The Ultimate Crumbed Chicken Burgers with Taramasalata

FEATURING MONJAY MEZZA’S TARAMASALATA DIP

Not much needs to be done to enjoy our products, Break open a packet of your favourite crackers or cut a carrot into batons and dip away. Or simply arrange our delicious finger foods on a platter and watch them crowd around. But the potential of our range is so much more, and we want to prove it. So we've created our very own recipe page to show you the versatility of our products. Dips to marinate or bake with, finger food transformed into main meals - the limit is your imagination.

SERVES: 3-4
COOK TIME: 25 minutes

What is it about crumbed protein? How can the repurposing of stale bread be so transformational? Take chicken parmigiana. If you offered someone a plain chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and cheese, the reaction would be restrained enthusiasm at best. Crumb the chicken breast and you have Australia’s favourite pub meal.

Carb and protein are at the centre of so many favourite meals, of course. But it’s more than that. It’s the texture. It’s the crunch of the crispy fried breadcrumbs combined with the tender, almost steamed chicken within. And it’s the versatility.

Yes, you can go the route of your local’s Tuesday night special and top it with ham, tomato and cheese. That’s not a wrong move. But why not simplify things for equally satisfying results? Sandwich the crumbed chicken within a brioche bun, add some taramasalata and shredded iceberg and you have a delicious, quick burger.

Use tenderloins instead of breast (as we do in this recipe), and you have the most moreish finger food ever conceived, especially when paired with our range of dips.

It’s quick, it’s simple, and it always satisfies. Perhaps that’s the best thing about crumbed chicken.

Ingredients

50 grams of flour
1 egg
1 ½ cups of stale breadcrumbs
Chopped herbs (rosemary, dill, oregano – dealer’s choice)
500 grams of chicken tenderloins
Olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
4 brioche buns
Monjay’s Taramasalata Dip
¼ Iceberg lettuce, shredded

Method

Get out three shallow bowls and lay them side-by-side on your bench. In the left one put your flour. Crack the egg into the middle one and give it a whisk. Breadcrumbs go on the right.

If your breadcrumbs aren’t quite stale enough, you can always toast them in a moderate oven for around five to seven minutes. The drier they are, the crispier they will be.

Mix your chosen herb into the breadcrumbs, or into the flour if you want to hide them from picky eaters. Add a little salt to each bowl, and then begin the crumbing process.

Dredge each tenderloin in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs into the chicken with your fingers, making sure they’re firmly glued to the protein.

Put a wide, shallow frying pan over a medium high flame. Add the oil and the butter and swirl around. When the butter stops bubbling, it means the temperature is high enough to cook with. Lay the tenderloins carefully in the pan, taking care not to overcrowd; fry in batches if necessary.

Cook each tenderloin for two to three minutes on each side, until the crumbs are golden and the chicken is cooked and tender. Rest them on a cooling rack for a few minutes.

Slice the brioche buns in half and spread the bases with our Taramasalata Dip. Top with the chicken and the iceberg lettuce. Done.

Monjay Mezza is the home of traditional Middle Eastern Dips, Finger Food and Desserts.