Have you ever wondered how restaurants and chefs get their schnitzel or chicken cutlets perfectly crispy, thin, and golden, every single time?

This week, we’re answering a caller question from our kitchen hotline all about how to master the art of schnitzel at home.

We’re sharing all our pro tips for perfecting crispy cutlets: from the best type of breadcrumbs to use to how to keep them crisp once they’re out of the frying pan. We’ll also reveal the biggest lesson we’ve learned about frying chicken…and it just might go against everything you’ve been taught!

Tune in for a bite-sized dose of home cooking inspiration, and start frying up chicken cutlets at home with confidence!

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Links:

We love Smitten Kitchen’s crispiest chicken cutlets recipe, as it shares the dredging technique we now use too.

This video by Melissa Clark of NYT Cooking will walk you through schnitzel, step by step. We like the “cascade” method for moving the oil around the pan to create a light, crispy-fried coating for any schnitzel.

You can find Sonya’s recipe for her chicken schnitzel in her cookbook, Braids.

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Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084

For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland!

Leaving home doesn’t mean leaving homemade food behind. What if your next road or plane ride included crave-worthy, nourishing meals and snacks that are ready to go before you even pack the car?

Say goodbye to soggy sandwiches and overpriced airport food! This episode is your guide to easy, delicious make-ahead meals and snacks for road trips, beach days, and airplane adventures. Whether it’s a 3-ingredient cookie you can bake days in advance, or a thermos full of a refreshing homemade slushie, these recipes are designed to travel well and taste even better on-the-go.

By the end of this episode, you’ll:

1. Discover travel-friendly breakfasts that smell like cinnamon and are filled with summer berries
2. Learn how to make snacks with real staying power – like a sweet-and-salty trail mix boosted with a protein-rich twist
3. Get pro tips for packing food so it stays cool in a hot car, a long flight, or even on a pontoon boat

Press play now to boost your summer travel with easy, packable, and seriously satisfying homemade recipes!

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Links:

Breakfast

Alison Roman’s blueberry muffin recipe, and Smitten Kitchen’s even more perfect blueberry muffins

Banana nut breakfast bars from Sohly El-Waylly for NYT Cooking

Lunch:

Quinoa patties by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks

Lemony kale avocado sandwiches by Dirty Gourmet for Sunset Magazine

Snacks:

Coconut date balls by Feel Good Foodie

Chickpea & cherries snack mix from Well Plated

Sweets:

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies from All Recipes

English flapjacks from Smitten Kitchen

Beverages:

Watermelon slushie by From My Bowl

Good juices (like the ones from JJ’s Lone Daugher Ranch), frozen and used as ice packs

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Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084

For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. You can also now find us on

Does a dinner party have to be “perfect” to be memorable? And what are the keys to ease and success when hosting?

In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!

We’re sharing menus from two separate dinner parties – one that felt easy, and one that was slightly more ambitious. We learned a lot by swapping notes about what worked well and what didn’t go quite like we imagined.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to make your next hosting experience stress-free, and you’ll also discover the best recipe for a bubbling pan of cheesy stuffed shells layered with rich tomato sauce. It’s a make-ahead friendly dish that’s perfect for gathering friends at your kitchen table. You’ll also discover our favorite layered salad, a vegetarian update of a Midwestern classic that’s ideal for meal prep or can easily stand out at your next potluck.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

Links

Ina Garten’s stuffed shells recipe – Sonya skips the egg, and adds fresh thyme instead of Italian seasoning + grated parm or pecorino on top

Sonya’s challah recipe can be found in her cookbook: Braids

Sonya’s fava bean mint dip recipe

Butter swim biscuits by Naz Deravian from NYT Cooking

Kari’s 10-Layer Midwestern-inspired Salad from our Substack (it’s free to subscribe!)

Buffalo mushrooms by Ali Slagle for NYT Cooking (unlocked), specifically not using portobellos

Grilled fruit en papillote from Gourmet Magazine

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Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084

For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland!