Za'atar Chicken Bites with Garlic Yogurt

• 2 g Dried thyme (2 tsp)
• 3 g Sesame seeds (1 tsp)
• 1 g Sumac (⅓ tsp)
• 130 g raw Chicken breast (4.6 oz raw)
• 1 g (a pinch on the chicken, a pinch in the yogurt) Salt
• 4 g Olive oil (1 tsp)
• 60 g Nonfat Greek yogurt (¼ cup)
• 3 g raw (1 clove) Garlic
• 8 g Lemon juice (½ tbsp)

You'll need: Frying pan, Bowl, Small bowl, Spatula, Knife, Cutting board.

Method

1. Mix the za'atar

   Stir the thyme, sesame seeds and sumac together in a bowl. This is your quick za'atar.

   Real za'atar blends vary. Taste a pinch and add more sumac if you like it tangier.

2. Coat the chicken

   Cut the chicken into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces. Then scrub the board, knife and your hands with soap before you touch anything else. Toss in the bowl with the za'atar, a pinch of the salt and the oil, until every piece is coated.

   Pieces of the same size cook in the same time. Cut them as evenly as you can.

3. Pan-fry the bites

   Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6–7 minutes, turning every minute or so, until golden and 74°C (165°F) in the middle. Cut the biggest piece open to check: no pink at all.

   Don't crowd the pan. If the pieces touch, they steam and the coating won't crisp.

4. Stir the garlic yogurt

   While the chicken cooks, stir the yogurt with the crushed garlic, lemon juice and the last pinch of salt.

   Crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt on the board, so you don't get raw chunks.

5. Serve

   Pile the hot chicken on a plate with the yogurt alongside for dipping.

   Eat it warm. The coating is at its best straight from the pan.

Swaps

• Sumac → An extra squeeze of lemon juiceGives the same tang.
• Nonfat Greek yogurt → Dairy-free plain yogurtDairy-free, with less protein.