I N T I M I D A T E D
B Y S E T T I N G U P A F R Y S T A T I O N ?
M A K I N G S C H N I T Z E L W I L L C U R E Y O U .
i get it. seems like a big mess right?
after you make schnitzel for the first time - you’ll never look back.
you’ll rinse out three bowls, stick ‘em in the dishwasher, + be forever changed.
do yourself this kindness.
RYE CHICKEN SCHNITZEL
2 chicken breasts
2 cups bread crumbs - panko is probably ideal althooooogh - (i’m a sucker for rye, so i throw some sad, old rye bread or Swedish rye crackers in the food processor, but do whatever you like - you just need crumbs!)
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch or flour - I prefer cornstarch only because it tends to get crispier, but it really doesn’t matter - whatever you got
1 tbsp salt
2 fistfuls of cabbage
1-2 radishes
mushrooms optional
1 lemon
small bunch of mint
small bunch of dill
so you get your 3 dreaded bowls.
the first has either flour or cornstarch and a tsp of salt.
bowl two has your beaten eggs.
bowl three holds your breadcrumb of choice.
then you’ll want to fill a shallow pan
(preferably cast iron) with a good neutral cooking oil - canola, sunflower, peanut, rapeseed - any of these work.
give the skillet about 1/4 inch of oil. it feels healthy, but we’re doing some serious pan frying here so it’s okay.
with your fry station now complete it is time to pound some chicken.
wrap the breasts in plastic wrap and using a meat tenderizer or a heavy pan - i have yet to buy a meat pounder. i either use my hands (see: fist) or a heavy pan - pound to about 1/4 inch thickness. the plastic wrap is so the chicken bits don’t fly about your kitchen.
back to your fry station.
you’ll coat the pounded breast in the cornstarch/flour + salt mixture, shake, dip in the egg wash, shake, and then hit the breadcrumb bowl, making sure to get good full coating.
Then, with the oil hot in the pan, you’ll want to lay the chicken down gently in the frier - i recommend using a fork and laying the thin side of the breast in the frier, and then lowering the thicker side in away from you - so to reduce splatter and potential grease burns.
let fry about 6-8 minutes on each side. making sure that everything is crispy, browned, + cooked through.
Meanwhile - you’re going to want to do at least one of two things.
if you have mushrooms, great - we will get there.
if not, that’s totally okay too.
most importantly, you’re going to make salad-like thing.
so shred some cabbage, chop some radish into matchsticks, toss with some torn mint, dill, lemon juice, + olive oil.
then you’re good to go.
if you want to complicate things, I DARE YOU TO FOLLOW ME DOWN THE MUSHROOM + LEMON SAUCE HOLE!
THE MUSHROOM + LEMON SAUCE HOLE:
basically, mushroom-wise, you’re going to want to find something either basic and workable like cremini, or funky and rare as hell like porcini.
slice thinly, and add to a pan with a tbsp of olive oil + a pinch of salt.
sauté until noisy, and then give the mushrooms a douse of white wine, the juice from a half of lemon, + a tsp of capers. reduce.
in a bowl, make a slurry of one tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water.
add this to the pan to thicken your sauce - reduce for a minute or so.
ta-da!
you’ve made a lemon mushroom sauce.
meanwhile, your chicken should be just about done.
plate that crispy chicken boi!
top it with the salad + leave a piece of lemon wedge on the side.
if you made a lemon mushroom sauce - good for you, sport. spoon that on top as well.
rip up a bunch of dill and garnish the whole thing.
you did it. you’ll never look back.