Za'atar Chicken Cutlet with Lebanese Cabbage Salad

Za'atar Chicken Cutlet with Lebanese Cabbage Salad is one of the dinners my Lebanese husband requests more than anything else in this house. Chicken cutlets pounded thin, dredged in za'atar-spiced panko, and shallow fried until deeply golden and impossibly crispy, served with a bright, lemony Lebanese cabbage salad piled right on top.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword: chicken cutlet

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 678kcal

Author: Lola Jay

Ingredients

Za'atar chicken cutlets

4 chicken cutlets pounded to an even thickness
3 large eggs beaten
1 teaspoon za'atar for egg wash
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
⅓ cup za'atar for the panko
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil for frying and more if needed

Lebanese cabbage salad (malfouf)

¾ head green cabbage thinly sliced
½ medium red onion very thinly sliced
10 fresh mint leaves chopped
½ teaspoon dried mint
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon sumac
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Set up the dredging station

Add the flour, garlic powder, and onion powder to the first bowl and whisk to combine. Beat the eggs with the za'atar in the second bowl. Add the panko and za'atar to the third bowl and mix until the za'atar is evenly distributed through the breadcrumbs.
3 large eggs, 1 tsp za'atar , 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup za'atar for the panko

Prep the chicken

Place each chicken cutlet between two sheets of parchment or in a zip-lock bag. Pound to an even thickness of about half an inch using a meat mallet or heavy pan, paying particular attention to any thicker areas. Even thickness means the whole cutlet cooks through at the same time. Season both sides of each cutlet with kosher salt and black pepper.
1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 4 chicken cutlets

Dredge the cutlets

Working one cutlet at a time, dip in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Then dip in the za'atar egg wash, letting any excess drip off. Then lay in the za'atar panko and press down firmly on both sides so the crust adheres completely. There should be no bare patches. Repeat with all four cutlets and set aside on a plate.

Fry the cutlets

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. The oil should come about a third of the way up the side of the cutlet for a proper shallow fry. Add the cutlets in a single layer without overcrowding. If the pan is not large enough, fry in two batches.
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
Turn the heat to medium and fry for 6 to 7 minutes per side without moving them, until the crust is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165F. The crust should look evenly browned all the way across, not just at the edges. Transfer immediately to a wire rack. Do not stack the cutlets on the rack or the steam will make the bottom crust soggy.

Make the malfouf salad

Thinly slice the cabbage and very thinly slice the red onion. Add both to a large bowl. Add the finely chopped fresh mint, dried mint, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, salt, and black pepper. Toss everything together until every piece of cabbage is evenly coated in the dressing. Taste and adjust lemon and salt as needed.
¾ head green cabbage, ½ medium red onion, 10 fresh mint leaves, ½ tsp dried mint, 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp sumac, Salt and black pepper to taste

Plate and serve

Place each crispy za'atar cutlet on a plate and pile the malfouf salad generously on top so it sits over the whole cutlet. Serve immediately while the cutlet is hot and the salad is crisp.

Video

Notes

Nutrition facts are only estimates.

Storage

Store leftover cutlets and salad separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the cutlets in the air fryer at 375F for 5 to 6 minutes or in the oven at 400F on a wire rack for 10 minutes to bring back the crispiness. Avoid the microwave as it will make the crust soft and the chicken rubbery. The malfouf salad will soften in the fridge but still tastes good the next day. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving to bring it back to life. Not recommended for freezing.

Nutrition

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