What is 7 Hens (Seven Hens) & the history of schnitzel

What is Seven Hens?

Seven Hens is a fast casual restaurant with its first location in Atlanta, Georgia (Decatur). At Seven Hens, we’re serving up delicious chicken cutlets inspired by flavors from around the globe.

We cook our chicken using an age-old technique where we pound the breast thin, dip it in egg-based batter, and coat it with seasoned breadcrumbs inspired by exciting flavors from around the world. Once coated in delicious crumbs, the chicken is quickly fried to create a crunchy, tasty shell nestling a moist and tender meat. You might have heard of this cooking style. It’s called “schnitzel.”

Once the schnitzel is ready, we slice it to perfectly sized pieces using our signature Mezzaluna knife. We then add unique, house-made spreads, sauces and fresh toppings to capture the international flavor you like, and there you have it: a one-of-a-kind schnitzel experience. That’s Seven Hens.

At Seven Hens we use trans-free canola oil, all-natural chicken, and fresh produce. Every schnitzel is made-to-order – cooked fresh right in front of you.

7 Facts about schnitzel

Here are 7 things about Seven Hens and schnitzel. A little history, fun facts and tidbits you didn’t know you wanted to know:

As legend has it, 7^th century Byzantine Kaiser Basileios the first liked his meat covered with sheets of gold to display his wealth. Following him, the commoners tried to do the same. However, the practice was too expensive so they created an alternative by using “yellow gold” (bread crumbs).
Schnitzel is enjoyed all over the world in different ways. Wikipedia lists 41 variations. We know over 200, but how about we start by offering you 7?
We believe in honest food and use the finest ingredients including trans-fat free canola oil, making our all-natural schnitzel quite healthy.
The owners hail from Israel where schnitzel is the most popular street food (followed by Falafel as a close second).
The Austrians and Italians still quarrel over who came up with the modern-day version of schnitzel. Even though some historians think that the Romans were pounding, breading and frying their meat before the rest, it’s generally associated with Germany and Austria.
Slang dictionaries give schnitzel a wide host of entertaining, somewhat x-rated, meaning… We’ll just say that in Germany you can use the word schnitzel in lieu of “Honey,” as in “I am crazy about you my little schnitzel” or “she is as cute as a schnitzel…”
It tastes really good. Seriously.

What is Schnitzel?

Schnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made by pounding and tenderdizing boneless meat until it’s thin (creating an escalope), coating it in bread crumbs, and then frying it. Although its exact origins are uncertain, schnitzel has been adapted and adopted throughout the World’s many cultures.

A common type of schnitzel in Austria is made from veal, but the cooking technique can be applied to any boneless meat including chicken, which became popular due to its availability, appealing flavor, and healthy properties (low in cholesterol and fat).

What we love most about our schnitzel is how it’s a meld of crispy, crunchy exterior and a tender, moist interior. The combination is one you don’t experience in other chicken preparations.

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Seven Hens Hatches New Craft Beer Pairings

April 23, 2013

DECATUR, Ga. (April 22, 2013) — Seven Hens, Atlanta’s only restaurant dedicated to the art of chicken schnitzel, recently obtained its beer license. Owner Michael Gurevich is proud to introduce a beer-pairing menu that matches local, craft...

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