One of life’s greatest pleasures, this homemade chicken schnitzel recipe is a family favorite in my house. Breaded and fried, it’s golden on the outside and tender and moist in the center. Budget-friendly and quick to prepare, it’s one dish I’ve been making for years, and I’m sharing all my tips and tricks so you can have it on the table in just over 30 minutes!
Love schnitzel? Try my Italian schnitzel bites, portobello mushroom schnitzel, and corn & pepper panko schnitzel, too.
Table of contents
In case you’re unfamiliar with the history of chicken schnitzel, it is a dish made with crispy fried chicken breasts originally from Austria. Traditional schnitzel is made with veal (known as Weiner schnitzel) or pork. However, the dish quickly became popular in Germany as well and later found its way to Israel through European Jews.
Like many other foods, Jews adapted this regional dish to suit their dietary kosher laws, replacing pork (which is treif) and veal (which was expensive and difficult to obtain) with chicken and turkey. Now, chicken schnitzel is popular throughout the world and is a particular favorite in my household.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Chicken – Boneless chicken breasts are best for schnitzel, because their mild flavor pairs with the breading nicely. However, boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work. I like to butterfly the chicken breasts, then pound them between sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Consequently, this makes the chicken cook more evenly, resulting in a crispier result.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour for the base of the breading. However, if needed, you can substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Breadcrumbs – You can use a variety of ingredients for coating the schnitzel, including breadcrumbs, matzo meal, and Japanese panko. Overall, breadcrumbs are the most popular choice and my go-to for a classic schnitzel. Matzo meal is used during Passover, when Jewish cooks have a kosher restriction on leavened grains. Panko breadcrumbs produce a very light, crisp, and airy coating.
- Oil – Make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point for frying. I prefer avocado oil, but grapeseed oil also works well.
How to Make a Classic Chicken Schnitzel Recipe
- Butterfly the chicken. Trim the tenderloin off the chicken breast, if needed, along with any extra fat. Then, butterfly the chicken, and slice the breasts in half, creating four chicken fillets.
- Pound the chicken. Use a meat mallet or heavy-bottomed pot to pound the chicken until each piece reaches a uniform thickness.
- Bread. Create a breading station using three large, shallow bowls. Working one at a time, dredge the chicken with flour, followed by the beaten egg and breadcrumb mixture. Let any excess breading drip off.
- Fry. Working in batches, fry the breaded chicken breasts in hot oil in a large skillet until a golden brown crust forms on the first side. Then, flip, and continue to fry until the chicken cooks through. Transfer the cooked chicken schnitzel to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to catch any of the excess drips of oil. Repeat as needed, cooking all the chicken pieces.
- Serve. Season with salt as needed, and enjoy warm.
Tori’s Tips for Making Crispy, Juicy Chicken Schnitzel
- Pound the chicken evenly. The key to achieving crispy, tender chicken schnitzel is to pound each chicken piece to an even thickness, roughly 1/8 inch thick.
- Add flavor to the breading. I like to season my breadcrumbs with paprika and salt. Then, I add white sesame seeds for a little extra crunch and a subtle nutty taste.
- Heat the oil slowly. Let your oil warm over medium heat, allowing it to become nice and hot without burning, which can create an unpleasant flavor and prevent the chicken from cooking properly.
- Avoid overcrowding. Work in batches, leaving space all around each piece of chicken. This promotes fast, even cooking and allows the breading to become golden and crisp on all sides.
- Use a meat thermometer. Eliminate any guesswork when cooking, and use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), meaning it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Rest before serving. Let your chicken pieces rest for at least 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the natural juices to redistribute, keeping it tender.
Serving Suggestions
This tasty, crispy chicken is often served as a main dish with a starchy side dish like French fries, olive oil mashed potatoes, or Middle Eastern roasted vegetable rice. For the most part, I prefer to serve it with a fresh Israeli salad to cut down on calories.
Lemon wedges and parsley are the traditional garnish for chicken schnitzel. While I do love my schnitzel with lemon, I also like to dip it in spicy mustard, hot sauce, or hummus. You can’t go wrong either way. Save extra chicken cutlets to make sandwiches, too!
Chicken Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, matzo meal, or panko
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- Oil with a high smoke point for frying – avocado oil preferred, grapeseed oil also works well
- Fresh lemon wedges for garnish
NOTES
Instructions
- For each breast, check to see if there is a tenderloin (an extra flap of meat that sort of hangs off).
