Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce

 

Ingredients

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL (see note 1)

• 1 kg (3–4 large) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (halved horizontally to form 6–8 thinner “steaks”)
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes (or ¾ tsp table salt), plus extra to taste
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ cup (75 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 3 cups (180 g) panko breadcrumbs (see note 2)
• Oil, for cooking

CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups (360 g) sliced mushrooms (see note 3)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
• 2 cups (500 ml) thickened (heavy) cream
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder (bouillon)
• 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish (can be substituted with 1 tsp thyme leaves) (optional)
• ⅓ cup (35 g) freshly grated parmesan (see note 4)
• Sea salt flakes, to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste, plus extra to finish

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• Freezer-friendly mashed potatoes
• Green beans, steamed

Instructions

1. Prepare the schnitzels – Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Pound to an even thickness (about 1 cm/½ inch) for even cooking.
2. Set up your crumbing station with the flour, whisked eggs and panko breadcrumbs.
3. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour (shaking off the excess), then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat evenly.
4. Choose your cooking method and cook the schnitzels –
   Shallow-fry: Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) of olive oil over medium–high heat. Cook the schnitzels in batches for 4–5 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with extra salt.
   Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Spray both sides of the schnitzels with olive oil. Cook in batches for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and cooked through.
   Oven-bake: Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). Bake the schnitzels on a wire rack set over a baking tray for 12–15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. For best results, toast the panko breadcrumbs before crumbing (see note 2).
5. Make the creamy mushroom sauce – Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat (if using the same pan you used for the chicken, wipe out any excess crumbs and oil first).
6. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until golden and the moisture has evaporated.
7. Add the butter and garlic and cook, stirring, for a further 30 seconds until fragrant.
8. Add the cream, mustard, chicken stock powder and thyme, if using. Cook, uncovered, over medium–low heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
9. Turn the heat off and stir through the parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Serve – Serve the chicken schnitzels with a side of creamy mashed potatoes, steamed greens and a generous drizzle of the mushroom sauce on top. Garnish with extra thyme leaves (if using), sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper.

Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (500 g/1 lb 2 oz in total), cut in half horizontally to make 4 steaks (see note 1 to use thighs)
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ cup (35 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

CREAMY LEMON PEPPER SAUCE

• ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
• ½ cup (125 ml) chicken stock
• 300 ml (10 fl oz) thickened (heavy) cream
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper, plus extra to serve
• ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan
• Sea salt flakes, to taste

TO SERVE

• Freezer-friendly mashed potatoes or rice
• Steamed green beans (or greens of your choice)
• Lemon slices
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chicken – Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and sweet paprika.
2. Put the flour on a plate or a sheet of baking (parchment) paper. Press the chicken into the flour so that all sides are evenly coated.
3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, deep, heavy–based pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked, turning once halfway. Set aside on a plate.
4. Creamy lemon sauce – Deglaze the pan using the ¼ cup (60 ml) of water OR wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Add the butter and garlic and cook, stirring, for 30–60 seconds, or until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add the chicken stock and cook for 1–2 minutes until it has reduced by half.
6. Reduce the heat to medium–low and add the cream, mustard, lemon juice and zest and the pepper. Simmer for 2–3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
7. Stir through the parmesan, season with salt to taste and return the chicken to the pan for 2–3 minutes until heated and cooked through.
8. Serve – Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes or rice, steamed greens, lemon slices, an extra crack of black pepper and parsley, if using.

Shepherd's Pie

 

sHEPHERD’S PIE

yield: 8 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 20 MINS

cook time: 1 HR 10 MINS

total time: 1 HR 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS

Potato Layer:

• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 4-5 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 - 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg yolk

Meat Filling:

• 2 - 2 1/2 pounds ground beef, turkey, lamb, or sausage (or a combination of any)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 large carrots chopped small, about 1 cup
• 2 cloves garlic, finely pressed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 teaspoon fresh
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray (I've also used a slightly smaller ceramic casserole dish with good results, too, just makes the layers slightly thicker).
• Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or so (it will depend on how large or small the potatoes are cut) until the potatoes are tender.
• Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Mash the potatoes lightly. Add the butter, milk (start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed), Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, salt and pepper to taste, and garlic powder. Mash together until smooth and creamy. Stir in the egg yolk until combined.
• For the meat and vegetable mixture, in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the ground meat, onion, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are starting to soften, 5-7 minutes or so. Drain any excess grease from the mixture.
• Sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook over medium to medium-high heat for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the corn and peas.
• Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top all the way to the edges of the pan creating a seal over the meat mixture. Sprinkle the 1 cup cheddar over the top of the potatoes.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges are golden and the casserole is bubbling. Let it rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES

Multi-Tasking: the ingredient list looks daunting but I promise this all comes together quickly. While the potatoes are boiling, I start the meat and vegetable mixture - multi-tasking is your friend.

Meat: you can use a variety of different ground meats here. I've made this once with just ground turkey and another time with a combination of ground beef and sausage. Yum! Danielle, who sent me the recipe, uses ground lamb and sausage which would also be delicious (ground lamb is a bit hard to find where I live).