Nutty Chicken Schnitzel with White Veggie Mash
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups wholegrain breadcrumbs
- ½ cup almond meal (bought or you can grind your own in your blender from raw almonds with the skin on)
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup wholemeal plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 large chicken breast fillets
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for shallow frying
White Veggie Mash
- 4 medium sized coliban potatoes, scrubbed, roughly chopped
- ½ head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch iodised salt flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups mixed green vegies (brussels sprouts, green peas, broccoli, beans)
To Serve
Serve the schnitzel with the mash and the greens.
Method
Commercially produced schnitzel almost always uses a highly processed crumb and fries in a highly processed oil. Making schnitzel at home gives you total control over the ingredients and the result is not only better for you and your family - it tastes better too!
Making your own breadcrumbs cuts food waste. Too often, we throw away half-eaten loafs of bread after only a couple of days but this is perfect for making breadcrumbs. If you have time, we recommend drying the slices even further before popping into a high-powered blender or food processor to blitz into a fine crumb. Transfer to a sealed bag and the crumbs will store in your freezer for several months. Just take them out at least five minutes before you need them.
- In a bowl combine the breadcrumbs, almond meal, parmesan, parsley and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well and then tip out onto a plate.
- Tip the flour into a second bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half (horizontally) and then, using a meat mallet, flatten the meat a little to create a schnitzel size and thickness. Dust the chicken with the flour, then dip in the egg and finally coat with the crumb. Pop in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up or until ready to cook.
- Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and pour in about 1cm of olive oil. Throw in a breadcrumb to test the heat of the oil – once it sizzles nicely you are ready to cook. Fry the chicken, in batches if need be so as not to overcrowd the pan, for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, for the mash, put the potatoes into a saucepan, cover with water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat until just simmering and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook for a further 5 minutes. Tip into a colander and drain well. Tip back into the saucepan along with the extra virgin olive oil and a good grind of black pepper. Either mash roughly with a potato masher, or puree with a stick blender. Taste and adjust seasoning if need be.
- When you are almost ready to serve, steam or microwave the green vegies for a few minutes until bright green and tender.
Westinghouse Tip
Cook an extra schnitzel or two and keep in the fridge to slice and use in a wrap with avocado or hummus and plenty of salad the next day for lunchboxes.
