Chicken Schnitzel w. Pesto Bean Salad
Cook Time: ~15 Minutes
This is a recipe I pinched from Tom Straker; owner & head chef at Straker’s in London. It looked so delicious that I had to try it myself. As such, this recipe is a verbatim replica of Tom’s (except that I use more garlic in my pesto). It’s light, fresh, quick to cook, and has all the satisfaction of a cheat meal.
Serves: 2-4
Prep: ~10 minutes
Cook: ~15 minutes
Ingredients
Chicken Schnitzel
Skinless chicken breasts (500g)
Plain flour
Three eggs
Panko breadcrumbs
One lemon
A few knobs of butter
Salt & black pepper
Groundnut oil (or alternative)
Pesto Bean Salad
Basil (~25g)
Parmesano Reggiano (~125g) (plus extra for serving)
Pine nuts (~25g)
Three garlic cloves
Fine green beans (~150g)
Extra virgin olive oil (~125ml)
Salt & black pepper
Notes
Greens: The same method using sliced asparagus slice lengthways works well too.
Breadcrumb: Panko is the most incredible texture for schnitzel but regular crumbs will suffice in a pinch. For a gluten-free alternative, I typically used crushed gluten-free cornflakes.
Equipment
Large pot
Large pan
Mixing bowls
Food processor
Mise En Place
Lightly toast your pine nuts in a dry pan and leave to cool.
Chop the tips off the stem side of the green beans.
Butterfly the chicken breasts. If the breasts have tenders (those strands of meat that look like mini-fillets) slice those off and butterfly them too. Place each breast on a chopping board, cover with cling film, and bash into a flat circle shape; ensuring they are evenly thinned.
Once the pine nuts have cooled, add them to a food processor alongside 25g of ripped basil, three grated garlic cloves, ~125g of grated parmesan, black pepper, salt, and ~100 ml of extra virgin oil. Blitz the ingredients, allowing there to be some texture remaining. If the mixture is too viscous, add more oil and blitz until smoother.
The Cook
Grab three plates or mixing bowls. Beat three eggs into one, empty the panko breadcrumbs into the other, and decant flour into the last; ensuring you generously season the flour with salt and black pepper. This will be your schnitzel station. Dip each chicken breast into the flour, coating well, before fully submerging both sides in egg, and then coating in breadcrumbs. Leave the chicken breasts aside on a tray.
Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil, add the beans, and let them soften while you cook the chicken. The goal is to reduce the bite of the beans, so they are delicate in the salad.
Meanwhile, to shallow fry the chicken add a layer of oil to cover the base of a pan and bring it to a high heat. Once hot, gently add the breaded chicken and cook until golden brown on one side, this should take between 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Add a knob of butter to the pan and flip the chicken to cook the other side; the butter should begin to effervesce and you can start basting the chicken with the butter using a spoon. Once cooked, remove the chicken and place it onto a kitchen towel to remove grease. Season the breast with salt and pepper.
With the beans now soft, drain them and place them into a mixing bowl alongside a few tablespoons of pesto, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. To serve, lay down the chicken schnitzel, and scoop over a generous helping of the bean salad, some freshly grated parmesan, and a wedge of lemon. Enjoy.
If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.
Thanks for reading,
Conor