Mexican-Inspired Wild Turkey Schnitzel
A delicious, cross-cultural combination of the satisfying crispiness of breaded turkey with the fresh ingredients of pico de gallo and avocado crema
Is there any better preparation for wild turkey breast than schnitzel, milanesas, or fried cutlets? Hmm… I think not.
I do get slightly bored with plain old schnitzel sometimes, so I decided to spice things up a bit with some Mexican-inspired flair!
Serve these schnitzel “salad-style” with all of the accoutrements piled high on top, or serve them on the side and let diners have a choose-your-own-adventure meal with a different bite each time.
Schnitzel is such a great preparation for wild turkey breast since it can be quite tough. Pounding out slices of breast into thin cutlets breaks down much of the tough muscle fibers that can ruin your meal.
To pound them flat without making a mess, take a large zipper locking plastic bag and cut the sides out, leaving the bottom seam to work as a hinge. Open the bag like a book, place a slice of wild turkey breast in the middle of one side of the plastic, then fold the other over so that it is covered. Now take a hefty meat mallet, rubber mallet, rolling pin, or even a wine bottle, and gently pound it to somewhere around ¼ inch thick.
The now tender pieces of turkey get dipped in flour, then in egg wash, then in breadcrumbs. This allows the exterior crumbs to adhere to the meat and not slough off in the pan.
These can be deep-fried, but shallow frying works just as well and creates less of a mess. You want just enough oil or lard in the skillet to allow the schnitzel to float, even if it’s just 1/16 inch.
You’ll want to keep your oil at around 325°F to 350°F. Anything less and the crumbed coating will begin absorbing oil; anything more and the coating will burn before the center is cooked through.
Test the first couple of finished cutlets with a meat probe thermometer, pulling them out at around 160°F so they can finish cooking out of the oil. Transfer them to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with flaky salt.
You can keep the schnitzels in a 175°F oven while you complete the rest of the meal if you need to keep them warm and crispy.
Mexican-Inspired Wild Turkey Schnitzel Dinner
Ingredients
For the pico de gallo
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- ½ red onion chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 limes juiced
- Kosher salt
For the avocado crema
- 2 avocados peeled and pitted
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tsp Mexican hot sauce more to taste
- Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
For the schnitzel
- 1 medium wild turkey breast or half of a large one
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- Oil or lard for frying
- Pickled jalapeños optional
- Radishes optional
- Cilantro optional
Instructions
For the pico de gallo
- Mix all of the pico ingredients into a bowl. Add a small pinch of kosher salt to taste.
For the crema
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Blend on high. Add up to ¼ cup of water to loosen the sauce enough to drizzle over schnitzels. Season to taste with salt.
For the schnitzel
- Take the wild turkey breast (or the portion you’re using) and cut it into 4 even pieces. Take a piece and cover it with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, lightly bash the turkey until the entire piece is about ¼ inch thick. Repeat with the other 3 pieces.
- Season the flattened turkey pieces with a light pinch of salt, pepper, ground cumin, and garlic powder.
- Set up a dredging station with 3 plates. Put the flour on one, the beaten eggs on the next, and the breadcrumbs on the last.
- Add enough oil to a skillet over medium heat to reach about ½ inch from the bottom.
- Take a piece of turkey and dredge both sides in the flour. Now bring it over to the beaten eggs and dip both sides so that they’re completely covered. Lastly, dip it in the breadcrumbs, ensuring total coverage.
- Gently add the breaded cutlet to the oil and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Set onto a piece of paper towel and sprinkle with a touch of salt. Repeat for the other 3 pieces.
Putting it together
- Transfer the schnitzels to plates and dress with the pico de gallo and avocado crema. Garnish with extra cilantro, radishes, and pickled jalapeños if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition