Crispy Coriander Chicken Cutlets with Kiano Moju

Give your cutlets a little more personality with this recipe from the author of AfriCali.

It’s not that your chicken cutlets are bland.

But Kiano Moju, the Los Angeles-based author of AfriCali, says she sees the three dredging stations, “your flour, your egg, and your breadcrumb…as three opportunities for introducing fun flavors.”

She mixes fresh cilantro (and sometimes a little chile) into the eggs, and seasons the panko with cumin and coriander seeds. “When those seeds hit the oil from when you fry the cutlet, they really open up. And so you've introduced heaps of flavor,” she says in this week’s podcast conversation.

You’ll find Kiano’s flavor-packed recipe below; listen to the full episode to hear about the all-stars of her pantry and fridge, her number one rule for outdoor entertaining, and what she’d do to help a listener out with fifty pounds of Japanese sweet potatoes.

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Kiano mentioned:

Meals by Genet, Los Angeles
Attiéké (cassava couscous)
Majordomo’s Miso Mushroom Crispy Rice recipe
Kiano’s Swahili chicken biryani recipe (Eater); Swahili lamb biryani recipe (Los Angeles Times)
Passionfruit and lime pie (video on YouTube)
Rolex with Spinach, Bacon, Tomato, and Avocado (Los Angeles Times)
Chickpeas in Coconut Sauce (KCRW)
Mishkaki skewers (video on Instagram)
Kiano’s Ugali / savory Kenyan cornmeal porridge (Serious Eats)
Nigerian red pepper stew base (Los Angeles Times)
LA popup at Melody

Kiano’s cookbook picks:

Dishoom: From Bombay With Love by Shamil and Kavi Thakrar and Naved Nasir (Bookshop / Amazon), especially the black dal (there’s also a quicker adaptation here.)
Ghana to the World by Eric Adjepong and Korsha Wilson (Bookshop / Amazon), especially the Red Red Stew.
Make It Japanese by Rie McClenny (Bookshop / Amazon) especially her ribeye steak with shoyu-garlic sauce.

Maggie mentioned:

Calvin Eng’s Cabbage Salad with Fried Garlic Sesame Dressing
Really good yuzu kosho from The Japanese Pantry
Cheryl Slocum’s Sheet-Pan Collard Greens and Crispy Tofu With Niter Kibbeh (Epicurious)
Kiano’s Sukuma Wiki / Kenyan Sautéed Collard Greens With Tomatoes and Ginger (Serious Eats)

Photo: Kristin Teig

Coriander Chicken Katsu

Excerpted from AfriCali: Recipes from My Jikoni. Copyright @ 2025 by Kiano Moju. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, and imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Chicken, pounded, tossed in breadcrumbs, and fried, is always a good move. Known in Japan as katsu chicken, it’s quick to prepare and gives the satisfaction of fried chicken, but with a fast cook time. The aroma in the seeded crust awakens as it’s fried, providing tiny pops of flavor with each bite.

Kachumbari, a tomato salad, is typically served alongside meat dishes in East Africa, with the acidity contrasting the saltiness and fattiness of the protein. Though any tomato can be used, I like the sweetness cherry tomatoes add.

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Fine sea salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
Handful fresh cilantro
2 large eggs
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
Neutral oil, such as avocado oil or extra-light olive oil, for frying
Cherry Tomato Kachumbari (see below)

1. Pound out the chicken thighs until they are ¼-inch thick, place on a plate, and season with salt.

2. Set out three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place the flour. Discard the stems from the cilantro and roughly chop the leaves. In the second bowl, whisk together the eggs and cilantro. In the third bowl, combine the panko, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds.

3. Dip the chicken in the bowl of flour, making sure the chicken is coated all over. Doing this will give the egg a better surface to cling to, so your coating sticks better!

4. Allow the chicken to rest on a plate for 10 minutes so the breadcrumbs have time to stick to the chicken before frying.

5. Heat about ½ inch neutral oil in a large pan to 350°F (180°C). Line a plate with paper towels and place it beside the stove. When the oil is ready, fry the chicken pieces in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Fry on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, flip the chicken pieces and cook the other side until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the chicken pieces on the paper towel–lined plate to drain the excess oil, then transfer the chicken to a wire rack so it doesn’t become soggy.

Cherry Tomato Kachumbari

Typically prepared as a condiment, this refreshing and spicy salsa is one of the most common accompaniments to roasted or grilled meat in Kenyan cuisine and the surrounding countries. Most commonly made with a Roma tomato, the variations are infinite, each best suited to a particular dish. The key to a good kachumbari is cutting the vegetables very thinly. You can slice or dice, depending on what you are serving it with.

Serves 4 as a side

1 pint cherry tomatoes
½ small red onion
1 fresh medium hot chili pepper, such as serrano or Fresno
Small handful fresh cilantro
Fine sea salt
Juice of 1 lime or ½ large lemon

1. Slice the tomatoes into small circles. Cut the onion and chili pepper into small rings or finely dice. Discard the stems and roughly chop the cilantro leaves. Transfer the tomatoes, onion,

2. and chili pepper to a serving bowl and season generously with salt. Squeeze over the lime juice, toss together, and set aside until ready to serve.

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