Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers (Syrian Inspired)
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Syrian Inspired Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers is my go-to meal for a quick weeknight dinner. Sliced chicken breasts are coated in ground almonds and tons of Syrian spices, like cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper flakes, black pepper, oregano, and paprika. They’re so flavorful, tender, and crispy, you’ll almost forget you’re eating chicken breast. It’s so simple to make and absolutely perfect with a spiced ketchup.
Why You’ll Love It!
Pantry Friendly - You probably already have all of the spices. Keep a bag of ground almonds/almond flour, a tub of yogurt in the fridge, and chicken breast in the freezer, and you’re good to go!
Syrian Flavors - Yogurt, cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, oregano, and paprika are classic flavors for any Syrian chicken dish, and the combination is truly out of this world.
Super Simple - All you have to do is smother the chicken with the yogurt, coat the chicken, and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. No chopping required. It’s perfect for any night of the week!
Nutritious - Almonds are filled with good-for-you fat without making you feel weighed down. It’s also an excellent receipe for my keto and gluten free friends.
Spiced Ketchup
I had this babysitter growing up who I admired so much. I literally wanted to be her. She introduced me to black pepper in ketchup, and honestly I can’t eat it any other way. Try ketchup with black pepper, cumin, and hot sauce, and you’ll undoubtedly be converted.
Ingredients
The best part of this dish is that the ingredients list is so simple, that most of it is probably already in your pantry. The rest comes together so quickly and easily.
Chicken - If you can find packaged chicken tenders, great. In Dubai, I use chicken breasts which I separate into 3 pieces with shears. You may have to cut in 4-5 pieces, depending on the size.
Almond Powder - I love using almond powder as a coating because it’s readily available, nutritious, and adds a nice nuttiness. The difference between almond flour and almond powder is that almond flour is blanched, while almond powder is raw. I’ve used both when making this, and they work great.
Yogurt - Plain, full fat yogurt tenderizes the meat, is flavorful, and allows the coating to adhere to the chicken. It’s also used as a marinade in the popular skewered chicken shish tawouk.
Seasoning - I’m thinking of making my own chicken “mixed spices” with this blend: cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper, cayenne, black pepper, paprika, and oregano. If you don’t have one of them available, you can leave it out. It will still be outstanding.
The Method
This will definitely become one of the easiest yet most impressive meals in your repertoire. In a small bowl, you combine the almonds with the seasoning and salt. In another large bowl, mix your cut chicken breast or tenders with the yogurt. Take your chicken, coat it with the almond mixture, shake off the excess, and put it on a parchment-lined baking tray. Drizzle with oil, slide into a 425°F/220°C oven and roast until browned and crispy, about 15 minutes each side. While the chicken is cooking, mix ketchup with black pepper, cumin, and hot sauce. That’s it!
Variations
Like I said above, almond flour and almond powder can be used interchangeably. If you’re nut-free or want to try this with breadcrumbs, I’m sure it will be excellent. I haven’t tried it, so let me know how it works for you if you do!
If you’re dairy-free, you can dredge the chicken with egg before coating. You may want to add a flour step before the egg so it sticks.
I have not tried this in an air fryer, but I think it will work. I’d love to hear how you like it if you do!
Equipment
Sheet Pans - Nordic Ware are my favorite and definitely the most durable.
Bowls - I love my Ikea Blanda Blank mixing bowls. I have about 3 small ones and 2 big ones.
Top Tips
The chicken is crispiest when it first comes out of the oven. You may nut get that crunch like with regular chicken fingers. I’m not going to claim it’s the same. That being said, I almost always roast the chicken ahead of time and reheat. It’s not as crispy, but it’s still delicious.I love to serve it next to the spiced ketchup (recipe below), oven-roasted potatoes, and a simple salad.
Storage
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a microwave or covered with foil in the oven so it doesn’t dry out.
I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does! If you give it a try, don’t forget to put it in the comments to let everyone know how it works out. I also love to see your creation! You can tag me on social media at #omayahcooks. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Other chicken recipes:
20 Min Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Farooj Mehshi (Stuffed Cornish Hens)
Fattet Jaj (Chicken with Crispy Pita, Warmed Yogurt and Rice)
The Juiciest Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken with Mushrooms
Other gluten free recipes:
Cauliflower Rice Kibbeh
Parsley Salad
Stewed Spinach with Ground Meat and Rice (Sabanekh ou Ruz)
Kawaj (Syrian Summer Vegetable Medley)
Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers with Spiced Ketchup (Syrian Inspired)
Ingredients
- 1 kg/2 lbs chicken breast or tenders
- 1/4 c plain, full-fat yogurt
- 1 c almond flour or powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp sweet Aleppo pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 c ketchup
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- A couple dashes of hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C and prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- If using breasts, cut into 3-4 strips, depending on the size.
- Combine chicken with yogurt in a large bowl.
- Mix the almond powder/flour with seasoning (cumin, coriander, paprika, Aleppo pepper flakes, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne) together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Dredge the chicken with the almond mixture, shake off the excess, and transfer to the parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Drizzle with olive oil and transfer to the oven.
- Meanwhile, prepare the ketchup by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Roast the chicken for about 30 minutes, flipping the tenders halfway through. They should brown and crisp up.
- Serve with the spiced ketchup on the side, and maybe a salad and roasted potatoes. Enjoy!