See Dad Cook

EXCERPT

Ingredients

• 1 and one-half (1.5) pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

• Three-quarters (.75) of a cup all-purpose flour

• 1 large egg

• Three-quarters (.75) of a cup of milk

• 2 cups plain dry bread crumbs, preferably Japanese panko (see Do It Like the Pros, below)

• Vegetable oil (preferably canola), for frying (about 2 and one-half (2.5) cups)


To Prepare

1. Horizontally slice the breasts in half so they are about a half-inch (.5) inch thick. (If you want genuine, super-thin schnitzel, put the breasts between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and gently hammer them out until they are one-third of an inch thick. You can use a meat mallet, an empty beer bottle, or a plain old hammer.)

2. Put the flour in a medium bowl. In a second medium (or larger) bowl, mix together the egg and milk. Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl. (If you don't have enough large bowls, put your crumbs in a baking pan or any other large vessel.)

3. One by one, dip the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Dip each piece into the egg mixture to coat, and then thoroughly coat with bread crumbs. Place on a large plate.

4. In a large skillet, heat three-quarters (.75) of an inch of oil over high heat until it starts to shimmer, about 6 minutes. (You may also use a deep fryer or candy thermometer to gauge the temperature: 365°F is perfect.) Turn the heat down to medium-high.

5. Working in small batches, fry the schnitzels for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oil with tongs and drain well on paper towels.


Do It Like the Pros

The best bread crumbs are panko from Japan. Go figure. Panko fry up super-crunchy and seem to absorb less oil. It’s worth hunting them down at an Asian market, but your schnitzels will still be majorleaguers if you make them with plain old bread crumbs from the supermarket.

Shortcut Club

You'll pay a little more, but if you buy thin-cut chicken breast or chicken tenders, you will be able to skip slicing the chicken yourself.