Elevate your salad game with this delightful Sesame Crumbed Chicken Salad with Whipped Tahini Yoghurt. Bursting with flavour, this vibrant dish features tender, golden-baked chicken coated in a crunchy panko and toasty sesame seeds, served on top of crisp greens and a medley of colourful fresh vegetables.
Every bite offers a burst of flavour, from the crunchy radish to the sweet corn and creamy avocado, creating a perfect harmony of taste and texture. The luscious whipped yoghurt, blended with tahini adds a rich creaminess that ties it all together.
Ideal for lunch or dinner, this flavour-packed dish is wholesome, satisfying and sure to leave you craving more!
This recipe was created as part of a paid collaboration with NOOD to promote the Amara dinnerware range in grey.
Ingredients You’ll Need to make this Sesame Crumbed Chicken Salad
Sesame Crumbed Chicken
- Mixed sesame seeds: I’m using a blend of black and white sesame seeds, but feel free to stick to just one type if you prefer. Sesame seeds add a satisfying crunch when paired with the panko, delivering a nutty, slightly sweet flavour that becomes wonderfully toasty once baked.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: A Japanese breadcrumb made from white bread that is processed into light flaky crumbs. These are used to coat the chicken, delivering a crispy texture.
- Paprika: ground paprika imparts a mild smokiness and warmth to the mixture used for coating the chicken. For an even deeper flavour, smoked paprika could be used as a substitute for an extra layer of complexity.
- Cayenne Pepper: adds depth of flavour and a touch of heat. A little goes a long way, but if you’re craving more spice, feel free to increase the amount to suit your taste.
Related: Essential culinary herbs
- Chicken breast: the protein star of this plate. Slicing it in half allows for faster and more even cooking, resulting in a tender piece of meat. You can serve it sliced or whole to give your guests the option to cut it themselves, but be sure to let it rest for 5-10 minutes first for maximum juiciness.
- Plain flour: the foundation of the coating process for the crumbed chicken. I recommend seasoning the flour with salt and pepper so that flavour can be added at every stage and layer.
Whipped Tahini Yoghurt
- Tahini: made from ground sesame seeds, tahini adds a rich, slightly bitter undertone to the whipped yoghurt for a unique flavour profile. It’s often used in Middle Eastern and Meditterean cuisine.
- Garlic: contributes to the overall flavour with its savoury depth and aromatic richness. I prefer to add freshly crushed garlic before whipping to ensure it fully incorporates into the mixture.
- Lemon: balances flavours and adds bright acidity. Used in both the whipped tahini yoghurt and the salad dressing, it brings a refreshing vibrancy that enhances the overall taste of the dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: for richness in both the yoghurt and salad as a dressing. You can’t go wrong with one of high quality.
- Sugar: a touch of sweetness to round out the flavour profile of the tahini yoghurt, making it taste creamier and less sharp or bitter.
- Greek Yoghurt: the key ingredient for the creamy sauce that is spread over each plate. Opt for a thick variety to achieve the best texture.
Salad
- Lettuce: I choose baby cos for its crispiness, but any variety of lettuce will do! Cut into chunks for a satisfying crunch.
- Cucumber: like the lettuce, it’s cut into chunks for added texture and crunch. Great for a refreshing bite and boosting the vegetable content.
- Red Onion: adds a sharp tangy flavour for a delightful contrast. It not only enhances the visual appeal with its vibrant colour but also contributes to the texture.
- Radishes: offer a slightly peppery, spicy flavour that brightens the salad and adds depth to the overall flavour profile. The beautiful pink colour is a visual delight and slicing them thin allows for greater crunch and flavour distribution throughout the salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes: provide delightful bursts of sweetness and freshness. Consider adding some deep red and yellow varieties for a pop of colour.
- Corn Kernels: fresh is ideal but canned or frozen options work well too. They add a lovely sweetness to the salad. You could even grill the corn before adding it to the salad for an extra layer of flavour.
- Avocado: add a rich, smooth, buttery creaminess that compliments the other ingredients beautifully. It enhances the mouthfeel and provides a subtle, nutty flavour.
- Coriander or mint: bring freshness. Both herbs can be used interchangeably or combined, depending on your preference, to create a lively and aromatic dish.
- Sliced Bread: Completely optional, but a great way to add some carbs to the dish. It helps soak up all those delicious flavours, making each bite even more satisfying.
How to Make This Sesame Crumbed Chicken Salad
Here’s how to whip up this tasty meal…
Make the Sesame Crumbed Chicken
- Start by preheating your oven and lining a baking tray. Tip: You could use an oiled wire rack on top of your lined baking tray to place the chicken on to ensure it’s extra crispy.
- Next, prepare the sesame breadcrumbs by combining sesame seeds, panko, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Then, in a separate bowl, whisk together egg and garlic.
- In another bowl, add flour, then season well with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine, then coat the chicken in the seasoned flour.
- Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then finish with a coating of the sesame breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the chicken on the prepared tray and spray with oil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, turning once.
- Make sure to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and/or serving.
Prepare the Whipped Tahini Yoghurt
- Blend the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sugar in a blender or with a hand blender until combined.
- Add the yoghurt and blend until well combined, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge while you prepare the salad.
Make the Salad
- In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, cucumber, red onion, radish, tomatoes, corn, avocado, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Now it’s time to plate! Spread the tahini yoghurt over plates, then top with the salad and sesame crumbed chicken.
- Garnish with coriander, then serve with lemon wedges and sliced bread, if using and enjoy.
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- The Fluffiest Feta Spinach and Pesto Twist Bread
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See the Sesame Crumbed Chicken with Tahini Yoghurt Recipe in Action …
Sesame Crumbed Chicken Salad with Tahini Yoghurt
Elevate your salad game with this Sesame-Crumbed Chicken Salad with Whipped Tahini Yogurt, a vibrant dish featuring tender, golden-baked chicken coated in crunchy panko and toasty sesame seeds, served on a bed of crisp greens and a colourful medley of fresh vegetables. Ideal for lunch or dinner, this wholesome and satisfying meal is sure to leave you craving more!
Ingredients
Sesame Crumbed Chicken
- ⅓ cup mixed sesame seeds
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 chicken breast halved horizontally
- ¼ cup plain flour
- Salt and pepper
Whipped Tahini Yoghurt
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper
- 1 ¼ cups thick Greek yoghurt
Salad
- 1 lettuce cut into chunks
- ½ cucumber cut into chunks
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- 3 radishes thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup corn kernels
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh coriander or mint
- Lemon wedges to serve
- Sliced bread optional
Instructions
Sesame Crumbed Chicken
- Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake and line a baking tray.
- Prepare the sesame breadcrumbs by combining sesame seeds, panko, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk together egg and garlic.
- Coat the chicken in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then dip in the egg mixture, followed by the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the chicken on the prepared baking tray, spray with oil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, turning once.
Whipped Tahini Yoghurt
- Blend the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sugar in a blender or with a hand blender until combined.
- Add the yoghurt and blend until well combined, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge.
Salad
- Toss together lettuce, cucumber, red onion, radish, tomatoes, corn, avocado, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spread the tahini yoghurt over plates, then add the salad and sesame crumbed chicken.
- Garnish with coriander, then serve with lemon wedges and sliced bread, if using and enjoy.
If you give this Sesame Crumbed Chicken Salad a go, don’t forget to tag @theculinaryletter and #theculinaryletter so that I can see all your wonderful creations!
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