Ingredients
- Chicken Skewers with Dukkah Crust and Balsamic Reduction
- Dukkah is a Middle Eastern spice mix, often including sesame seeds, coriander and hazelnuts, and is most commonly combined with oil and used as a dipping sauce. This recipe coats the chicken in mustard and dukkah and is accompanied by a sweet-sour sauce of honey and balsamic vinegar. You can buy dukkah spice mix already mixed together at good gourmet stores. Buy the coriander and other spices in the bulk spice section to save money.
- Serves 10
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 chicken tenders, also called chicken tenderloins, cut in thirds
- 1 1/2 cups Dukkah
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 ounce)
- 30 metal or bamboo skewers (if using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before cooking)
- Dukkah
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup coriander seeds
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat, add the hazelnuts, and dry-toast until slightly browned and fragrant, being careful that they don't burn. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Repeat the procedure with each of the seeds and the peppercorns. Allow each of them to cool completely.
Take a handful of hazelnuts and rub them together so the skins falls off. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. Discard skins.
Place the nuts and seeds, along with the mint and salt, into a mortar and pound until the mixture is crushed, or pulse in a food processor or spice grinder to a coarse consistency; do not allow the mixture to become a paste.
Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 month.
Yield: 1 cup.
Heat oven to 350°F or grill to high.
Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by half, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a shallow bowl, combine mustard and olive oil.
Thread a chicken tender on each skewer. Use a pastry brush and lightly coat chicken pieces with mustard mixture until well coated.
Combine dukkah and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a wide, shallow dish and mix thoroughly. Roll each tender in the dukkah mix until well coated.
Place chicken skewers on wire cooling racks. Nest each wire rack in a baking sheet and lightly spray chicken pieces with oil. Place in the oven. Bake until the meat is firm and the dukkah crust is golden, about 10 to 15 minutes, or place on grill and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side.
Place balsamic glaze in a baggie and cut a little corner off. Drizzle over chicken pieces and serve.
