Learn how to make the best homemade crispy & moist Dukkah Chicken recipe.
Our quick & easy homemade Dukkah Crusted Chicken Breast recipe is my family’s favourite Egyptian poultry dish to serve at lunch or dinner.
Our traditional Egyptian fried Dukkah Chicken recipe features sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, dried oregano, hazelnuts, carrots, white wine vinegar, fresh mint, eggs, panko crumbs, and chicken breast cutlets.
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What IsDukkah?
Dukkah, also known as duqqa and du’ah, is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts and spices. It is typically used as a dip with bread.
Prepared Dukkah mix can be purchased in spice markets in Cairo, where they are sold in paper cones.
The word Dukkah is derived from the Arabic word “to pound,” since the mixture of spices and nuts is pounded together after being roasted.
Authentic Dukkah recipe ingredients vary from family to family and even have regional variations. Common ingredients include sesame, coriander, cumin, salt, black pepper and hazelnut.
Our favourite way to use the Middle Eastern spice mix is by cooking this crispy Dukkah Crusted Chicken recipe.
Travel to Egypt by Cooking Dukkah Chicken at Home
I love traveling to the Middle East and North Africa.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in the Middle East, from authentic markets to award winning restaurants.
For over ten years, I’ve been on the hunt for an easy authentic Dukkah Chicken recipe via adventures that had me zig-zagging through Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Dubai.
I ate Dukkah Crusted Chicken with flatbread at a traditional Moroccan riad, covered in pickles in Istanbul and Bodrum, at a late night feast at the luxurious Four Seasons in Amman, as a hearty lunch in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and a Middle Eastern buffet in the Dubai desert while belly dancers twirled under the night sky.
My favourite memory eating the popular Egyptian chicken dish was at lunch inside the bustling market in Cairo and under the twinkle of the night sky on a luxury Nile cruise.
Where To Eat Dukkah Crusted Chicken
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Middle Eastern restaurant that serves authentic Egyptian Dukkah Crusted Chicken.
Haven’t traveled to the Egypt before? It may be helpful to first sample the dish at a local Middle Eastern restaurant to better understand how it is served. You’ll learn how thick or thin to serve the chicken cutlets, what spices to include in your homemade dukkah mix and what salads and side dishes to include at the table.
In Toronto, popular Middle Eastern restaurants that may serve crispy Dukkah Chicken include Parallel, Byblos, Tabule, Fat Pasha, Maha’s, Masrawy Kitchen and Paramount Fine Foods.
My Family Loves Dukkah Chicken Breasts
When my family moved to Oakville the first restaurant we visited was a local Egyptian restaurant called Agabi. Ranked as one of the best restaurants in Oakville, Agabi, became our family’s go-to Middle Eastern take out joint.
We’ve been eating at Agabi for years and have tasted almost every dish on the menu. Each member of my family has discovered a favourite dish, that we always seem to consistently order.
My father loves the Creamy Chicken, muddled with mushrooms and onions. My mother is a fan of the Lamb Shashlik, grilled to perfection with green pepper and mushroom. My sister always orders the Chicken Shawarma Plate, and I’ve always loved when they have Dukkah Crusted Chicken on special.
After discovering crispy and moist Dukkah Chicken at Agabi Restaurant, my family would always seek out the next best thing. We’ve traveled to Israel, Jordan, Egypt and beyond…always keen to experience a new and fresh take on the popular Middle Eastern and North African dish.
Cooking Tips
Spiced Dukkah Chicken is quick and easy to make at home.
- Use a large nonstick skillet with a high rim to reduce splatter when frying.
- Our recipe features a homemade Egyptian spice mix but you can also purchase Dukkah online.
- We’ve used chicken breasts in this recipe, which we pound to flatten into a large schnitzel-style cutlet. You could substitue for chicken thighs if you prefer.
- You can prepare a low calorie Dukkah Crusted Chicken recipe by using an air fryer instead of frying in a skillet.
- We typically serve the crusted chicken cutlets with a simple carrot salad but you could also pair with Egyptian Salad Vegan Salata Baladi.
- We love to double this recipe as leftovers make for an easy lunch the next day. You can serve the cutlets on their own or stuff into a sandwich.
What To Serve With Egyptian Dukkah Chicken
We love serving this Dukkah Crusted Chicken recipe as a light lunch or as part of an Egyptian-themed dinner party.
