Chicken Schnitzel with Hawaij (Gluten-free version included)

• I tend to use the Hawaij for just about any dish because it's so versatile, especially for a curry! But this recipe was a whole new revelation. My mom would make chicken schnitzel for us growing up, but because it is fried, it was an occassional treat and even now I rarely make it (ok, almost never). BUT seeing how it was the last night of Hanukkah and fried foods are traditional, I got it in my head to try to see if the Hawaij worked as amazing as it did in my traditional chicken soup (recipe forthcoming!).....
  
  WOW!! Ok, truthfully I like just about anything fried (especially since I never get to have it due to my dietary restrictions), so I'm really easy to please. But I did manage to win over two Israelis and a picky husband so that counts as a successful recipe in my book! And this was using the gluten-free recipe which uses garbanzo flour instead of regular flour. The Hawaij was fragrant but subtle and lended a beautiful golden color to the crispy coating. It can be adjusted so just add another teaspoon or two for a really exotic flavor.
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• Chicken Schnitzel with Hawaij
• (Gluten-free version follows)
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• Ingredients
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  6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin, (or not, just pound the breasts out harder) about 1 1/2 pounds
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Siren Spices' Hawaij
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Vegetable or peanut oil for deep frying  (I prefer peanut oil)
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  Preparation
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• 1. Place one cutlet at a time inside a large plastic bag. With a meat mallet (or can of beans/soup/etc.), pound the chicken slice as thin as possible and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Mix flour and Siren Spices' Hawaij and spread the mixture evenly in a flat baking dish. 
  3. Break the eggs into a pie plate and beat well. Put the bread crumbs into a third flat dish.
  4. Pour the oil into a heavy skillet 1/2-1 inch deep and heat over a medium flame until ALMOST smoking.
  5. Dip each chicken breast in flour, then in egg, and then in bread crumbs.
  6. Fry the schnitzels for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (garbanzo flour might take a little longer)
  7. Drain the schnitzels on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately and enjoy!
  
  
  
  
  

  NOTE: You can also try baking the breaded schnitzels in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes ahead of time. Then, just before serving, deep-fry quickly to crisp the outside. I haven't tried it myself, but it should be a good way to keep the oil content down.
  
  
  GLUTEN-FREE VERSION:
  
  
  1. Substitute garbanzo flour for the flour and omit the panko breadcrumbs. 
  2. Dip chicken in egg first, then flour, then into the oil. 
  
  
  NOTE: This is the version I did in the photos and it turned out spectacular and no one seemed to notice the difference.