Chicken Schnitzel with Autumn Kale Salad
This savory, sweet Chicken Schnitzel with Autumn Kale Salad hits all the flavor notes. Crispy Chicken Schnitzel coupled with a Kale, roasted Butternut squash, roasted pumpkin seeds, sweet red grapes, quinoa and feta salad enveloped in a tangy White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. They go together perfectly and hello to your new favorite Autumnal salad spread!
Chicken Schnitzel is easy to make. I like to serve the perfectly crispy cutlets with a salad, and in this case, this is my favorite salad for this dish. These cutlets come together pretty easily with some pantry staples. For the salad, I like to let the Kale rest while I’m preparing the Chicken Schnitzel so when it’s time to assemble the salad, the kale will be tender and easy to eat. Don’t be intimidated by all the steps. If you prepare all your ingredients, this dish comes together in under an hour.
How to make Chicken Schnitzel and Autumn Kale Salad
Make the dressing first, it’s only Dijon mustard, neutral oil like Canola or vegetable, White Balsamic Vinegar, honey, shallots, salt and pepper. Alternately, my Maple Vinaigrette works beautifully with this recipe.
- 1 tbsp shallot minced
- 2 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
- 6 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey raw or regular
- salt and pepper to taste
In a jar with lid, add the shallots and White Balsamic Vinegar. Allow to shallots to macerate in the vinegar for 5-10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and screw lid tightly and shake until fully combined. Set aside.
Preparing the Autumn Kale Salad
Take one bunch of dinosaur or Lacinato Kale, rinse well and pat dry. Any Kale will work, I prefer this type of Kale for this salad. Remove center ribs from the leaves, throw ribs away. Chop or tear Kale leaves into bite size pieces and place in large bowl. Add half of the dressing and toss together and set aside.
Now time to roast the butternut squash. The easiest method is to buy ready to cook squash for this salad however, if you like, you can peel your own. This the easiest method of preparing the squash:
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel all the skin of the butternut squash.
- Next, cut the top and bottom end off.
- Cut in half and with a spoon, remove the seeds and the extra fibers.
- Cut into 1 inch cubes.
- You can roast it all for meal prep or just roast what you need for this salad and save the rest for another meal. (Mashed Butternut squash is amazing and you make it just like you would mashed potatoes.)
For this salad, take two cups of squash, place on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet, drizzle olive oil on the squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a preheated 400º oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Slice 1 cup of red, seedless grapes in half. Set aside. Measure 1/2 cup Feta cheese, 1/4 cup pepitas, 1/2 cup cooked quinoa and set aside. (You can add more or less of each ingredient to taste.)
How to prepare the Crispy Chicken Schnitzel
You will need 3 shallow bowls for the breading “assembly” line:
- First bowl add 1 cup of all purpose flour.
- Second bowl add 2 eggs, beaten.
- Third bowl is the panko/breadcrumb mixture: 1 cup of panko, 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs, 1 tsp of sweet paprika, 1 tsp thyme, pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Mix together with a fork.
Now let’s prepare the chicken. I prefer trimmed, skinless, boneless thighs for the extra flavor. You can use chicken breast cutlets as well. Place a chicken thigh or breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, or in a storage bag and pound each piece of chicken until about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. This is important because you need the chicken to cook quickly and thoroughly. When all the chicken has been pounded, pat dry if needed and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
In a wide, thick bottom skillet, cast iron pan or dutch oven, heat about 3/4 cup of oil over medium high heat (canola works well). Oil will be ready to use when it’s starts glistening but not smoking.
Prepare a plate with paper towels to place fried chicken pieces after they are cooked to absorb excess oil.
How to cook Chicken Schnitzel
Now you are ready to fry the cutlets. Take a piece of chicken, dredge in flour completely, shake off excess flour. Now dip the chicken piece into the egg mixture and then the panko breadcrumb mix ensuring the chicken piece is fully coated. Carefully place the chicken piece in the skillet with hot oil. Chicken should be sizzling. Allow to cook for about 4-6 minutes one side and with tongs, turn chicken piece and fry 3-4 minutes on the second side. Chicken should be golden brown throughout.
