Chicken Schnitzel

Who doesn't love Chicken Schnitzel? Not every body calls them chicken Schnitzel though. Well, my mom made these all the time but we just called it breaded chicken breast.
My son can eat these almost every day, every meal. The best thing about these is that you ca make them different all the time. Just tweak the ingredients a bit and you have a different version.

Why am I showing you how to make these? Because despite being so easy to make, most the mothers I speak to say they buy them ready made from the supermarket. It's convenient and more tasty.

Well, convenient yes, tasty.......?


Well, if you do change your mind and decide to do these at home - here's my way of making them. 

2 Chicken breast or Chicken Schnitzel pieces (see below)
1 Egg mixture (see below)
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Flour
2 tbsp - Chopped herbs (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Most supermarkets here have the chicken ready to make Schnitzel because it's almost a staple here.
If you do not get these here - you can make them at home too

You clean and dry the chicken breast. 

Slit each chicken breast in half like so - like a butterfly!

If you have a millet you can thin the breast with it ever so lightly. or just use the back of you knife and give it a few wacks. Yeah just slap the pieces two or three times that's all you need to do..
Be gentle after all they are breast! 
Cut them in the middle. You can make two pieces of each breast or cut each again in half and make four.

For the egg mixtures - here's where you can make many different versions.
To the egg - Your can add any of the below options that you like.
2 tbsp water or Milk or cream or orange juice.
Salt and pepper to taste
A few drops of Tabasco or a tsp of paprika or Cayenne
A splash of tomato sauce (kids like it)
A dash of Mustard or A tbsp of Pesto
A sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese or
A sprinkle of Herbs

Let make Schnitzel - Have your chicken pieces ready - season them with salt and pepper.

Make three bowls ready.
First bowl with plain flour - season with salt and pepper
Second bowl with Egg mixture (as shown above)
Third bowl with Bread crumbs - season with salt and pepper plus finely chopped herbs if using.

Coat each chicken piece in the flour. Dust off any excess.

Drop the chicken piece into the egg mixture. Use a fork to help turn it around. Once coated well take if out - hold to let all the drips fall back into the bowl.

Drop it into the bread crumbs. Use your fork again to turn it around. 

Remove from the bread crumbs and place on a clean plate.

You can coat all the pieces and set aside. or you can start cooking them simultaneously. 

When my kids were younger they did not like the texture of bread crumbs so I use to make the exact same thing for them but with flour only. So I coat with flour, then egg mixture and flour again.
Just to give you another idea if you do not like or find bread crumbs.

Sometimes I make more than what I need for one meal. So I put them in the freezer. All you do is place them in a zip lock back, remove as much air and place them flat in the freeze like so. Once they are frozen you can move them around and they do not need to be kept flat.
To re-use - just thaw them in the fridge for a  couple of hours.

To cook the schnitzel - just heat a skillet on high. Once the skillet is very hot. Add a tbsp of canola oil and place the piece on. let cook on high for one minute then reduce the heat and cook on low for two minutes.

Turn the heat up to high again. flip the pieces, add another tbsp of canola oil and cook on high for one minute then reduce heat and cook on low for another minute or so.
The purpose of cooking on high is to get a nice brown color.
The bread crumbs absorb oil so it always looks like you need more oil. The amount of oil you add is your personal preference. Some people even deep fry these.
You can also spray the pieces with Pam cooking spray if you please. 

Here's one batch of schnitzel  - made from the ready made pieces bought from the super market.

Here's another. made from the chicken breast pieces I butterflied above.

Bon Appetite.


Thanks for stopping by.