Crispy and crunchy battered and fried chicken rests on a bed of rich and hearty butter-covered egg noodles and peas. It’s Austrian comfort food at its best!
Chicken Schnitzel Recipe
It’s a hearty and satisfying Austrian dish that consists of buttered egg noodles and chicken cutlets on top. The chicken cutlets are double-coated with flour and breadcrumbs and fried to golden perfection to give them a wonderful crunch. While the recipe does call for a few steps, this dish is easy to pull off.
What is Schnitzel?
Schnitzel, which means “cutlet” or “sliver,” is a crunchy battered and fried meat originating from Austria and Germany. Schnitzel is typically sliced into small cutlets as it’s meant for sharing, hence the name. Authentic Viennese schnitzel, which is called wiener schnitzel uses veal for the meat, but in Germany, pork is also commonly used. In this recipe, though, we’ll use chicken. It’s more budget-friendly and widely available!
Ingredients
Egg Noodles – While the schnitzel is definitely the star of the dish, serving it on a bed of buttered egg noodles and peas makes it so much heartier and more mouthwatering.Peas – What can I say, these tiny green spheres taste great with egg noodles!Chicken – Authentic schnitzel is made with veal, but this meat isn’t exactly easy to find (or humane, for that matter). Chicken, on the other hand, is widely available everywhere. It’s a lot cheaper, too! Use boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and pound it into 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick cutlets. Flour – Together with beaten eggs, the flour helps the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken.Eggs – The binder that sticks the breadcrumbs to the chicken.Mustard powder, milk, salt, lemon pepper – The seasonings stirred with the eggs for flavor.Breadcrumbs – This is the crunchy outside coating of the schnitzel. You can use either regular, panko, or Japanese-style breadcrumbs here. Do stick to finer breadcrumbs, though, for best results. If what you have are too coarse, give them a blitz in the processor.Oil – For frying. Use an oil with a high smoke point to keep the schnitzel from burning. Grape seed, canola, peanut, and avocado oil all make great options.Parsley – It’s tossed with the noodles for flavor and a pop of color.Lemon – For garnish.
How to Make Chicken Schnitzel with Noodles
Step 1: Cook the egg noodles. Just follow the package instructions, adding the peas at the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the noodles and peas and set them aside. Step 2: Prepare the dredge. Use shallow bowls to make dredging a breeze. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. In the third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, mustard, salt, and lemon pepper. Step 3: Season the chicken. I only use lemon pepper here, but if you want more flavor to your chicken, season it with salt as well. Step 4: Dredge the chicken. Start by coating the chicken lightly with flour. Next, dip it in the egg mixture, making sure all sides are entirely coated. Transfer it into the bowl of breadcrumbs and coat completely. Step 5: Fry the chicken. Preheat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Fry the cutlets, 1-2 pieces at a time, until golden. This will take about 2-3 minutes per side. Keep the cooked schnitzel warm in a 250-degree-Fahrenheit oven as you cook the rest. Step 6: Assemble the dish. Toss the egg noodles and peas in melted butter, parsley, and lemon pepper. Top with schnitzel cutlets and garnish with lemon slices. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chicken Schnitzel with Egg Noodles
Pound the chicken into thin slices. 1/4 inch is great, but 1/8 inch is more ideal. Thin slices ensure tender meat that cooks quickly and evenly.Don’t have a meat mallet? That’s fine. Just beat it flat with a rolling pin. Whatever object you use, be sure to pound the meat evenly.Cover the chicken with plastic wrap to keep it from tearing apart.Season the chicken not just with lemon pepper, but with salt as well before you dredge it with flour. This will give the chicken itself, not just the breading, a lovely flavor.You can use either panko or Japanese-style breadcrumbs to coat the chicken. The important thing is to use breadcrumbs with a fine texture. Fine crumbs brown evenly, while coarse ones burn easily.If you can’t get a hold of breadcrumbs for some reason, make your own! Just take a few pieces of day-old stale white bread and grind it in your food processor.Use oil with a high smoke point, such as grape seed, canola, avocado, and peanut oil.Test the oil if it’s hot enough by dropping a few specks of breadcrumbs into it. The oil should sizzle upon contact. If nothing happens, you’ll need to heat the oil longer.Don’t over-crowd the pan. Limit cooking to 1-2 cutlets at a time, depending on the size of the pan. Cooking too many at the same time will cause the temperature of the oil to drop. Instead of frying the schnitzel, you’ll end up steaming it.Move the pan in a circular motion so that the schnitzel gets covered in oil. This is the key to achieving that crunchy golden crust!Not in the mood for noodles? Serve chicken schnitzel with fries or a garden salad instead.
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