Fakeaway Friday: In Rhi’s Pantry hot honey chicken schnitzel sandwiches

Rhiannon Baldock shares her recipe for hot honey chicken schnitzel sandwiches. Photo / Rhiannon Baldock

In 2024, it seems almost impossible to save money, buy good food and treat yourself all at the same time. Enter Fakeaway Fridays, a Herald series where we create fake takeaway (fakeaway) meals that not only are delicious and nutritious, but budget friendly and serve 2-4 people.

So instead of dropping $50 for a takeaway meal this Friday night, why not try a fakeaway! It’s easier than you may think with our simple tips and tricks and partially made products already hiding on your supermarket shelves.

Rhiannon Baldock has made a career out of sharing her meal prep hacks and fancy feasts on Instagram — without the fuss, fanfare and the Uber Eats charges, using fare found at the supermarket.

At In Rhi’s Pantry, she’s on a mission to make delicious food accessible to everyone, whether you’re a seasoned chef or a noob.

Today, Rhiannon dives into the delicious world of hot honey chicken schnitzel sandwiches, presenting a wallet-friendly option that gives Gloria’s (IYKYK) a run for its money.

Hot honey chicken schnitzel sandwiches

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs — $9 (100g pack)

½ cup plain flour — $2

2 eggs, beaten — $5 (tray of four)

1½ cups panko breadcrumbs — $2 (220g bag)

Neutral cooking oil, for frying — $2.50 (500ml bottle)

1 loaf of ciabatta or 4 ciabatta rolls — $5 (full roll)

50g butter $4.50 — (100g)

3 Tbsp hot honey — $5 (100g)

1 cup mayonnaise $3.50 — (100ml bottle)

Juice of ½ lemon — 60¢ (one lemon)

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce — $2.20 (100ml bottle)

¼ cup grated parmesan, plus extra to garnish — $5 (100g)

2 tsp garlic powder — $1.80 (100g)

Cos lettuce leaves — $2.50 (one bunch)

Pickled red onions — $3.50 (one jar)

Cost: About $13.50 per person, split among four people

Method

Lay the chicken thighs on to a board, then use a rolling pin or mallet to flatten to a consistent thickness. One at a time, dust in seasoned flour, then coat in beaten egg followed by the panko crumbs, ensuring each thigh is evenly coated

Place a non-stick frying pan over high heat with enough oil to cover the base of the pan. Once hot, fry the chicken thighs for a few minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate with a paper towel laid on top to allow excess oil to drain

Wipe excess oil from the pan. Cut the ciabatta loaf into 4 pieces if using, then slice horizontally and lightly butter on the cut side. Toast the buttered bread side in the pan until golden, then set aside

Add the remaining butter to the pan, along with the hot honey. Once the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling, return the chicken thighs to the pan and coat in the sticky honey mixture

To make the sauce, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan and garlic powder. Season with black pepper to taste

Assemble the sandwiches by spreading half the sauce over the bread bases. Top with lettuce leaves, followed by the chicken (slice if desired), some more grated parmesan, pickled red onions and the bread tops spread with the remaining sauce. Serve while hot and enjoy!