Middle Eastern · main

Crispy Falafel-Spiced Chicken Tenders

Crispy Falafel-Spiced Chicken Tenders reads richness 5.3, sourness 5.2 and citrus 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 28 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.3 · Sourness 5.2 · Citrus 4.9 · Umami 4.7 · Salinity 4.0 · Nutty 4.0 · Allium 3.6 · Heat 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Earthy 2.3 · Sweetness 1.4 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 1.0 · Fruity 1.0

What's in it (14)

• chicken tender loins — 680 g
• plain yogurt — 237 g
• lemon juice — 15 g
• garlic — 12 g
• cumin — 10 g
• coriander — 2 g
• salt — 7 g
• chickpea flour — 91 g
• italian-seasoned bread crumbs — 237 g
• parsley — 15 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• eggs — 200 g
• tahini — 27 g
• oil — 109 g

Time & effort: about 28 min (8 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 286.9 kcal, 13.8 g protein, 15.9 g fat, 22.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Whisk together 1/2 cup of the yogurt, the lemon juice, 2 cloves of the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken tenders, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
2. While the chicken marinates, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt, the tahini, the remaining 2 cloves garlic, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, thinning with a teaspoon or two of water until pourable; set the dip aside.
3. In a shallow dish, whisk the chickpea flour with the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne.
4. In a second shallow dish, beat the eggs.
5. In a third shallow dish, combine the panko and parsley.
6. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and discard the marinade. Working one tender at a time, dredge in the chickpea flour mixture, dip in the egg, then press into the panko mixture to coat evenly on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
7. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 350°F. Working in two batches to avoid crowding the pan, pan-fry the tenders until deeply golden brown and crisp on the first side, 3-4 minutes.
8. Flip and cook until deeply golden on the second side and the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, another 3-4 minutes.
9. Transfer the tenders to a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined plate to drain briefly and keep the crust crisp.
10. Serve hot with the tahini-yogurt dip and lemon wedges alongside.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sumac Lemon Chicken Pasta with Pine Nuts — Mediterranean
• Chicken Shawarma Meal Prep Bowls — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Chicken Meatballs with Garlicky Yogurt Sauce — Middle Eastern
• Chinese Chicken Salad With Sesame Peanut Vinaigrette — Chinese
• Chicken Shawarma Grilled Cheese — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what richness, sourness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.