This dish is one of my favourite weeknight dinners, chicken schnitzel is delicious and crisp, with some nutty sesame in there too! Kids absolutely love them!
Served with this salad it’s a delicious autumn dish – using up apples when they’re at their very best in the UK and letting them shine in their raw form they go perfectly with fennel and a zingy lemon dressing
Serves 2
For the chicken Schnitzel
2 large boneless, skinless chicken-breast
80g plain flour
1 large egg
60g panko or dried breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 teaspoons chopped dill
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the apple and fennel salad
2 British red or green eating apple
½ fresh fennel bulb
¼ cucumber
60g roughly chopped pistachios
1 lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Handful of fine chopped fresh dill and fresh parsley
1. Arrange chicken in a single layer on a large cutting board and cover loosely with cling film. Gently pound with a rolling pin (or something else heavy if you don’t have a rolling pin) to about 1/4-inch thick. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Get 3 shallow bowls and in one put the flour seasoned with salt and pepper, in another put the whisked and in the third bowl combine the breadcrumbs, sesame seeds and dill.
3. Working one at a time, dredge the chicken in flour, coat and shaking off any excess, then dip in egg, coat and allowing any excess to drip back into dish. Then finally coat in the panko mixture, turning and pressing with your hands to make sure its fully covered. Pop them onto a wire rack and let stand 10 minutes, this gives everything a chance to adhere well and lessens the risk of the coating coming off when they’re frying.
4. Whilst they’re resting make the salad – core and cut the apple and thinly slice, thinly slice the fennel and cucumber too and add into a large bowl with the chopped fresh dill and parsley Make a dressing with the juice of the lemon and the olive oil and pour onto the salad, toss the lot together and top with the chopped pistachios. Set aside.
5. Heat 1/4-inch sunflower oil in a large, frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once it’s hot enough (you’ll be able to tell as a bit of bread will start to bubble as soon as dropped in), carefully add the chicken breast to the pan, it’s best not to crowd the pan so if you only have a small pan cook them one at a time. Cook, flipping once, until chicken is just cooked through and panko turns crisp and golden brown, this will be about 4 to 6 minutes in total, if you find they’re cooking too fast just lower the heat a little.
6. Serve with the apple and fennel salad and a large wedge of lemon.
This can be done in the oven, put them on a rack over a tray and bake at 200* (190* fan) for 20 minutes turning over half way through.
This can be done with pork chops, do the exact same process but they will cook for a little less time if youre doing them in the oven. About 15 minutes should be enough.
It can also be veggie by using halloumi instead - which I must admit I absolutely love!
Different breadcrumbs will give a slightly different texture and look a little different . Homemade will be courser, and shop bought will obviously be a lot finer, but both will be delicious
Be inventive! Whatever herbs you have will work. If you want a kick add a few chilli flakes or paprika,
Enjoy