Chicken Schnitzel With Lemon And Dill Sauce

A lot of people have been asking us what we use for breading.  Over the past couple of years we’ve tried several different keto friendly breading recipes;  And as it turns out, our favorite is also the easiest.
Simple yet yummy, powdered Parmesan Cheese….Yep that’s right, the stuff that you get in the shaker works the best.  It cooks up crispy, golden, and really doesn’t taste like Parmesan cheese once cooked;  However you can also, add a little parsley, garlic powder and black pepper if you want to jazz it up.  Even “SALT FREE” lemon pepper, or cajun seasoning would be nice also.  Make sure it’s salt free though, not because salt is bad for you, it’s actually quite vital on the keto diet, but because the Parmesan cheese is plenty salty enough.

Today we are going to show you a recipe for Chicken Schnitzel, but you could pretty much use any protein you desire, pork, veal, beef…They all work well.
A “schnitzel” is just a German word for a cutlet that’s been beaten thinly, breaded and shallow fried.  Here in the SOUTH it’s known as Chicken Fried Steak, in Italy it’s a Milanese, and Australia, it’s dearly referred to as a “SCHNITTY”.
We are pairing that with a simple and delicious lemon and dill sauce.

Now every good protein needs a side dish, and whilst it’s still cold outside, we’ve teamed it with an Easy, Peasy, Cheesy “Faux-tato” bake, or Au Gratin if you want to break out the French accent.  Who misses potatoes?  I certainly do, and every time I substitute cauliflower for potato, it always ends up tasting like…..well….CAULIFLOWER!!
However, if you follow our simple hack, I promise you it will taste just like a scalloped potato…Don’t say anything and know one will know.

SCHNITZEL INGREDIENTS

4     boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half
2     cups of powdered Parmesan cheese
3     eggs
1     TBSP heavy whipping cream
any extra seasonings or herbs that you may want **Remember Salt Free**
olive oil for shallow frying

SCHNITZEL INSTRUCTIONS

Make yourself a “Breading Station” (see picture above) using 3 containers and a large plate.  1 container for the UN-breaded chicken fillets, 1 for the egg wash, 1 for the Parmesan, and the large plate for the breaded chicken.  Put them all in a row, for a quick clean preparation.

1. Whisk the eggs and heavy whipping cream into a container until well combined.
2. Dip the chicken cutlets into the egg wash, then into the Parmesan, until chicken is well coated.
3. Place breaded chicken into refrigerator for 30 mins, this helps the breading to stay onto the chicken.
4. After 30 mins in the refrigerator, heat oil over MED/HIGH heat in a Large skillet. Shallow fry the chicken cutlets until golden brown;  Because the cutlets are thin, they will be fully cooked by the time they have browned on both sides.

A COUPLE OF KITCHEN TIPS BEFORE WE MOVE ON
– Don’t overcrowd the pan with too many pieces of chicken, or it won’t cook even and crispy.
– A fork is the best utensil in the kitchen for flipping the chicken without the breading falling off.
– The chicken cutlet is ready to flip when it releases itself from the pan.  If it’s sticking, it usually ain’t ready to flip, unless, you have a very old scratched up pan.
Trying to turn the chicken before it releases can result in the chicken losing all its breading.

LEMON AND DILL SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1     medium to large sized lemon – zested and juiced
1.5  cups chicken stock
3     TBSP butter
2     TBSP fresh dill finely chopped
1/4 – 1/2  tsp xanthan gum
salt and pepper to taste

LEMON AND DILL SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium skillet, heat 2 TBSP of the butter over a medium heat until melted.
2. Add lemon zest and saute for about 30 seconds.  Add lemon juice and chicken stock, and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the fresh dill, stir and let simmer for 30 seconds.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Sprinkle the xanthan gum (starting with 1/4tsp) over the sauce, stir and let simmer for 30 seconds.  Sauce should lightly coat the back of a spoon, so that when you run your finger down it, the line stays.  If it’s too thin still, add the next 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum.  Stir, let simmer until slightly thickened as for-mentioned.
6. Take off the heat, and add the last 1 TBSP of butter and quickly stir it until sauce is velvety and glossy.

CHEESY FAUX-TATO BAKE INGREDIENTS

1     large head of cauliflower (stem/core is all that is really needed here)
1     cup chicken stock
1/2  cup heavy whipping cream
6 to 8 oz   american cheese, cubed **(cut from the block at the deli section.
We use Land o Lakes)**

CHEESY FAUX-TATO BAKE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Remove florets from cauliflower, keeping the stem/core intact.
3. Thinly slice the stem/core into rounds as you would a scalloped potato (see picture above).
4. In a medium saucepan add the faux-tatoes and chicken stock.  This is the step that takes away the earthy cauliflower taste. Over medium/high heat bring the stock to a boil, until the cauliflower rounds are fork tender, again treat it like a scalloped potato.
5. Pour out the stock and set faux-tatoes aside.
6. In a small saucepan, add cubed cheese and heavy whipping cream, and melt over medium low heat until cheese is fully melted and incorporated. You don’t want the mixture to boil, or else it will separate.
7. In a small baking dish, spoon a small layer of cheese sauce, followed by a layer of the faux-tatoes, then drizzle or spoon cheese sauce till faux-tatoes are completely covered.
8. Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for 20 minutes, then broil the top until lightly browned. About 1-2 minutes only. It can burn quickly, so I wouldn’t take my eyes off of it for long.
9. Serve and ENJOY!

SERVES: 4

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