The combination of soft white bread, crunchy crumbed chicken and a tangy creamy sauce is a complete winner.

The tartare-like sauce really elevates this humble dish, and makes for such a tasty sandwich. I love adding creme fraiche here as it lightens up the sauce and also provides a good amount of acidity, along with the cornichons.

You can change the protein used here — chicken is just so easy and approachable, but pork or fish is also great crumbed and fried.

There’s no need to fill a frying pan with oil to fry these schnitzels, just enough to shallow fry is perfect. Drain them on a wire rack instead of absorbent paper to help them stay crunchy.

Julia’s Picnic-Perfect Chicken Schnitzel Sangas!

(Serves 4)

2 skinless chicken breast fillets
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp full cream milk
Plain flour, to dust
Salt and pepper, to season
Japanese breadcrumbs (Panko), for coating
8 gem lettuce leaves
8 slices soft white bread
Neutral vegetable oil, for frying

Herbed mayo

60g Japanese mayonnaise
100g creme fraiche
8 cornichons, roughly chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 French shallot (Eschalot),  finely diced
Large handful each of dill and parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method: 

For the herbed mayo sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.

Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so you now have four pieces. If any of the pieces are thicker in one part, use a meat mallet or the base of a mug, to flatten out. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a shallow tray place the eggs and milk and whisk to combine. In a flat plate place a layer of plain flour and in another plate place a layer of panko crumbs. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, and keeping one hand clean, dip a piece of chicken into the flour, shaking off any excess. Move the chicken into the egg mixture and allow excess to drain. Finally move the chicken into the panko and pat the crumbs into the chicken to secure them to the egg mixture. Place on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Heat 2cm of oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the crumbed chicken, in batches, for around 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack and season with some salt.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread a thin layer of the herbed mayo sauce on 4 slices of the bread. Top each of the slices with one piece of chicken, followed by a few lettuce leaves and finally a big dollop of the sauce. Top with another piece of bread, cut in half and serve immediately.

What else I’m eating: The Ashta gelato which is on for a short time at Pidapipo in collaboration with Tom Sarafian. Rolled in slivered Iranian pistachios, it’s so delicious.

What else I’m cooking: Spring things! White zucchini with soft boiled eggs, stuffed zucchini flowers with mozzarella and anchovy and bruschetta with peas and ricotta.

Download the recipe card here!