Schnitzel

One of my all-time favorite dishes to make, and of course indulge in, will always be schnitzel, or better known as fried breaded chicken. And who can complain about a healthy spin on some homemade friend chicken?! My boyfriend, Chris, certainly doesn't. It's a frequent request when I'm making dinner for the night.

I grew up savoring over my mother's version of this recipe and was more than thrilled to see a version in my Cooking Light: Way to Cook book.

What you'll need:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (optional)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley 
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 

How you'll make it:

1) Preheat oven to 350

2) Wash chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper.

3) Place flour in a shallow bowl. Combine mustard and egg in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese parsley, chives and garlic in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 chicken breast half in flour, turning to coat; shake off excess flour. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken, flour, egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture.

4) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, swirling to coat. Add chicken; saute 2 1/2 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. Place chicken on a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until chicken is done.