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Crispy Chicken with Farro Cabbage Caesar Slaw

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken breast*
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 cup plain crackers, crushed into fine crumbles (about ¾ cup fine crumbles)**
  • ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

For the slaw:

  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fish sauce or worcester sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced, grated or crushed
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup water
  • 5 cups thinly sliced or grated cabbage and/or carrot
  • 1 cup cooked farro (from ½ cup dry)
  • ½-1 cup fresh parsley, left whole or chopped (optional)
  • *If your breasts are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise so you have two thinner cutlets. This helps them cook faster and more evenly. You could also pound them out (with a meat pounder or rolling pin between two pieces of parchment). Alternatively, you could use chicken tenders and not worry about it! The cook time will be closer to 20 minutes for those.
  • **Put crackers in a resealable bag and smash them up with a rolling pin or crumble with your hands. You could also pulse them in a blender into fine crumbles.
  • **I used a combo of oyster crackers and almond flour crackers. You can also use panko or regular breadcrumbs in place of the crackers (¾ cup worth).
  • Note: ~ the coating mixture is more than you’ll likely need (really depends on how many pieces of chicken you are working with), which is why it’s great to set some aside to use as a topping or to save and use at a later date.

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Cook ½ cup farro (1 cup cooked)
  • Crush 1 cup plain crackers into fine crumbles (about ¾ cup fine crumbles)**
  • Finely grate ½ cup parmesan 
  • Make the cracker coating
  • Thinly slice or grate 5 cups cabbage and/or carrot
  • Mix together the tahini dressing
  • Make the slaw

Instructions

  • Cook ½ cup farro if you have not already. Simply boil it in water for about 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool off.
  • Preheat the oven to 400F convection or 425F regular bake. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle with the olive oil and use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread it around to coat the parchment.
  • Season the chicken all over with about 1 teaspoon salt (see note about chicken before seasoning).
  • In a large shallow bowl or plate, add crackers, cheese, oregano, garlic, pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Remove about ½ cup and set aside.
  • Add egg to another shallow bowl and whisk thoroughly. Dip the chicken in the egg (shake off any excess) and then into the cracker coating on each side so the chicken is well coated. You can use your hands to help evenly coat the chicken.
  • Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken. If you run out of coating, add some of the reserved coating. Sprinkle some of the remaining coating on top of the chicken and press it in. Brush, drizzle, or spray the tops lightly with olive oil.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the coating is dark golden brown and crispy.
  • To make the slaw, in a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon, fish sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined. Add the water and whisk until smooth (it should be like a creamy sauce, if it’s too thick or pasty, stir in a splash of lemon or water). Add the veggies, farro, and herbs (if using) and toss to coat. Taste and season with more lemon or salt, if needed.
  • Serve the chicken topped with slaw, crunchy cracker topping (if using, see below), and squeeze lemon all over.

To make the (optional) crunchy topping:

  • In a medium skillet over medium heat, add a scant tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the reserved cracker coating and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make vegetarian, you can try replacing the chicken with slabs of extra firm tofu (pressed to get the water out). You could also just make the slaw (use soy sauce) and serve it with whatever protein you want!
  • To make vegan, see above + substitute fish sauce with soy sauce + skip the parmesan and add ¼ cups extra crackers or ¼ cup nutritional yeast. Use a vegan egg replacement for the egg OR you can coat the chicken in a vegan yogurt instead of egg.  
  • To make gluten-free, use GF crackers (like simple mills almond flour crackers). Skip the farro and just add an extra cup of veggies or sub farro with cooked brown rice (or other gluten-free grain).
  • Use breadcrumbs in place of crackers (see recipe note).

Storage:

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
    • Chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months
    • Slaw: up to 6 days in the fridge

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • The *best* way to reheat the chicken is in a covered skillet over low or medium-low heat. The *easiest* way is to pop it in the microwave until just warm, about 30 seconds. Serve the slaw over the warm chicken and top with the toasted cracker mixture (if using) and lots of lemon. 
  • Add a squeeze of lemon to leftover slaw and mix it up.
  • Make it a sandwich! Cut the chicken into pieces that fit your bread. Put it between two pieces of bread or a bun with the slaw and some mashed avocado.
  • Put a fried egg on top and add some hot sauce..
  • Leftover slaw pairs well with any cooked protein.