Recipe: Extra Crispy Chicken Schnitzel
Panko makes all the difference in this crispy and juicy chicken schnitzel.
I was introduced to Japanese breadcrumbs, aka panko, when I was a cook at New York’s legendary The Quilted Giraffe in the 90s. To me it was a minor miracle that these fluffy and chunky crumbs could hold up so well in so many recipes. But I think the best use is in creating a reliably crunchy coating for any kind of cutlet, schnitzel or “finger.” You could certainly choose to pound the chicken thigh as thin as you’d like, but I find that simply by using the tip of my knife to butterfly the thicker portions of the thighs so they are even with the thinner parts that works just fine and keeps the chicken nice and juicy when cooked.
Readers of my recipes might notice that I use buttermilk quite a lot. In the case of marinating chicken it is hard to resist: the acidity of the buttermilk tenderizes the meat while adding a lovely tangy flavor note. And a container of buttermilk keeps so well and so long in my fridge that I look for places to make use of this versatile and nutrient-rich dairy product. I served this last batch of schnitzel with some red wine-braised cabbage and crisply steamed snow peas but next time I might be more ambitious and make some spaetzle! Another easy and great pairing is a vinegary potato salad or coleslaw.
Extra Crispy Chicken Schnitzel
Serves 4
For the marinade:
4-6 boneless and skinless pastured chicken thighs
½ cup pastured buttermilk
¼ teaspoon crushed coriander seed
½ teaspoon smoked paprika (pimenton)
1 teaspoon freshly minced thyme
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
A few grindings of fresh black pepper
For the breading and cooking:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs, whisked together with a tablespoon of cold water
2 cups panko or more (Japanese breadcrumbs)
4 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 lemon wedges for garnish
Step 1:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish. Add the chicken thighs and coat evenly with the marinade. Let chicken sit in fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours before breading.
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper — this will be for the breaded thighs. Place flour on a plate and season lightly with sea salt. Beat the eggs with a tablespoon of cold water and pour into a shallow baking dish. Place 1 cup panko in another shallow baking dish, adding remaining one cup panko, or more, to dish as needed throughout process. Working with one chicken thigh at a time, shake off any excess marinade, dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour, then dip into egg mixture, turning to coat evenly; carefully coat with panko, pressing panko gently to adhere to chicken. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet until all thighs are ready to pan-fry.
Step 2:
Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil and butter mixture begins to foam a little (the pan should be large enough to hold all four thighs). Add the chicken carefully to skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 4-5 minutes cooking time per side. You want to lower the heat to medium-low once you turn the chicken over. Transfer chicken thighs to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Plate with desired side dishes and garnish each schnitzel with a lemon wedge.
