Walnut crusted chicken cutlets pan-fried until crispy and golden. Served with a crisp fennel slaw and a simple herby mayo for dipping. It’s a great recipe to liven up a winter weeknight or serve as a beautiful main dish for a dinner party.
walnut crusted chicken – the inspiration
It’s nice to have a few solid recipes you can always rely on for dinner. Ones that you can make over and over again, yet continue to crave. This walnut crusted chicken falls into that recipe category for me.
There are many classic forms of a thin, tender, crispy chicken cutlet – German schnitzel, Italian milanese, and Japanese katsu, to name a few. Traditionally, veal or pork are also used (classic Austrian wiener schnitzel is made with veal, for example).
It’s a highly craveable way of preparing meat, with the golden exterior practically begging for a squeeze of lemon. And I think you’ll really love this interpretation with walnuts added to the breading and an herby mayo for dipping.
the chicken
Starting with the chicken, you can buy chicken cutlets from the store, but I typically find them still too thick for what we’re going for. Instead, I like to buy two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts and then butterfly and pound them myself.
To butterfly a chicken breast, you position your knife flat and cut the chicken in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces.
Then, you’ll want to pound the chicken which not only creates thin, uniform pieces, but also tenderizes the meat. It truly is the key for the juiciest, most tender result. I like to lay the chicken between two layers of plastic wrap and then start pounding it until evenly flattened to about ¼ of an inch thick. You can use a meat pounder, a rolling pin, or even the bottom of a cast-iron skillet.
Once pounded, it’s a standard dredge – flour, egg, breadcrumbs – before pan-frying. With the egg, I mix in dijon mustard, granulated garlic, and smoked paprika. And with the breadcrumbs, I add finely chopped walnuts. These few additional flavors go a long way.
The breaded chicken is pan-fried in hot oil until crisp and golden, then finished cooking in the oven. A lemony, herby mayonnaise-based sauce is the perfect accompaniment for the chicken. You could also skip the sauce and simply eat the chicken with a squeeze of lemon.
the fennel slaw
One of the defining factors of a classic schnitzel or milanese is the balance of a crispy breaded chicken and something acidic alongside to cut the richness. In addition to a squeeze of lemon, typically some sort of bright salad.
This fennel slaw hits all of the right notes, with plenty of acidity from both lemon and white wine vinegar, lots of fresh herbs, and red onion for an extra sharp bite.
To complete the meal, I’d suggest some sort of potato dish alongside – either very simply roasted fingerling potatoes or maybe these roasted potatoes with goat cheese & red pepper sauce if you’re looking for something more complex.
PrintWalnut Crusted Chicken with Fennel Slaw
pan-fried walnut crusted chicken with a crisp fennel slaw & herby mayo dipping sauce
servings: 4
Ingredients
Fennel Slaw
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, cored + very thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ small red onion, cored + very thinly sliced
Herby Mayo
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- ½ lemon, juiced
Walnut Crusted Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken cutlets*
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- neutral cooking oil, as needed
- flaky sea salt
- lemons, cut in half (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- For the fennel slaw, combine fennel, garlic, parsley, dill, white wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and freshly cracked black pepper in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the dish. Rinse the sliced red onion under cold water and let drain. Add it to the slaw right before serving.
- For the herby mayo, combine the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, granulated garlic, parsley, dill, and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- For the chicken, set up 3 bowls – one with the flour and a pinch of salt, one with the eggs, dijon mustard, granulated garlic, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt (whisk to combine), and one with the panko and walnuts (toss to combine).
- Place a wire rack inside of a sheet pan. Dredge the chicken through the flour, then the egg mixture, then the panko mixture. Shake off the excess flour and egg when dredging. Also, pat the panko mixture firmly into the chicken. Place the chicken onto the rack once coated.
- Heat a 12” stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to come about ¼” up the sides of the skillet. Once hot (test a breadcrumb and make sure it sizzles), place two of the chicken cutlets into the oil. Pan-fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden, lowering the heat if needed so they don’t burn.
- Transfer the chicken back to the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Bake the chicken for 8-10 minutes until fully cooked through.
- Serve the chicken with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a squeeze of lemon, plus the fennel slaw and herby mayo alongside.
This recipe is so good!! I’ve made it a few times now and it is a winner every time. I tend to use chicken thighs and will have to make a second batch of the egg mixture to make sure everything is coated. My family loved the fennel slaw so much that we have made it on its own! All around a winner of a recipe.
I’m so glad you love this one, Hayley! I agree, I like making the fennel slaw on its own, too, and adding it to other meals. So fresh!