Schnitzel was something my mom made every week. Israeli schnitzel is most always made with thinly pounded chicken that is coated in breading and pan-fried. Every child growing up in an Israeli home had this at least once a week without fail. My mom can basically make it in her sleep and I think her recipe is particularly delicious. And I am sharing my mom’s secrets for perfect schnitzel: Dijon mustard in the egg wash plus panko mixed into the breadcrumbs. She doesn’t know I am sharing this, so please – let’s keep this between us. Sorry, mom.
Normally, schnitzel is served on a platter with Israeli salad and rice or mashed potatoes. I’ve taken the basic schnitzel and sandwich-ified it. This is my Israeli take on a fried chicken sandwich. Feel free to double up on the schnitzel and double stack it for an extra large bad boy. The chicken is super crispy and juicy and the slaw adds the perfect amount of zing and freshness to the sandwich. If you can find Israeli pickles, that’s best for the flavor combination. And don’t you dare skimp on that mayo.
The following recipe is excerpted from Danielle Oron’s cookbook Modern Israeli Cooking. Stay tuned this week to win a copy of the cookbook!