Za'atar Chicken & Rice Bowl with Pomegranate Seeds

Thin out your chicken breasts by butterflying them or pounding them out into thinner, uniform pieces no more than 3/4” (2 cm) thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt.

Combine equal parts of the spices in a small bowl to create a spice mix. You’ll need enough to fully coat the chicken bread. Then, liberally sprinkle the spice mix over both sides. Don’t hold back here — you want full coverage.

Preheat a pan over high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the coated chicken to the pan. The goal is to blacken this spice mix onto the chicken into a crust. Sear until you are right on the edge of the crust being burnt, but it’s actually not. It should be very dark.

Flip over the chicken to finish the cooking and set the crust on the other side. If your breast was thinned out you should be able to cook it through in the pan without burning the seasoning.

• Use a thermometer to ensure the chicken has hit at least 155°F/68°C before pulling it off the heat.

Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before dicing into cubes for the bowl.