CHICKEN SCHNITZEL WITH BACON AND MUSHROOMS

Serves 6.

Gravy:
8 oz. sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4-inch thick
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 T. plus 1 tsp. all-purpose flour

Chicken:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 T. brown mustard
3 eggs
2 cups plain dried breadcrumbs
6 T. grapeseed or vegetable oil
6 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish

1. For the gravy, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and most of the fat has been rendered, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes, and then stir in the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Stir in the flour to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened to the consistency of gravy, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover and set aside.

2. For the chicken, trim and pound to an even 1/4 inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. If the chicken breasts are large, first cut in half crosswise and then pound. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

3. Coat chicken first in flour, then in eggs mixed with mustard and finally in the breadcrumbs to coat well. Transfer breaded chicken to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter into the oil until it starts to bubble, and then add half of the breaded cutlets and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, flipping once, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

5. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining cutlets, making sure to wipe out the pan and use new oil and butter each time. Keep adding the finished cutlets to the baking sheet in the oven as you cook them. To serve, top the Schnitzel with the Bacon and Mushroom Sauce and sprinkle with parsley.