger, coriander, cardamom, allspice, cumin, cloves and cinnamon, among others. In fact, just like chicken soup, families often have their own secret recipe for berbere, making no two blends the same. This recipe makes a delicious Shabbat or Rosh Hashanah meal.

Ethiopian Chicken Schnitzel with Hot Honey

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1lb chicken breasts, thinly sliced
•  ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 ½ Tbsp berbere spice blend
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided, for frying

Hot Honey:

• ½ cup honey
• ½ tsp chili flakes

Preparation:

Make the hot honey

1. Combine honey and chili flakes in a small saucepan over low heat for 5-7 minutes, to a low simmer. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes or overnight. Honey will keep for up to 3 months in an airtight container.  

Make the chicken

1. Line a baking pan with wax or parchment paper.
2. Place a chicken breast into a plastic zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken breast to 1/8 – ¼ inch thickness.
3. Place flour on a plate.
4. Add eggs to a shallow dish.
5. Place panko, sesame seeds, berbere spice and sea salt on another shallow dish.
6. Working with one chicken breast as a time, dredge chicken in flour, into the beaten eggs, and coat with panko mixture.
7. Transfer to the lined baking tray, repeating with all chicken breasts.
8. Heat two tablespoons oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add two chicken breasts, and cook until golden on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total.
9. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken breasts. Serve with hot honey.
10. Enjoy!

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Author: Micah Siva