Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (2024)

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Chicken schnitzel has always been a favorite in my family. When my kids were younger, schnitzel was a giant chicken nugget, to be grabbed in hand and dunked in lots of ketchup. Back then I don't think any of us realized the wide global reach and popularity of schnitzel.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (1)

The world Loves Schnitzel

Not every country calls it "schnitzel," but they all use a similar recipe:boneless, skinless, beef, chicken, pork, turkey or veal is tenderized by pounding it into a thin cutlet. It's then breaded and baked, sautéed or deep fried. It's crisp on the outside and tender within - totally irresistible any way you serve it!

In Italy they it "Chicken Milanese." A big, thin crispy sheet of chicken schnitzel that practically covers the plate is topped with an arugula and cherry tomato salad with lemony dressing.

The Japanese version is "Katzu." After the chicken is fried to golden-brown perfection, it's sliced into strips and served with a big scoop of steamed rice and a green vegetable.

Chicken schnitzel in Israel has a good amount of sesame seeds in the breading and is sometimes offered as a filling forshawarma.

Wiener Schnitzel is the famed Viennese version, made from veal.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (2)

For the ultimate comfort food fix, serve your chicken schnitzel straight up with buttered noodles - just like in the famous song "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music."

"Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild Geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things!"

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (3)

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SCHNITZEL FROM SCRATCH

The first step of making good schnitzel is to pound the chicken until it's nice and thin. I don't have a mallet, but my rolling pin works really well. Putting the chicken into a large baggy for pounding, is a great way to keep chicken juices from spraying around your kitchen. Tip: don't zip the baggy or it might pop.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (4)

After the chicken cutlets are pounded to ⅓ - ¼ inch thickness, set up a dredging station with a plate of flour, a bowl of beaten eggs, and a plate of bread crumbs.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (5)

Coat each chicken cutlet lightly with flour.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (6)

Dunk into beaten eggs.

Then coat with crumbs. Your chicken schnitzel is now ready to cook.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (7)

You can bread all of your schnitzel ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for a few hours until you're ready to cook it.

Schnitzel is best served right after it's browned.

If you have leftovers, be sure to make a delicious "schnitzelwich" - schnitzel on a roll with lettuce and mayo or Russian dressing.

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (8)

Cool mornings have started to mingle with the hot August afternoons here in New England. I can feel myself waffling between hanging on to the lazy days of summer and gearing up for a busy Fall. I've already started nagging my kids about getting ready for school. Soon our family will be in full swing of the new season - each of us diving head first into our various endeavors. Coming together around the family table for a good comforting dinner will feel better than ever!

Here's the chicken schnitzel recipe. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and comment. I'd love to know what you think!

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Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (9)

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
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Description

Thin scallops of chicken, breaded and sautéed until golden brown on the outside, tender inside. Serve with buttered noodles and salad.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 ½ pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2-3 cups panko bread crumbs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Optional Garnish
  • 1 lemon, cut into eights
  • Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Pound the Chicken Place a chicken breast half inside a large plastic ziplock bag. Lay it on a flat surface. Pound evenly with a meat mallet or rolling pin until you have an evenly thin scallop, ⅓ to ¼ inch thick. Transfer scallop to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
  2. Bread the Chicken Cover a large baking tray with foil or wax paper. Pour the flour onto a large plate. Crack the eggs into a large wide bowl and whisk. Pour the breadcrumbs onto a large plate. Season the chicken with salt and several grinds of fresh flack pepper. Lay a piece of chicken onto the flour plate. Turn it over to coat. Shake off excess flour. Then dunk the chicken into the eggs to coat. Let the excess drip off. Then press the piece of chicken into the crumbs. Turn to coat the other side. Lay the breaded chicken on the prepared tray. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  3. Cook Chicken In a large cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat 4 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. (for speedier cooking, work with two skillets simultaneously). Add 1-2 pieces of breaded chicken to the skillet (or however many fit in a single layer.) Brown each piece for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil when needed. You need a good layer of oil over the bottom of your skillet to get a crisp crust.
  4. Serve with noodles or topped with arugula salad. Sprinkle with lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese, if you like. Enjoy!
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Sauté
  • Cuisine: Global
Chicken Schnitzel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best oil to fry a schnitzel in? ›

The absolutely best way to perfect schnitzel is to shallow-fry them in neutral-tasting cooking oil (Vegetable, Canola, Peanut, Sunflower). So you don't need to use a lot of oil, but you want to use enough oil so that the schnitzel will “float” in the oil as it cooks and not touch the bottom of the pan.

