Crispy panko fried chicken sandwich with shawarma sauce and coleslaw salad on brioche

Make the shawarma sauce: yogurt, grated garlic, a little mayonnaise and lemon juice; set aside.

Dress the coleslaw mix with olive oil, vinegar, mustard and honey (warm thick honey in a bowl of hot water, or whisk well with the liquids), a little salt; toss and leave to tenderize the cabbage while the chicken is made.

Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally from the thickest part into two equal cutlets; pounding is skipped.

Season both sides with salt and pepper and dredge in all-purpose flour.

variation: for extra tender chicken, marinate the cutlets overnight in the refrigerator in buttermilk seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper and herbs such as oregano and thyme.

In a shallow dish beat two eggs with a pinch of salt, black pepper and about a quarter cup of milk.

Season two to three cups of unseasoned panko with garlic powder, about a teaspoon of salt, black pepper, dried thyme and a teaspoon of cayenne.

Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high to about 350 to 360F.

Shake off excess flour, dip in egg on both sides, then coat in crumbs; fry three pieces at a time so the oil temperature does not drop.

variation: to bake, use a 375 to 400F oven with the chicken on a cooling rack over a tray, about 10 minutes a side, 17 to 20 minutes total, to 165F internal.

Fry three to four minutes per side over medium to medium-high until golden; these took four minutes a side.

Keep finished cutlets warm in a 250F oven, or crisp them a minute or two in an air fryer before assembling.

Toast brioche buns; layer a slice of cheese, the chicken, plenty of shawarma sauce, pickles, pickled onions and a big spoonful of the coleslaw; add the top bun.