The crispy spiced chicken cutlets can be enjoyed buffet-style with Middle Eastern dips, falafels, shawarma, beef kafta, barbecued seafood and stuffed grape leaves.
If you’re hosting a formal dinner serve one large culet to each of your guests with carrot salad on the side. If you’ve got children at the table slice the crispy chicken breasts into strips so they’re easy to eat.
You can also serve the spiced breaded strips in healthy wraps, sandwiches, salad bowls or even over noodles.
Other Middle Eastern Recipes You Might Enjoy….
- Vegan Lebanese Cabbage Malfouf Salad
- Romaine Salad With Tahini Caesar Dressing
- Spicy Turkish Salsa Ezme Salata Salad
- Vegan Turkish Bulgur Salad
- Vegetarian Lebanese Eggplant Fatteh
- Kookoo Sabzi Vegetarian Persian Omelet
- Mahalabia Middle Eastern Rose Pistachio Milk Pudding
- Zeytoon Parvardeh Marinated Persian Olives
- Mutabbal Vegan Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip
- Middle Eastern Spiced Pea Fritters
- Sweet Lebanese Sesame Tahini Rolls
- Lebanese Toum Kebab Shop Garlic Sauce
- Vegan Keto Za’atar Butter Bean Dip
- Lebanese Lamb Dumplings Shish Barak
- Lebanese Lentil Soup Adas Bil Hamod
Dukkah Chicken Health Benefits
Our easyDukkah Chicken recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
A useful source of copper, calcium, manganese, and phosphorus, sesame seeds help support circulatory, digestive and skeletal health.
A rich source of blood-building iron, cumin may also help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce bad cholesterol. It is also traditionally used as a digestive aid.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, coriander is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Oregano is rich in antioxidants, may help fight bacteria, could have anti-cancer properties and can decrease inflammation.
Fresh mint is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and can have a calming effect on the digestive system. It is also a good source of folate, which supports blood health.
Containing more protein, fibre, vitamin E and calcium that other nuts, hazelnuts may reduce the risk of heart disease, keep your bones healthy, and help your body absorb essential nutrients.
An excellent source of vitamin A and the phytochemical beta-carotene, carrots help keep your eyes and bones healthy, and may help protect against several types of cancer.
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
Chicken is high in protein and provides B vitamins such as niacin, which helps your body access the energy in foods.
You May Also Enjoy These Chicken Recipes…
- Crispy Roast Chicken and Leek Risotto
- Moghrabieh Lebanese Chickpea Chicken Couscous
- Healthy Chicken Shawarma Plate
- Palestinian Chicken Musakhan
- Air Fried Cornish Hen
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Filipino Spicy Coconut Chicken Wing Stew
- Pineapple Plantain Jamaican Jerk Chicken Burger
- Involtini di Pollo with Prosciutto, Pine Nuts, & Cheese
- Chicken Manchow Soup
- Ajiaco Cubano Cuban Soup with Chicken
- Jamaican Chicken Soup with Dumplings
- Thai Cashew Chicken
- Thai Green Curry Chicken
- Goi Ga Vietnamese Salad
- Chicken Fajita Tacos
- Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Shahi Korma
- Baked Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings
Best Crispy Dukkah Crusted Chicken Recipe
Egyptian Dukkah Crusted Chicken
Equipment
- French knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Nonstick Skillet
- Mixing bowls
- tongs
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 3/4 cup Hazelnuts chopped
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- 4 Carrots peeled and shredded
- 3 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Fresh Mint chopped
- 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/4 cups Panko
- 4 Chicken Breast Cutlets pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
- 10 tbsp Canola Oil
Instructions
- In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
- In a food processor, combine the coriander, cumin, caraway, oregano, 1/4 cup hazelnuts, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Pulse until coarsely ground.
- In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, vinegar, mint, remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss and set aside.
- Set a wire rack on 2 rimmed baking sheets. In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour and cornstarch. In a second smaller bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs and 1 tablespoon of water until well combined. In a third shallow bowl, stir together the spice blend, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Season each cutlet on both sides with salt and pepper. One at a time, dredge the cutlets through the flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off any excess. Then coast both sides with egg, and finally dredge with panko, pressing the crumbs to the meat. Place the cutlets on the prepared racks.
- In the skillet over medium high heat, heat 6 tablespoons of canola oil. Add 2 cutlets and cook undisturbed until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Using tongs, flip and cook the other side until golden brown, an additional minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the cutlets to the second prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets. Serve hot with carrot salad.
Nutrition
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