Place fried chicken pieces on plate with paper towels. Continue the same steps with each piece of chicken until all pieces are fried.
How to assemble the chicken Schnitzel and Autumn Kale Salad
Take the bowl with Kale and dressing, add grapes, butternut squash, pepitas, quinoa, and feta. Toss and test for flavor and add more dressing if needed to suit your taste. On a large platter, arrange salad and arrange chicken Schnitzel. Serve with the extra dressing on the side.
Enjoy!
Inspired by this recipe? Make sure to mention us or tag us on Instagram or Pin this recipe for later. All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Chicken Schnitzel and Autumn Kale Salad
October 4, 2021Equipment
- heavy bottom skillet
- 3 shallow bowls for dredging
- platter for serving
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp shallot minced
- 2 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar you can substitute Apple Cider vinegar
- 6 tbsp neutral oil canola or vegetable
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey raw or regular
- salt and pepper
Autumn Kale Salad
- 1 bunch Kale Lacinato or dinosaur
- 2 cups Butternut squash roasted
- 1 cup grapes, red seedless cut in half
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup pepitas or roasted, shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup Quinoa cooked to package directions
Chicken Schnitzel
- 2 lbs chicken, thighs skinless, boneless, trimmed
- 3/4 cup oil for frying canola, vegetable
- 2 whole eggs beaten
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 1 cup Panko Japanese breadcrumbs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs plain
- 1 tsp paprika sweet
- 1 tsp thyme dried
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- In a jar with lid, add the shallots and White Balsamic Vinegar. Allow to shallots to macerate in the vinegar for 5-10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and screw lid tightly and shake until fully combined. Set aside.
Prepare the Autumn Kale Salad
- Take one bunch of dinosaur or Lacinato Kale, rinse well and pat dry.
- Remove center ribs from the leaves, throw ribs away. Chop or tear Kale leaves into bite size pieces and place in large bowl.
- Add half of the dressing and toss together and set aside.
Roasted Butternut squash
- Preheat oven to 400º
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add cubed Butternut squash. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper.
- Roast for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and allow to cool.
How to make Chicken Schnitzel
- You will need 3 shallow bowls for the breading “assembly” line:
- First bowl add 1 cup of all purpose flour. Second bowl add 2 eggs, beaten.
- Third bowl is the panko/breadcrumb mixture: 1 cup of panko, 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs, 1 tsp of sweet paprika, 1 tsp thyme, pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Mix together with a fork. Set aside.
- Place a chicken thigh or breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, or in a storage bag and pound each piece of chicken until about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. This is important because you need the chicken to cook quickly and thoroughly.
- When all the chicken has been pounded, pat dry if needed and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a wide, thick bottom skillet, cast iron pan or dutch oven, heat about 3/4 cup of oil over medium high heat (canola works well). Oil will be ready to use when it’s starts glistening but not smoking.
- Prepare a plate with paper towels to place fried chicken pieces after they are cooked to absorb excess oil.
- Take a piece of chicken, dredge in flour completely, shake off excess flour.
- Now dip the chicken piece into the egg mixture and then the panko breadcrumb mix ensuring the chicken piece is fully coated.
- Carefully place the chicken piece in the skillet with hot oil. Chicken should be sizzling.
- Allow to cook for about 4-6 minutes one side and with tongs, turn chicken piece and fry 3-4 minutes on the second side.
- Chicken should be golden brown throughout. Internal temperature should be 165º.
- Place fried chicken pieces on plate with paper towels. Continue the same steps with each piece of chicken until all pieces are fried.
Assembling the Chicken Schnitzel and Autumn Kale Salad
- Take the bowl with Kale and dressing, add grapes, butternut squash, pepitas, quinoa, and feta. Toss and test for flavor and add more dressing if needed to suit your taste.
- On a large platter, arrange salad and arrange chicken Schnitzel. Serve one piece of chicken with about 1 cup of salad. Serve with the extra dressing on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
