Chicken schnitzel with parmesan-herb crust

This recipe is from a TV programme that I watched without the first idea of who the chef was or which channel or even which programme. I like watching cooking shows, even the hardcore ones which have recipes I’ll never try and ingredients that I’ve not heard of – actually, those are the ones I like. It’s like watching a fantasy show. So this recipe was demonstrated by a couple of Australians… come to think of it, I might have watched them on YouTube. In any case, I made this recipe because it sounded ridiculously easy – and it was. I didn’t even bother to write down the ingredients or method, because it was all straightforward.

Recipe for: Chicken schnitzel with parmesan-herb crust

Ingredients

For the chicken:
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup plain flour
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
2 skinless chicken breasts
Oil for shallow frying

For the salad:
10 baby plum tomatoes, halved vertically
A good few handfuls of mixed salad leaves (little gem lettuce, rocket, baby chard, baby spinach, etc)
1/2 small red onion, sliced very thinly
1 boiled egg, quartered (optional)
Your favourite salad dressing (I used French dressing)

Method:

1, Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, lemon rind, parsley and garlic powder on a plate. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Place flour on a plate.

3. Whisk egg and milk together in a shallow bowl.

4. Place the chicken breasts in a sturdy ziploc bag and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten them to an even thickness all over. Do this carefully. They need to be about 1/2 cm thick all over.

5. Take the chicken breasts one by one and dip them first in the flour, shaking off the excess; then in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs mixture. Pat the breadcrumbs with your fingers on the chicken breasts where necessary.

6. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken schnitzel for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain while you make the salad.

7. Slice the schnitzel on the diagonal into 1-cm wide strips. Mix the salad with the dressing, place the sliced schnitzel on top and serve immediately.

Verdict: Pete loved it.