A Crowd-pleaser Dish—Chicken Schnitzels!

There was no glazed ham, roast leg of lamb, or grilled beef tenderloin at our Easter table this year. Instead Mike, my son and co-chef, and I agreed on an untraditional main course. Chicken cutlets, prepared Wiener schnitzel style, were our choice and turned out to be a big success with our family.

The suggestion was my idea since our clan included two teenagers with picky taste buds. I felt certain they would like the crispy coating on the chicken. Wiener Schnitzel (“Viennese cutlet”) is a classic dish prepared with thin veal slices that are dredged in flour, then dipped in beaten eggs, and coated with bread crumbs before a quick sautéing. For my version, I Continue reading

Chicken Schnitzels with Watercress, Cucumber, Radish Salad

Years ago when I was a college student studying in Europe, I tasted Wiener Schnitzel for the first time in Vienna, the city whose name is part of the title of this Austrian favorite. . Fried in butter until crisp and golden, then served with a lemon wedge, these thinly sliced breaded veal cutlets seemed to melt in my mouth. For years I made this dish with veal, but then discovered that chicken works equally well. I added some contemporary touches to this new version by including smoked paprika along with the usual salt and pepper seasonings, replacing traditional bread crumbs with panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs), and opting for canola oil instead of butter for frying. Continue reading