There are many ways that parenting humbles you. It appears almost predictable that the kid of a food editor would prefer grilled cheese or buttered noodles over spaghetti Bolognese (” too saucy”) or chicken enchiladas (” The cheese looks odd, and what are those green things?”). I used to be understood for my elaborate dinner celebrations, and now hotdogs are my specialized.
I often make dinner for my hubby and me and cobble together a Theo Special if he doesn’t like what’s on that night’s menu. That solves the instant problem, however if I simply provided hot canines as an option, would he ever attempt new things?
The Chicken Dinner Solution
I decided to turn one simple meal– a crispy piece of boneless chicken– into a personalized supper that everybody around the table might appreciate. That was my lofty goal, anyhow. To keep this meal from entering into nugget area, I turned to fellow moms and dad and Test Kitchen Professional Anna Theoktisto. She pounded chicken breasts into thin cutlets and then flavored the meat and the panko breading with an innovative ingredient: ranch spices mix. The chicken is pan-fried till golden, like a juicy and crispy schnitzel. And the ranch adds zingy notes of buttermilk, tasty garlic, and brightness from dried herbs.
You can serve the chicken solo (with a little ketchup on the side to entice the doubters), top a pile of salad with it, tuck it into a sandwich– and the list goes on. Depending upon your kid, you might or may not wish to call it a “schnitzel.” The name could instantly turn the meal into something unfamiliar and for that reason inedible, or they may discover the word humorous and chow down with glee. Gladly, Theo had the latter reaction, saying those four precious words: “Is there any more?”
Serving Ideas For The Grown-Ups
While the crispy fried chicken is tasty as-is, here are two adult-friendly ways to enjoy it.
Five-Minute Fried Chicken Salad
Toss together 4 cups torn red leaf lettuce, 1 cup cut in half cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives in a big bowl, and divide mixture between 2 plates. Slice 2 Crispy Ranch Chicken Cutlets, and place 1 on top of each salad. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette.
Chicken Parm Sandwiches
Preheat oven to broil with rack about 4 inches from heat source. Butter cut sides of 2 ciabatta rolls with 2 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter. Place buttered sides up on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Location half of 1 Crispy Ranch Chicken Cutlet on bottom half of each roll. Leading each with 2 fresh mozzarella cheese slices; spray with Parmesan. Broil until cheeses are melted, about 3 minutes. Spoon 1/4 cup warmed marinara sauce uniformly over each; location staying half of each roll on top.
More Kid-Pleasing Weeknight Dinners
If you’re in requirement of more weeknight supper motivation, try these easy recipes.
