Description
This Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy is a delicious dish featuring tender, thinly pounded chicken breasts coated in a crispy breadcrumb crust and fried to golden perfection. The schnitzel is then served with a rich, savory mushroom gravy made with sautéed onions, mushrooms, tomato paste, and a flavorful broth reduction. This comforting meal takes about 50 minutes to prepare and serves four.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Schnitzel
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ cups plain breadcrumbs
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil for frying (enough to heat to 340–360°F)
For the Mushroom Gravy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about ¼ inch thick. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
- Set up dredging stations: Arrange three shallow dishes – one with all-purpose flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with plain breadcrumbs. Coat each chicken breast first in the flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs.
- Fry the schnitzel: Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or frying pan to 340–360°F. Fry each chicken piece for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove and keep warm while preparing the gravy.
- Sauté the onion: In the same skillet, retain about 2 tablespoons of the drippings or add 2 tablespoons fresh olive oil. Cook the diced onion over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms to the onions and cook for an additional 5 minutes until they release their moisture and soften.
- Incorporate tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to deepen the flavor and remove raw taste.
- Make a roux: Sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of flour over the mushroom mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, to form a roux and cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add broth and seasonings: Gradually pour in the chicken or beef broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Add dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired. Simmer the gravy on low heat until it thickens to your preferred consistency.
- Serve: Plate the crispy chicken schnitzels and generously spoon over the mushroom gravy. Serve immediately for best taste.
Notes
- Pound the chicken breasts evenly for uniform cooking and optimum crispiness.
- Use low-sodium broth to better control the salt level in the gravy.
- Temperature control is key when frying to ensure a crispy crust without burning.
- You can substitute the mushrooms with cremini or button mushrooms depending on availability.
- The pinch of sugar in the gravy helps balance acidity from the tomato paste but is optional.
- Leftover schnitzel can be reheated in an oven or air fryer to maintain crispiness.
