Better than KFCs and much better for you!
Oven Baked Chicken Schnitzels
Anyone who's been to Israel might declare the Schnitzel is a national dish, it is certainly one that grace is most takeaways and Shabbat lunch tables and my neighbourhood in Israel. My close friend makes sure that's all her sons I could fry schnitzels from an early age.
This version of a chicken of a chicken Schnitzel is oven baked, I like it because it is l lower in fat, and you don’t have the smell of frying all over your home. Also, for those of us with ageing knees it saves you standing too long.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (butterflied)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- I teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder
- 1 tablespoon ground paprika
- ¾ cup flour (I use chick pea flour because its gluten free and also gives a wondeful nutty flavour)
- 2 large eggs, beaten.
- 2 cups panko, or matzo meal, or gluten free matzo meal
- 1 large lemon, zested.
- ½ table spoon olive or good quality oil.
Method
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminium foil and drizzle olive oil over foil. Place the baking sheet in the oven as it preheats so that the tray is sizzling.
Take your chicken place it between two sheets of cling film, and with a kitchen mallet all rolling pin make it thinner ,it needs to be approximately half an inch thick.
Season the chicken with salt pepper garlic powder and paprika.
Place the flour in one dish, the beaten eggs in another, and the panko or matzo meal in the third.
Add seasoning to the flour and the beaten eggs and add the lemon zest in the third plate the panko or matzo meal
HINT It's really important to season every single section or else the schnitzels can be quite bland
Take your chicken pieces, dip it into the flour then the egg and then to the panko or matzo meal, place it on the heated baking tray repeat until all your schnitzels are on the tray with a with a little bit of space between them.
Bake your schnitzels between 5 to 6: minutes in the preheated oven, remove from the oven and turn them over then you should continue baking for another 5 to 6 minutes.
To check the schnitzels are ready, put in a knife and they should no longer run pink. Alternatively, if you have a meat thermometer it should read 164degrees Fahrenheit or 74 centigrade when inserted in a schnitzel.
Remove your schnitzels from the baking tray put on a plate and serve with an Israeli salad, humas, if like pita bread or tahini or coleslaw.
Whatever happens don't be tempted to overcook your schnitzels because they become dry and uneatable, they need to be served warm crisp but not over cooked.
If there's any left-over schnitzels (not something I have ever seen !!) They can be stored in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight tight container or frozen. To reheat schnitzels sprinkle them slightly with water and place in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Or bake in an oven covered for 5 minutes.