If you’re short on ideas for a delicious lunchtime meal or dinner option, try this chicken schnitzel with grape slaw.
This dish was created by MasterChef 2016 winner Elena Duggan and is perfect if you’re looking to add a delicious burst of sweetness to your next meal.
If you think grapes sound like an unusual thing to add to a coleslaw salad, think again. Not only do grapes taste great, they’re also a nutritious source of essential vitamins and minerals.
“Just one portion (of grapes) provides almost a quarter of your daily intake of vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system, and almost a fifth of your daily intake of vitamin K, essential for building healthy bones,” said Accredited Nutritionist and Dietitian Jemma O’Hanlon.
This chicken schnitzel with grape slaw is quick and delicious, and will add a sweet twist to your next meal. Mix up purple grapes with red onion and red cabbage for a purple salad, or green grapes with green spring onions and green cabbage for a green salad.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts (200-250g each), thinly sliced in half, then flattened to 1cm thickness
150g plain flour (or gluten free tapioca flour)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
200g panko breadcrumbs (or gluten free alternative)
50g butter
100g olive oil
500g savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
500g seedless grapes, various colours, sliced into discs
1 large white onion, finely sliced
50g verjus (alternatively, equal parts lemon and grape juice)
50g grapeseed oil, or other light flavoured oil
15g Dijon mustard
White pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Method
Prepare three shallow dishes or oven trays: the first with flour and seasoning, the second with beaten eggs, and the third with seasoned breadcrumbs.
Flour each piece of chicken carefully, shaking off any excess. Proceed to the egg tray and ensure chicken and flour is completely covered in egg and let any excess drip off. Finally, crumb the pieces ensuring even and thorough coating before setting aside, ready to cook. This step can be completed hours in advance then stored in an airtight container in the fridge, for convenience.
For the slaw, in a large bowl place the verjus, oil, Dijon, pepper and salt, and beat until combined.
Finely slice the onion and shred the cabbage.
Thoroughly coat the cabbage and onion in the dressing, but set the grapes aside for presentation, as they’re more delicate.
Preheat your oven to 150° Celsius.
In a large skillet, heat half the oil and butter to a medium heat – the butter should be bubbling but remain golden in colour. Fry the four pieces of chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pan, cooking each side for approximately 4-6 minutes. Remove and drain well, and keep warm on an oven tray in the oven while the remaining batch is cooking.
To present the salad, layer the dressed cabbage and onion, and top with the grapes so they remain glossy and visible. Repeat to create small piles on each plate.
Serve with hot chicken schnitzel.
Serves 4.
Top tips:
- You easily make this gluten free with a gluten free bread
- Feel free to swap the chicken for fish, pork or mushrooms or eggplant for a vegetarian option.