CORIANDER-CRUSTED CHICKEN
I love this quick and easy, baked, crispy chicken that features one of my all-time favorite spice combinations: fennel and coriander. The simplicity of this recipe makes this a great meal for new cooks to try. And if you have kids who need some extra projects to keep them busy, put them on this dinner detail!
While the method is simple, the fun is in playing with the seasoned breadcrumbs. The combination of fennel and coriander is great, but this is a place you can tinker with any spices you like. Try dry taco seasoning blends, Middle Eastern za’atar, Italian herbs and spices, Indian spice blends, “everything” seasoning — the popular bagel-inspired blend — or go super simple with just salt and pepper and maybe a dash of garlic powder. It’s all good.
To maximize the flavor of the spices, start with whole spices. Toast them in a pan over medium heat just until they become aromatic, let cool, then grind them with a spice grinder.
Store-bought breadcrumbs are fine, but I’m always inspired to make this meal when I see we have a few pieces of bread languishing around or those crumbly bits of crackers, pretzels or nonsugary cereal at the bottom of the jar. All these odds and ends make for great homemade breadcrumbs. I build up a stash by throwing these bits and pieces in a bag in my freezer.
When the bag gets full, I roughly tear or chop the bigger pieces, then blitz everything in a food processor until they become fine to medium crumbs.
A good rule of thumb is that the drier the bread, the finer the crumbs will be. If you find the crumbs are too chunky, let them air dry on a tray for a day or two, or dry them in a low oven for 30 to 40 minutes and blitz again. I store the finished crumbs in my freezer and they last indefinitely.
Fennel and Coriander Crusted Chicken
Serves 2 adults and 2 kids
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon ground fennel or to taste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons black pepper Zest of 1 lemon
1 to 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch thick strips 2½ cups breadcrumbs
2 to 3 tablespoons oil, plus more for the pan
DIRECTIONS
Make the spice blend by mixing the ground fennel, coriander, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
Season the chicken strips on both sides with a pinch of salt and a pinch of the spice mix. Lay the chicken on a plate in a single layer and refrigerate, uncovered, for about 30 minutes while you heat the oven and get the breadcrumbs ready. This method of “dry brining” will help to season the chicken, as well as keep it juicy. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a sheet pan and set aside.
Toss the remaining spice mix with the bread crumbs and the oil. Gently toast
the seasoned crumbs in a pan over medium heat until they are toasty and brown. Watch them closely as they can go from toasted to burned rather quickly. (You can omit the step of toasting the breadcrumbs but the toasting results in a crisper coating.) Once cooled, place the breadcrumbs in a large container with a tightly fitting lid.
After the chicken has dry brined in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, add it to the container with the breadcrumbs, in batches if necessary, replace the lid and shake vigorously until the chicken is well-coated. Transfer the chicken, gently shaking off the excess crumbs, to the prepared sheet pan in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip the pieces and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
Serve immediately with the dipping sauce of your choice. (If you plan to make the chicken in advance, let the pieces cool on a wire rack so the moisture from the chicken doesn’t make the crumbs soggy.)