Chicken Schnitzel with Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

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Chicken Schnitzel with Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

Chicken Schnitzel with Creamy Pesto Gnocchi is a crispy, cheesy weeknight dinner ready in 40 minutes, with golden panko chicken and a rich, melty pesto cream sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

4 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

1 lb gnocchi (shelf-stable or refrigerated)
2 tablespoon olive oil or butter
½ cup pesto
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

Place each chicken breast inside a zip-top plastic bag and pound to an even ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Remove from the bag and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Set up three shallow bowls: the first with flour mixed together with the lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; the second with the whisked eggs; the third with the panko breadcrumbs.
Working one piece at a time, dredge each chicken breast in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg, letting any extra drip off, then press firmly into the panko breadcrumbs to coat evenly on both sides.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 schnitzels (do not crowd the pan) and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Wipe the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over all the schnitzels and season with salt as needed.

For the Gnocchi

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions, then drain well.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the drained gnocchi and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pesto and heavy cream. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and stir gently until the cheeses are fully melted and the sauce is creamy. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
Place each crispy chicken schnitzel on a plate and spoon a generous portion of the creamy pesto gnocchi alongside or on top. Finish with extra Parmesan, a drizzle of pesto, and lemon wedges for squeezing. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pound the chicken evenly. This is not optional. An evenly pounded chicken breast, about ½ inch thick throughout, is what gives you a schnitzel that cooks in the same amount of time across the whole cutlet. Thick in some spots and thin in others means some parts are dry before the rest is cooked through. Use a plastic bag and a meat mallet or heavy pan and take a minute to do this step right.

Season at every layer. Salt and pepper the chicken before dredging, season the flour mixture, and give the finished schnitzel a hit of salt right when it comes out of the pan. Layering seasoning throughout is what makes a truly great schnitzel.

Use one hand for wet, one for dry. Keep one hand dedicated to the egg dip and the other to the flour and panko. This prevents the dreaded clumpy, gummy fingers situation and gives you a much cleaner, more even coating.

Do not crowd the pan. Fry the schnitzels one or two at a time depending on your pan size. Crowding drops the oil temperature and leads to soggy, greasy crust instead of crispy golden perfection.

Squeeze lemon the second it comes out of the pan. That hit of fresh lemon juice right when the schnitzel is hot and fresh from the oil is everything. It brightens the whole thing and cuts through the richness beautifully.

For the gnocchi, sauté before saucing. Getting a little golden color on the gnocchi in the skillet before adding the pesto and cream adds a subtle nuttiness and helps the gnocchi hold up in the sauce instead of turning mushy.

Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. Once the pesto and cream are in the pan, drop the heat before stirring in the mozzarella and Parmesan. High heat can cause the cheese to break and turn grainy instead of smooth and creamy.

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