This is a guest post from one of my “zesty” sons, Jacob. I developed this crispy chicken recipe over the past couple of months and I just had to share it so you can make it too. It’s super easy and is inspired by German schnitzel and Japanese katsu. My tip is to make extra chicken and have it for leftovers or to share with friends.The crispy chicken is served over a salad in this blog post, but with the extra chicken I make delicious sandwiches that are great if you’re in a hurry during the week. Below, I listed some of my favorite sandwich ideas.
Sandwich Ideas:
The Original (OG):
Tuscan or sourdough bread (or between two pieces of garlic bread – trust me it works)
Olive tapenade (or tiny pearl peppers)
Fresh sliced mozzarella cheese
Serve with potato chips of choice (always)
Classic Chicken Club:
Lettuce
Avocado
Tomato
Pickle
Mayo or aioli (chipotle if you feel spicy)
Bacon
Optional – cheddar or some other kind of cheese
Ciabatta or sandwich bread (or a wrap)
Chicken and the Egg:
Over easy egg
Fontina or gruyere cheese
Bacon or sausage (if you want a breakfast vibe)
Avocado
Brioche or sourdough bread (you could put it between two waffles if you’re adventurous)
As you can see, you can really do anything with this crispy chicken. Let me know your favorite combination and suggestions as well!
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten with a tablespoon of water
- 3 cups Japanese-style bread crumbs Panko is my favorite brand
- 3 cups neutral cooking oil peanut or grapeseed oil
- Lightly pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thick and season with salt. Place the flour, eggs and panko onto 3 separate large plates and season each one lightly with salt and pepper. Dredge 1 piece of chicken in the flour, tapping off the excess. Dip in the egg next, allowing the excess to drip off, then coat the chicken with the panko, pressing to help it adhere. Transfer the chicken to a wax paper–lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side. Cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Drain the chicken on paper towels.