If you have some extra time to fuss on the weekend try this dish which can be made with chicken thighs or breast. Add a glug of cream or Madeira for richness to the mushroom sauce. Serve alongside buttered noodles or roast veggies like I did. This is an Australian favourite and is what’s known as “parmi” but you would most likely see it with a layer of cheese overtop, a stack of chips and an ice-cold Schooner of beer.

Ingredients:

4-5 chicken thighs, pounded until 1/2 inch thick

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup Panko

4 tablespoons coconut oil or other high-flashpoint oil for frying

500g sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 packet Onion Gravy powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Salt pounded cutlets with 1 tsp salt and pepper. Place flour, beaten eggs and panko on individual plates. Begin to dredge cutlets into flour, then egg, then panko.

Heat oil in frying pan and begin to fry cutlets in batches. You don’t have to worry about making sure they are cooked through as you will be placing them for a final “bake” into the oven. This allows you to remove cutlets when their coating is browned and prevents burning.

Bake fried cutlets in preheated oven for 10 minutes to complete cooking.

Meanwhile make mushroom sauce by adding butter to skillet (you may need to wipe out skillet slightly if there are some burned bits). Add mushrooms and thyme and stir. When mushrooms have softened add onion gravy packet. Stir to thicken.

Remove cutlets from oven and serve gravy overtop. A dollop of sour cream and green salad is the final touch.