Recipe of the week: Ultracrisp schnitzel made with chicken, not veal

The secret of perfectly crisp, light Wiener schnitzel with a crust that rises like a soufflé is to shake the pan while you cook, said Melissa Clark in The New York Times. That was the advice given to me years ago by Austrian chef Mario Lohninger, who explained that moving the pan traps air under the meat’s crust, and prevents the bread crumbs from sticking to the cutlet in a gummy mess.

Years have passed since I’ve had a ­craving for schnitzel, but when it hit me recently, “it hit hard.” Not wanting to use factory-farm veal, and with humanely raised veal not available at my local market, I decided to use free-range chicken cutlets instead. I swirled the pan while cooking, as my old friend Mario had taught me, and the meat browned beautifully. A pinch of cayenne and nutmeg added a savory dimension to the ultracrisp crust.

Recipe of the week

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Crisp Chicken Schnitzel With Lemony Spring Herb Salad

6 anchovy fillets

1 small garlic clove

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2½ tbsp fresh lemon juice

7 to 8 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

2 eggs, beaten

1½ cups panko or other unseasoned bread crumbs

½ cup flour

1⁄8 tsp cayenne

1⁄8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1¼ lbs chicken cutlets, pounded to 1⁄8-inch thick

Safflower, peanut, or vegetable oil, for frying

2 quarts mixed baby greens

2 cups soft herb leaves, like a combination of mint, tarragon, basil, parsley, cilantro, chervil, chives (try to use at least 3 kinds)

1 scallion, thinly sliced, including greens

Mince anchovies and garlic; mix with large pinch of salt until you get a rough paste. Put in bowl; whisk in lemon zest, lemon juice, another pinch of salt, and some ­pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil.

Place eggs in one shallow dish, bread crumbs in another, flour mixed with cayenne and nutmeg in a third. Season chicken cutlets generously with salt and pepper.

Heat 1⁄8 inch oil in large skillet. While oil heats, dip cutlets one by one into flour (shake off excess), then into eggs (ditto), and finally into bread crumbs, taking care not to handle chicken more than necessary (hold meat by ends). When oil sizzles when pinch of bread crumbs is thrown in, add chicken cutlet (or two if your skillet is large; leave plenty of room around them). Swirl pan so oil cascades over top of cutlet in waves. When bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes, flip and brown other side, swirling pan (swirling helps create air pockets, giving you lighter schnitzel). Transfer to paper-towel-lined baking platter; sprinkle with more salt. Repeat with remaining chicken. Serves 3 to 4.