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Have you ever made schnitzel? I learned to make them when I was in my teens during harvest time when Mom would be hauling grain while dad was combining. Suppers were left to my sister and me. The first few times I made them my fingers were a gooey mess from the breading and I was very nervous about the sizzling hot oil. But after a bit of practice and tips from mom, I've never looked back.

So when Manitoba Chicken asked which of their recipes I would choose to celebrate National Chicken Month, I chose their Classic Chicken Schnitzel recipe and paired it with classic German side dishes I would have brought to the field for mom and dad.

Here are some of the rules mom taught me about making schnitzel:

1. Use one hand for wet, one hand for dry. Avoid goopy breaded fingers by using one hand for the wet chicken and one hand for the flour and bread crumbs.
2. Pound the meat gently. The goal is not to pound or shred it to smithereens, you just want an even smooth surface that's about 1 cm thick. Even with pork cutlets, which is what I learned on, use the smooth side of the meat mallet, not the sharp toothy side.
3. Season the meat instead of the flour or breadcrumbs so you have more control over where the flavour lands.
4. Wait until the oil is hot and place the meat in the pan so it faces away from you when you lay it down to avoid splatters.
5. The breading order is always - Flour - Eggs - Breadcrumbs

The recipe from Manitoba Chicken uses a tasty, buttery lemon and caper sauce as a finishing touch. We often serve schnitzel with a mushroom sauce or Jaegersauce (new blog post). Either way is delicious!

Traditionally, we would also make:

​Creamy Cucumber Salad, German Style - thin cucumber slices in a cool dressing of sour cream, mayo, vinegar, and dill.

​Classic German Braised Red Cabbage - red cabbage simmered slowly with apple, vinegar, and caraway until tender and a little sweet.

​Mashed Potatoes or German Spaetzle - simple egg noodles made from just flour, eggs, and water, perfect for soaking up the pan juices.

This meal has become one of my kids' favourites and is often requested for birthdays or special occasions, even though it's simple enough for any weeknight dinner.

Coming to my Instagram, Facebook & YouTube:

Thursday, Sept 17 - How to Make Chicken Schnitzel

Friday, Sept 18 - How to Make German Mushroom Sauce