The chicken recipe itself was fairly standard – pound the chicken thin; dip in flour, egg, and rye breadcrumbs; shallow fry and serve immediately – but turned out beautifully. The slightly decadent mustard cream sauce served with it was the perfect mix of rich and tangy. And Diana’s recommendations for side dishes of tiny boiled new potatoes and braised cabbage were essential elements for the final plate. With a frosty glass of Belgian beer it made for a very satisfying Saturday lunch… and an even more satisfying post-bar-hopping midnight snack that evening.
Rye Chicken Schnitzel with Mustard Sauce
Serves 4.
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thights
- flour
- sea salt and pepper
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 3/4 c. rye bread crumbs
- 2 TBS peanut or canola oil
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 TBS butter
- 4 shallots, peeled and minced
- 3 1/2 TBS white wine vinegar
- 2/3 c. dry white wine
- 3/4 c. heavy cream
- 2 TBS Dijon mustard
- Put the chicken thighs between 2 sheets of parchment paper or saran wrap and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound them until they have an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Place some flour in a large shallow bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the beaten eggs in a second bowl, and the bread crumbs in a third bowl. Dredge the chicken first in the flour, then in the egg, then into the rye crumbs. Set them on a nonstick cookie sheet as they are ready.
- Heat the peanut or canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Let the oil heat up for at least 1 minute before adding the chicken. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side, until the coating is golden brown and the chicken is fully cooked through (juices run clear when sliced in the center). Immediately upon removing from the heat, season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
- While you are frying the chicken, make the mustard sauce. In a medium pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vinegar, turn up the heat, and reduce the liquid to about 1 TBS. Add the white wine and simmer to reduce by half, then add the cream, mustard, and salt and pepper and heat through. Remove from the heat.
- Serve the chicken immediately with the sauce on the side. Good accompaniments are braised red cabbage, pickles, and boiled new potatoes.
Dining and Cooking