Spicy Uzbek Chicken Panini
Experience the bold flavors of Uzbek cuisine with this spicy chicken panini. Succulent chicken marinated in aromatic spices, layered with tangy pickled vegetables, and topped with a zesty garlic yogurt sauce - all between two perfectly toasted bread slices. This Panini is a tantalizing combo of flavors and textures that will take your taste buds on an exotic journey.
ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 slices of bread (Ciabatta or Baguette)
- 1/4 cup pickled cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pickled red onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup garlic yogurt sauce (recipe below)For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
steps
- 1.
Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
- 2.
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to make the marinade.
- 3.
Coat the chicken breasts with the marinade mixture and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- 4.
Grill the chicken breasts for about 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through.
- 5.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the garlic yogurt sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 6.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, slice the chicken breasts into thin strips.
- 7.
To assemble the panini, spread the garlic yogurt sauce on one side of each bread slice.
- 8.
Place the sliced chicken on top of the sauce on two bread slices.
- 9.
Layer the pickled cucumbers, pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro leaves over the chicken.
- 10.
Finally, top with the remaining bread slices to complete the sandwiches.
- 11.
Preheat a panini press or a grill pan over medium heat.
- 12.
Place the assembled sandwiches on the press or grill pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the bread is golden brown and crisp.
- 13.
Remove the panini from the heat and let them cool for a minute before slicing them in half.
- 14.
Serve the Uzbek Chicken Panini warm and enjoy the explosion of flavors!
