The first time I had a chicken Schnitzel was in high school.
I was intrigued if anything, by the name, as I wasn't sure how to pronounce it, followed by the fact that it coupled two of my favourite things in a way I had never seen before, cheese and chicken! Funny enough, I have not made this meal a lot of times, however it’s really simple and delicious.
I am adding it to my list of new dishes for Chellzkitchen 2023 cooking classes.
Whenever a recipe calls for bread crumbs, I advise that you make extra and keep leftovers in a Ziploc bag for next time. I have my bags neatly put away but they are all empty. I’m not complaining because I am readying to stock up for the holidays.
I love my Ziploc bags as they help me keep leftovers Fresh for longer and when traveling I can always prep before hand and use the bags to transport the food for cooking later or at another destination.
Such a planned excursion is like the upcoming December 24 out in Mabalane, where I’ll be cooking Malome Papakis Birthday Luncheon. Back to not having breadcrumbs at the ready and not wanting the admin of toasting bread, I opted to dredge the chicken then roll it about in two handfuls of crushed cornflakes. The crunchy exterior makes the meat so much more exciting. Instead of the traditional starchy accompaniments of mashed potato and peas, I like to serve this with fries and avocado.
For the Best Chicken Schnitzel, pounding the meat thin is key. Flat Is Beautiful. Pound the breasts to a uniform thickness, which guarantees that the chicken cooks evenly and provides a lot of surface area for the breading, maximising the flavour and crunch that makes Schnitzel so good. Most recipes suggest for pounding the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, parchment, or wax paper. I've employed what seems to be a more fail-safe method—a Ziploc bag. As the year comes to a close, stay safe and enjoy some home cooked meals with the help of Chellzkitchen recipes with friends and family and please share images on our page.
INGREDIENTS
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 handfuls of crushed cornflakes/ (toasted bread crumbs)
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Place each chicken breast half in between bag. With a rolling pin, pound chicken to an even thickness. Pour oil into a pan for shallow frying and put heat at medium to high.
Mix flour, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. In a second shallow dish, whisk eggs to combine. Spread cornflake crumbs on a third plate Take each breast one by one into the flour first, then egg mix and lastly cover in cereal before putting into the hot oil and cooking 3 to 5 min on each side until golden and cooked through. Serve with roast potatoes or fries.