Pan-fried Chicken with Mash Potato & White Cabbage Salad

From the series “My Favourite Recipes” published in ‘Take a Break’s’ Magazine

There are meals that shouldn’t be changed only repeated, again and again, because in every bite they carry the taste of home and the warmth of childhood.

This pan-fried chicken is one of those my mother used to make, always served with creamy mashed potatoes and fresh cabbage salad that brightened the plate. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t ask for much just a little patience and a lot of love.

I can still hear the sound of chicken sizzling in the pan, smell the comforting scent filling the kitchen and see the table waiting to be set. That’s the taste of home simple, familiar and perfect just the way it is.

For the chicken

• 4 skinless chicken breast fillets

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 100–120g golden breadcrumbs (I'm using Paxo)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper or Vegeta*

• 100ml sunflower oil

For the mash

• 800g potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1 tsp butter

• 50ml milk

• ½ tsp salt

For the cabbage salad

• 1 small white cabbage, finely sliced

• 3–4 tbsp olive oil

• 3–4 tbsp white wine vinegar

• Salt to taste

Method

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each piece into the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs and shake off any excess.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken for 5–8 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.

3. Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 25 minutes until tender. Drain, add butter and milk and mash until smooth.

4. For the salad, season the cabbage with salt, add olive oil and vinegar and mix well, adjust seasoning if needed.

Tip

• Season the chicken with Vegeta a few hours before frying for a deeper flavour. You can usually find Vegeta* in the “World Foods” section of most supermarkets.

• If you have any leftover eggs and breadcrumbs, mix them together and fry them just like the chicken they’re absolutely delicious!

• If you prefer a lighter version, you can bake the chicken in the oven on parchment paper.

• And if you wish, add a pinch of nutmeg to the mash for a special aroma.

I hope your home will smell the same, of simplicity, warmth and those little moments we remember for a lifetime. It’s not just about the chicken or the mash. It’s about the scent that greets us when we return home, the voices around the table and how the taste of one simple meal becomes a story we pass on.

This was one of our favourite family dishes and that’s why I still keep it the same, with the same aroma and the same smile.

 Next recipe in the series

After this warm family meal, the next recipe in the series will bring something sweet and gentle. Raffaello slices, a dessert that fills the kitchen with the scent of vanilla and almonds and a touch of home.

Check out other recipes from the series – My Favourite Recipes in the Media

If you try this recipe, I’d love to see your version.

Tag me on Instagram @smikiscorner.

Pohovana Piletina sa Pire Krompirom i Kupus Salatom

Iz serijala "Moji omiljeni recepti" objavljenog u Take a Break magazinu

Porodični klasik koji vraća miris detinjstva

Ovo je jelo koje se u mojoj porodici prenosi s generacije na generaciju. Volela sam ga dok sam bila dete uz miris domaće pileće supe i zvuke kuhinje koji su uvek značili da je ručak skoro gotov. Danas ga i moja deca vole jednako kao što sam ga ja volela nekad. Hrskava korica, mekano meso i jednostavni prilozi čine ga jednim od onih jela koja su zauvek “naša”

Još uvek čujem kako piletina cvrči u tiganju, onaj zvuk koji najavi ručak pre nego što je sto postavljen. Miris se polako širi kuhinjom, mami osmeh i budi sećanja.

 To je ukus doma jednostavan, poznat i savršen baš takav kakav jeste.

Potrebno

• 4 pileća fileta bez kože

• 2 jaja, lagano umućena

• 100–120 g prezli

• so i biber, vegeta

• 100 ml suncokretovog ulja, za prženje

Pire krompir

• 800 g krompira, oljuštenog i isečenog na kocke

• 1 kašičica maslaca

• 50 ml mleka

• ½ kašičice soli

  
  

Salatu od belog kupusa

• 1 manja glavica belog kupusa, sitno iseckana

• 3–4 kašike maslinovog ulja

• 3–4 kašike belog vinskog sirćeta

• so po ukusu

  
  

Priprema

1. Oštrim nožem zaseći svaku pileću potrbušinu po sredini, da se dobije osam manjih komada. Posoli i pobiberi komade piletine, zatim ih uvaljaj prvo u umućeno jaje, a potom u prezle. Otrese višak prezli.

2. U većem tiganju zagrej ulje na srednjoj temperaturi i prži piletinu 5–8 minuta sa svake strane, dok ne dobije zlatno-smeđu koricu.

3. Pripremljen krompir kuvati u posoljenoj vodi oko 25 minuta dok ne omekša, zatim ga ispasiraj, dodaj maslac i mleko, pa dobro umutiti dok ne postane gladak.

4. Za salatu, u činiji pomešaj kupus, so, maslinovo ulje i sirće. Po želji dodaj još začina.

Saveti

• Ono što vam ostane malo jaja i prezli, pomešajte zajedno, začinite i ispržite kao male zlatne zalogaje, ukusni su gotovo kao i sama piletina!

• Umesto obične soli i bibera, super paše vegeta ili so sa biljnim začinima. Najbolje je piletinu začiniti par sati ranije, pa čak i veče pre biće još ukusnija.

• Ako želite laganiju varijantu, piletinu možete peći u rerni na papiru za pečenje. A u pire po želji dodati malo muškatnog oraščića za poseban miris.

Nadam se da će i vaša kuća mirisati tako na jednostavnost, toplinu i one male trenutke koje pamtimo celog života. Jer, nije stvar samo u piletini ili pireu. Stvar je u mirisu koji nas dočeka kad se vratimo kući, u glasovima za stolom, u tome kako se ukus jednog običnog jela pretvara u priču koju prenosimo dalje. Ovo je bilo jedno od naših najdražih porodičnih jela i zato ga čuvam i danas, u istom obliku, s istim mirisom i istim osmehom.

Sledeći recept u serijalu

Posle ovog porodičnog ručka, sledeći recept u serijalu doneće nešto slatko i nežno. Raffaello šnite, kolač koji nas uvek vrati u one trenutke kad se kuhinja ispuni mirisom vanilije i badema.

Pogledajte i druge recepte iz serijala – Moji omiljeni recepti u medijima

Ako isprobate ovaj recept, volela bih da vidim vašu verziju.

 Tagujte me na Instagramu @smikiscorner