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An easy yet super flavorful and comforting weeknight dinner meal that can be on the table in under 30 minutes! Paleo, Whole30, and AIP friendly
I'm a sucker for a warm, breaded piece of meat. There's just something SO comforting about that to me – especially when it's juicy on the inside and full of flavor.
That's why pork schnitzel has always been a favorite of mine as the days get shorter and colder. I look forward to eating it all day!
This version uses either coconut flour or tigernut flour instead of a wheat-based flour to get that crispy, breaded outside, and gets a pop of bright flavor from the super-easy berry sauce.
To accompany it, a simple no-cook brussels sprouts and apple slaw that's both sweet and savory at the same time.
The best part though? This entire dish can be on the table in under 30 minutes! It goes even faster if you prep the slaw while the pork is cooking. Read on for how to make this fantastic weeknight meal.
Ingredients in this easy pork meal (and substitutions)
The ingredients you'll need for the Berry Sauce
- Mixed berries – you can use fresh or frozen berries. Fresh berries will impart more flavor, but if you have frozen ones on hand, use those. Both are delicious!
- Maple syrup – you can also use honey if you prefer. To make this Whole30, use fresh squeezed orange juice to taste.
The ingredients you'll need for the Pork Schnitzel
- Boneless pork chops – you won't be able to use a bone-in pork chop, as the bone changes the cook time. Make sure they are all about the same thickness so they cook up evenly and roughly in the same amount of time. If you need to, pound them down with a meat mallet to get them to even thickness, or ask your butcher to do it for you.
- Coconut flour – you can also use tigernut flour or cassava flour, as each will work well for frying.
- Sea salt – a power house of flavor and great nutrients. You can use Kosher salt, but you'll need to cut back on the amount as Kosher salt is a little saltier. Do not use table salt as it is stripped of all its nutrients and doesn't taste nearly as good.
- Onion powder – you can also use onion granules. Both work great. The difference in texture of either is pretty small you won't even notice.
- Garlic powder – a great all around spice to have on hand to give nice flavor to any dish.
- Avocado Oil – you can use coconut oil, olive oil or lard. The coconut oil and olive oil will impart more of a fruity flavor, while the lard will give it more of a pork flavor.
The ingredients you'll need for the Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Brussels Sprouts – wouldn't be a tasty Brussels sprout slaw without them
- Red apple – you can use a green apple, but it will add more sour notes to the slaw than a red apple will.
- Shallot – you can use half a red onion if that's all you have on hand.
- Garlic – super yummy and a great antioxidant for your body.
- Lemon – you can use a lime or white wine vinegar, to taste, if you don't have any lemons handy. The lime is a bit milder than a lemon and the vinegar is more bitter. Be sure to taste as you go.
- Maple syrup – you can also use honey, if you prefer. To make Whole30, substitute with some fresh squeezed orange juice to taste.
- Avocado oil – you can subsitute it for olive oil, but that will give it more of a fruit/olive flavor to the slaw
- Sea salt
How to make this easy 30-minute meal
- Start the berry sauce by putting the berries, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cover and stir occasionally while cooking everything else.
- For the pork, put the coconut flour, tapioca starch, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl or dish and mix together. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil to the pan. Dip the pork chops in the flour mixture, coating both sides.
- Then place in the oil in the pan. Let sit for 3-4 minutes then flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. You may have to do this in several batches, depending on the size of your pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan, and add more oil in between batches.
- While the pork is cooking, prep the ingredients for the brussels sprouts slaw. Slice the brussels sprouts, apple, and shallot, mince the garlic, and zest and juice the lemon. Put everything into a large bowl and then toss with the maple syrup, avocado oil, and sea salt.
- Remove the berry mixture from the stove, and smash into a chunky sauce with a fork.
- Serve the pork chops with berry sauce drizzled over top and the brussels sprouts slaw on the side.
Meal prepping and freezing this pork meal?
The pork isn’t great for meal prep as it isn’t as good when reheated. However, you can make the brussels sprouts slaw and berry sauce up to 5 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. The berry sauce can be served cold or you can gently reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
Can you make this coconut-free?
Use tigernut flour or cassava flour instead of coconut flour
Want other Paleo and AIP easy meal recipes? Try one of these!
Sheet Pan Lime Shrimp Fajitas (Paleo, Whole30, AIP) – south-of-the-border flavors meet easy cleanup! This sheet pan dinner is bursting with flavor and fun for the whole family.
Cherry Balsamic Pot Roast (Paleo, Whole30, AIP) – this is a great recipe you can make ahead of time or throw everything in your slow cooker, Instant Pot or the oven. A great weeknight or lazy weekend meal that comes together in minutes.
Chicken Marsala (Paleo, AIP) – a classic dish with a healthy spin. This recipe is a delicious option for a comforting weeknight dinner.
More Helpful AIP Resources in the Freebie Library
If you find this recipe helpful, you may really enjoy the resources in my Paleo & AIP Freebie Library! There's a “dump” freezer meal plan, a list of AIP-compliant breakfast toppings, and so much more. Plus, you'll get even more ideas sent to your inbox! Get the password here.
Pork Schnitzel with Brussels Slaw Recipe
If you make this easy pork dinner, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Either comment below or share a pic on Instagram and tag me @thrivingautoimmune!
Pork Schnitzel with Brussels Slaw (Paleo, Whole30, AIP)
Ingredients
For the Berry Sauce:
- 1 cup Mixed Berries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup (or Honey – omit for Whole30 or use orange juice instead)
- 1 tsp Water
For the Pork:
- 8 boneless thin-cut Pork Chops
- ½ cup Coconut Flour (or Tigernut Flour or Cassava Flour)
- ¼ cup Tapioca Starch (or Arrowroot Starch)
- 1.5 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Avocado Oil (or Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, or Lard)
For the Brussels Sprouts Slaw:
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, ends removed and thinly sliced
- 1 Red Apple, thinly sliced
- 1 Shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 Lemon, juiced and zested
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup ( or Honey – omit for Whole30 or use orange juice instead)
- ¼ cup Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil)
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
- Start the berry sauce by putting the berries, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan overlow heat. Cover and stir occasionally while cooking everything else.
- For the pork, put the coconut flour, tapioca starch, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl or dish and mix together. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil to the pan. Dip the pork chops in the flour mixture, coating both sides, and then place in the oil in the pan. Let sit for 3-4 minutes then flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. You may have to do this in several batches, depending on the size of your pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan, and add more oil in between batches.
- While the pork is cooking, prep the ingredients for the brussels sprouts slaw. Slice the brussels sprouts, apple, and shallot, mince the garlic, and zest and juice the lemon. Put everything into a large bowl and then toss with the maple syrup, avocado oil, and sea salt.
- Remove the berry mixture from the stove, and smash into a chunky sauce with a fork.
- Serve the pork chops with berry sauce drizzled over top and the brussels sprouts slaw on the side.
Notes
