Chicken schnitzel is easier to make than you might think and this version, served with a creamy mushroom macaroni makes it a complete meal.
If you’ve ever wondered what to serve with chicken schnitzel, you’ve come to the right place! The mushroom pasta I made here will go perfectly with chicken schnitzel – or any kind of schnitzel! Add a side salad if you like and I promise you will love it.
What is chicken schnitzel?
It’s easy to get confused between breaded chicken and chicken schnitzel, but schnitzel simply refers to the thickness of the meat. A chicken schnitzel will be thin – often bashed with a rolling pin – so that it cooks relatively quickly.
You can bread a schnitzel before frying, but you don’t have to. As I’ve done here, you can simply dust with a seasoned flour then fry for delicious, crisp chicken.
The Ingredients
For the schnitzel
- Chicken – use good quality chicken breast for this recipe.
- Plain flour – we use 4 tbsps plain flour to make that crisp layer on the outside of the chicken.
- Smoked paprika, garlic granules, salt, pepper – these simple seasonings add plenty of flavour to the flour and work perfectly with the pasta.
- Vegetable oil – vegetable oil is best for frying the chicken because it can get to quite a high temperature. We only need a little because these chicken schnitzels are pan fried rather than deep fried.
For the mushroom pasta
- Pancetta – that smoky, salty pancetta flavour is the perfect base for this dish.
- Mushrooms – chestnut mushrooms are best, but any dark coloured mushrooms will do.
- Garlic – of course! I used three large cloves, feel free to add more.
- Brandy – to deglaze, optional. If you don’t want to use brandy, you can use 50ml water or stock instead.
- Cream – double cream is best! Always! But you can switch for single cream if you need to.
- Macaroni – any pasta will work here. I prefer macaroni, but you can use any – tagliatelle would also work particularly well.
- Creamy Courgette Pasta
- Creamy Pesto Pasta Bake
- Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
- Chicken Schnitzel With Mushroom Pasta
- Chorizo and Halloumi Pasta
- 15 Minute Garlic Mushroom Pasta
Top Tips
- Coating the chicken When you coat the chicken in the flour, be very careful to make sure that all of the chicken is coated, including the sides. It’s easiest to use your hands for this part.
- Frying the chicken Keep an eye on the chicken when you are frying it, but make sure you give it enough time before turning to get that golden, crisp coat. The internal temperature of the chicken when cooked should be at least 74C/165F.
- Get ahead You can make the mushroom macaroni up to three days ahead and keep in the fridge (it also makes great prepped lunches). Cook the chicken just before you intend to eat it, though – the crunchy coating is best when fresh.
Chicken Schnitzel With Mushroom Pasta
Crispy fried chicken schnitzel served with a creamy mushroom macaroni.
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 100 grams pancetta diced
- 400 grams chestnut mushrooms sliced
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 50 ml brandy
- 150 ml double cream
- 400 grams macaroni
For the chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Tip in the macaroni. Cook according to packet instructions. Drain.
- In a large sauté pan, fry the pancetta cubes over a medium heat. Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until sizzling and golden.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes before adding the garlic. Sizzle for 30 seconds then pour in the brandy. Allow it to bubble for 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to very low and pour in the cream. Stir. Bring to a gentle simmer then turn off the heat and toss with the cooked macaroni. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and leave to one side.
- Put the flour, smoked paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir.
- Get two long sheets of baking parchment or cling film. Lay your chicken breasts on one sheet and cover with the other sheet. Use a rolling pin or similar to bash the chicken breasts until they are 1cm thick.
- Put a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the vegetable oil.
- One by one, put your chicken breasts into the bowl with the flour to thoroughly coat, then into the frying pan.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Don’t overcrowd the pan – you might need to do this in batches.
- To serve, spoon the macaroni into bowls and top each one with a chicken schnitzel.
More cosy chicken recipes:
- Chicken Stroganoff Pie
- Chicken and Pea Risotto
- Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
- Easy Thai Red Chicken Curry
- One Pot Chicken, Bacon and Peas
- One Pot Chicken and Green Olive Tagine
- One Pot Chicken, Chorizo and Butter Bean Stew
- Creamy Chicken and Tarragon Pie
- Coq au Vin Pie
- Mediterranean Chicken Casserole with Couscous
