German Feast: Crispy Chicken Schnitzel, Bratwurst &Amp; Pretzel Bites with Cucumber Salad

Bring the flavors of a German beer hall to your dinner table with this hearty, crowd-pleasing feast. Crispy chicken schnitzel coated in lemony panko, juicy roasted bratwurst and golden fingerling potatoes come together for a satisfying meal. Add salty pretzel bites and a tangy cucumber-shallot salad for freshness, then drizzle with honey Dijon dressing and dip everything into a curried mayo-ketchup sauce.

This recipe is perfect for a festive dinner or a fun family-style spread. The combination of textures and flavors-crunchy, creamy, tangy and savory-will transport you straight to a Bavarian biergarten. Serve it all on one platter and let everyone help themselves!

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce Bratwurst SausageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.33 tablespoon Curry PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Pretzel BitesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Honey Dijon DressingView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Red Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit KetchupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Fingerling PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce DillView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Wash and dry all produce. Halve the fingerling potatoes lengthwise. On a baking sheet, toss the potatoes with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Spread them on one side of the sheet. Roast on the top rack for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, trim and thinly slice the cucumber. Halve, peel and thinly slice half the shallot. Finely chop the dill. Zest and quarter the lemon. In a medium bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Add the cucumber, sliced shallot and as much dill as you like. Stir to combine and refrigerate until serving.
3. After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Add the bratwurst sausages to the empty side of the sheet. Return to the top rack and roast until the potatoes are golden and tender and the sausages are cooked through, 10-15 minutes more.
4. While the potatoes and sausages roast, prepare the chicken. In a shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, half the lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Place them between two large pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or rolling pin to about ⅓ inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 tablespoon butter (about 10-20 seconds). Stir in the sour cream until smooth. Brush the chicken all over with the sour cream mixture. Working one at a time, press each cutlet into the panko mixture to coat both sides.
6. Heat a ⅓-inch layer of oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering (test with a pinch of panko), add the chicken. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
7. Once the potatoes and sausages are done, transfer the potatoes to a platter and the sausages to a cutting board. Line the same baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it. Arrange the pretzel bites on the sheet, lightly sprinkle with water and season with salt. Bake on the top rack until warmed through, 4-5 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the ketchup, mayonnaise and curry powder to taste (start with 1 teaspoon). Slice each sausage into four pieces. Arrange the sausages, potatoes, chicken and pretzel bites on a platter. Serve family-style with the cucumber salad, curry mayo-ketchup, honey Dijon dressing and lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead of cutlets?

Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Simply slice them in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets, then pound to an even thickness.

What can I substitute for bratwurst?

You can use any smoked or fresh sausage, such as kielbasa, Italian sausage or chicken sausage. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I reheat leftovers?

Reheat the schnitzel and sausages in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to maintain crispiness. The pretzel bites can be reheated in the microwave for 20 seconds.