Frakh pané (Egyptian crumbed chicken cutlets)
فراخ بانيه (frakh pané): thin chicken breast cutlets in garlic-spiced crumbs, fried golden
Frakh pané is the dish Egyptian children request for birthdays and the one packed into foil for trips to the beach at Ain Sokhna. Chicken breasts are beaten thin, soaked in lemon, garlic and a pinch of cardamom, then coated in breadcrumbs and fried until shatteringly crisp. Serve with chips, tahini and a tomato salad, or tucked into a soft roll. The most common mistake is cutlets of uneven thickness: the thin edge overcooks while the middle stays raw, so pound them to an even 1 cm. Chef's tip: let the crumbed cutlets rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before frying; the coating sets and won't slide off.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken breasts2 large, each sliced horizontally into 2 thin cutlets
- 1 lemonjuiced
- 3 garliccloves, crushed
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the coating
- 1 ¾ oz plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 4 oz dried breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup sunflower oilfor shallow frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Lay the 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken breasts cutlets between two sheets of baking paper and beat with a rolling pin to an even 1 cm thickness.
5 minStep 2: Mix 1 lemon, 3 garlic, 1 tsp paprika, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper in a bowl, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
30 minStep 3: Set out 1 ¾ oz plain flour, beaten 2 eggs and 4 oz dried breadcrumbs in three shallow dishes. Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, then press firmly into the crumbs on both sides. Chill for 15 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Heat ¾ cup sunflower oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat until a crumb sizzles at once. Fry the cutlets two at a time for 3 minutes a side, until deep golden and the thickest part reaches 165°F, with clear juices.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and serve straight away while crisp.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frakh pané (Egyptian crumbed chicken cutlets) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken breasts?
- Boneless chicken thighs, same weight (a few minutes longer).
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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