- If there is a tenderloin, slice it off of the breast. Trim any visible tendons or extra bits of fat from the breast and the tenderloin. Set tenderloin aside.
- Lay the breast on cutting board with smooth side facing upward. Identify the thickest round edge of the breast. Place your hand flat on the top of the breast. Slice carefully horizontally into the thickest round edge, slicing about three quarters of the way into the breast (divinding top half of breast from bottom). Do not slice all the way through.
- Unfold the breast to reveal two symmetrical halves (this is a "butterfly" of the breast). Slice down the middle to divide the breast into two equal pieces. When finished with the pound of chicken, you should have 4 breasts of relatively equal size, and perhaps a couple of tenderloins as well.
- Lay down a 2- to 3-foot long strip of plastic wrap on your kitchen countertop. Place chicken breasts and tenderloins on the plastic, leaving a 2-inch space between each piece of meat. Cover the breasts with another strip of plastic, so the meat is sandwiched between two layers of plastic.
- Use the flat side of a mallet to pound the breasts thin until they are of a uniform thickness, roughly 1/8 inch thin throughout.
- Place all the pounded breasts and tenderloins on a plate. Set up three wide, shallow bowls and a large empty plate on your countertop. In your first bowl, put the flour. In your second bowl, beat the eggs together with 2 tsp of water until well mixed. In your third bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, paprika, 1/4 tsp salt and sesame seeds (optional) until well blended. Place empty plate nearby where you will put your coated schnitzels.
- Pour oil into a skillet or sauté pan until it’s deep enough for frying (about ½ inch). Heat the oil slowly over medium. While oil is heating, dip each breast one by one into your breading bowls—first dredge with flour.
- Next, dip the floured breast in the egg mixture until well coated.
- Finally, place the egg-covered breast into the bowl of breadcrumb mixture. Use a dry hand to coat the breast evenly with breadcrumbs. Repeat process for remaining breasts and tenderloins.
- You want your frying oil to be around 350 degreees F – hot, but not so hot that the oil smokes or splatters. You can test the oil temperature with a tenderloin first, if you have one. Fry the coated breasts in single-layer batches until they are golden brown on both sides. If your oil is at the right temperature, it should take about 2-3 minutes per side to cook the schnitzels.
- Don’t fry more than two breasts at a time in a regular sized skillet, or the oil temperature will drop and the schnitzels will become greasy. When the oil is at the right temperature, the schnitzels will absorb very little oil and cook up light and crisp.
- After frying, set the schnitzels on a wire rack (or on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet) to drain excess oil.
- Sprinkle the schnitzels with additional salt to taste, if desired. Serve hot garnished with lemon wedges or your favorite condiment. Mustard and hot sauce both pair well with schnitzel. If you have any tenderloins, take dibs on who gets to eat them – that meat is especially tender (hence the name "tenderloin"). Enjoy!
Nutrition
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FAQs
The main difference is that schnitzel chicken is made by pounding chicken breasts until they’re very thin, whereas breaded chicken is often left thicker. In addition, schnitzel is most commonly pan-fried, whereas breaded chicken can be either pan-fried or deep-fried.
I haven’t tested this recipe in the oven, but it should work. Bread the chicken as usual. Then, arrange it in an even layer on a prepared baking sheet, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken cooks through. I recommend flipping the pieces over halfway through cooking to ensure they brown nicely on both sides!
This recipe is best served warm while the breading is still crisp. However, if needed, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also transfer the chicken to the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat the chicken pieces in the oven at about 350°F (177°C) for 10-15 minutes or just until warmed through. You can also reheat chicken schnitzel in the microwave, but I find it causes the breading to become a bit soggy.
I was actually nervous about making this recipe. The explanation was very reassuring to make. Well this recipe will definitely be made again Thanks B.C Canada
I’ve lost count at how many times I made this recipe. It’s my go-to for chicken schnitzel every time. The instructions are easy to follow and it cooks up perfectly every time. I made a big batch with 1.5kg of chicken breast and served it with your Israeli salad recipe, mashed potato, honey glazed roasted carrots and peppercorn gravy. It was a hit! Even my mother in law who is a picky eater loved it.
I made a few adjustments to the recipe as I’ve cooked it so many times and adjusted it to my taste. I swapped the paprika for garlic powder, used panko breadcrumbs, deep fried instead of shallow fried (takes only 3 mins each to cook) and used peanut oil for frying.