What is chicken schnitzel made of? ›

For the uninitiated, chicken schnitzel is merely a chicken breast pounded thin, breaded, and fried. It's one of those foods that you can't help but love, which is probably why it's so prolific—versions of the recipe can be found in cultures around the world.

Why is my chicken schnitzel tough? ›

Chicken breasts have less fat than other parts of the chicken. That's why they are so popular with the nutritionists that demonize animal fat. That is also why they are so easy to make dry and tough when frying.

How do you know when chicken schnitzel is cooked? ›

Drizzle more olive oil over each piece. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue baking until no longer pink in the center and the breading is lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Can I use olive oil to fry schnitzel? ›

If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb too much oil and give you soggy, oily schnitzel. I use quality extra virgin olive oil, which has a high enough smoke point to fry the schnitzel. You can use another healthy frying oil of your choice.

How do you keep schnitzels crispy? ›

Dip into the egg wash and drain the excess, then straight into the breadcrumb mixture. Cover completely and press down with fingertips. “Crumb just before you cook them, as the moisture can come through the chicken and make the crumbs soggy. Crumb and fry keeps them crisp,” Tony says.

What goes well with chicken schnitzel? ›

8 - Serve chicken schnitzel with steamed broccolini, mashed potato, roast potatoes, cucumber salad (recipe to come soon) or braised red cabbage.

Why do Jews eat schnitzel? ›

After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and during the period of national rationing that followed (known as the tzena), the new Ministry of Absorption taught housewives how to prepare dishes that utilized ingredients that were both inexpensive and readily available, of which one such dish was chicken or ...

What's the difference between breaded chicken and chicken schnitzel? ›

The main difference between breaded chicken and chicken schnitzel is that chicken schnitzel is made with pounded chicken breasts. What are some side dishes for schnitzel? Potato salad, mashed potatoes, or spaetzle make great sides.

Why is my chicken schnitzel GREY? ›

Raw chicken should have a light pink color with white fatty pieces. If the flesh is gray or green or if the fat is yellow in color, this is a sign of spoilage and you should discard the chicken.

Why does the breading fall off my schnitzel? ›

Always dip your chicken in beaten egg before coating

Dipping your chicken in egg helps the breadcrumbs, or whatever coating you use, adhere evenly to the outside of the cutlet. You should start with a thin layer of flour, which gives the egg a better surface to cling to, then the egg, then the coating.

Why is my chicken schnitzel rubbery? ›

Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

What is the white stuff coming out of my chicken schnitzel? ›

The white stuff coming out of chicken as it cooks is simply extra protein that dissolves in water and is forced out of the meat by heat. Food scientist Topher McNeil, PhD, explains, “The [chicken] muscles themselves actually contract and squeeze out the liquid that's in between muscle cells.”

Is chicken schnitzel good for you? ›

Schnitzel is usually fried, which isn't the healthiest thing, but if you have no weight issues or cardiac markers, it won't hurt you. The chicken in schnitzel is skinless white meat, which is high in protein and low in fat. And spinach is one of the healthiest foods you can eat if you d...

What is a good side dish for schnitzel? ›

Steamed green beans, oven-roasted broccoli, glazed carrots, or coleslaw all pair fantastically with pork schnitzel.

What kind of oil do you use for Wiener schnitzel? ›

I would also recommend using grapeseed oil for searing because it has a high smoke point and we want to make sure the breading doesn't burn. Once you flip the schnitzel, you can add a tablespoon of butter to finish and give it that extra flavor!

What oil do you use to fry breaded chicken? ›

Think vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Don't use olive oil or butter—they both have lower smoke points. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350˚ to 365˚, and you'll want to make sure that you bring the oil back to temperature between batches.

What is the best oil to use for deep frying? ›

The refined oils that are most often used for deep frying include safflower and soybean oil, the latter of which is often labeled as vegetable oil. Decker says the most stable picks are high in a fat called oleic acid, and recommends using peanut or canola oil.

What oil is best for frying breadcrumbs? ›

Vegetable Oil: Best All-Purpose Oil for Frying

It's great for all different methods of frying and all kinds of foods like breaded chicken and fries. Typically a blend of oils, it has a high smoke point of 400 to 450 degrees, and it has a pretty neutral flavor, which deepens the flavor of the food.

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