Bread and fry thin chicken cutlets to bring a platter of traditional Chicken Schnitzel to the table in just 25 minutes. Like supersized chicken nuggets, this classic German dinner recipe is a supremely family-friendly meal!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Bread crumbs: Light and fluffy, extra-crispy panko is a form of Japanese bread crumb. Find it in boxes or canisters at most major grocery stores or Asian markets. If you prefer to make your own fried bread crumbs,
- To a food processor, add torn bread pieces (work in batches if necessary). Pulse 3 or 4 times to break up the bread, then let the machine run for a few seconds for coarse crumbs.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add ground bread crumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dry and toasted, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how finely they are ground.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil until shimmering (or butter until foaming). Use 1 tablespoon of fat per 1 cup of crumbs. Add ground bread crumbs and stir until golden and crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Chicken: Can’t find cutlets? Start with regular chicken breasts and simply butterfly the chicken so it’s thinner (and has more surface area to coat with panko!).
Step by step instructions
- Prepare a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet, and line a plate with a triple layer of paper towels. Place bread crumbs in a large shallow dish. Spread flour in a second large shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, beat together eggs and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place chicken between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness, between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bread the cutlets one at a time by first dredging thoroughly in flour and shaking off excess flour. Next coat with egg mixture, and allow excess to drip back into dish. Coat cutlet evenly with bread crumbs, pressing crumbs to ensure they adhere to the cutlet. Place cutlets on prepared wire rack and allow coating to dry, about 5 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Lay 2 cutlets into the oil without overlapping and cook, moving cutlets continuously and gently until wrinkled and light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared paper-lined plate. Flip and blot cutlets several times to remove excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon slices.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Chicken Schnitzel recipe makes four (5-ounce) portions; each serving is enough for one adult entree portion.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The cutlets can be pounded out, breaded, and stored covered in the refrigerator one day in advance. Unfortunately, they cannot easily be frozen and then reheated in a pan or oven.
- Tools of the trade: A meat tenderizer can make quick work out of pounding the chicken breasts into thin cutlets. A sturdy skillet will also do the trick. (Culinary Hill may earn money if you buy through these links).
How to Make Sauerkraut
Tangy, crunchy, and oh, so good for you, here’s How to Make Sauerkraut the old-fashioned way. All you need is salt, cabbage, and time; you’ll be thrilled with just how delicious and easy it is.
View RecipeBonus family-friendly chicken dinners
Chicken and Turkey Recipes
Cajun Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli
Chicken and Turkey Recipes
Fried Chicken
Mexican Recipes
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Mexican Recipes
Chicken Tinga
Chicken Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 cups vegetable oil divided
- 4 chicken breast cutlets (about 1 1/4-pounds, see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet, and line a plate with a triple layer of paper towels. Place bread crumbs in a large shallow dish. Spread flour in a second large shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, beat together eggs and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place chicken between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness, between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bread the cutlets one at a time by first dredging thoroughly in flour and shaking off excess flour. Next coat with egg mixture, and allow excess to drip back into dish. Coat cutlet evenly with bread crumbs, pressing crumbs to ensure they adhere to the cutlet. Place cutlets on prepared wire rack and allow coating to dry, about 5 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Lay 2 cutlets into the oil without overlapping and cook, moving cutlets continuously and gently until wrinkled and light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer to prepared paper-lined plate. Flip and blot cutlets several times to remove excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon slices.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Bread crumbs: Light and fluffy, extra-crispy panko is a form of Japanese bread crumb. Find it in boxes or canisters at most major grocery stores or Asian markets. If you prefer to make your own fried bread crumbs,
- To a food processor, add torn bread pieces (work in batches if necessary). Pulse 3 or 4 times to break up the bread, then let the machine run for a few seconds for coarse crumbs.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add ground bread crumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dry and toasted, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how finely they are ground.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil until shimmering (or butter until foaming). Use 1 tablespoon of fat per 1 cup of crumbs. Add ground bread crumbs and stir until golden and crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Chicken: Can’t find cutlets? Start with regular chicken breasts and simply butterfly the chicken so it’s thinner (and has more surface area to coat with panko!).
- Yield: This Chicken Schnitzel recipe makes four (5-ounce) portions; each serving is enough for one adult entree portion.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The cutlets can be pounded out, breaded, and stored covered in the refrigerator one day in advance. Unfortunately, they cannot easily be frozen and then reheated in a pan or oven.
- Tools of the trade: A meat tenderizer can make quick work out of pounding the chicken breasts into thin cutlets. A sturdy skillet will also do the trick. (Culinary Hill may earn money if you buy through these links).
Hi Meggan, This is indeed an amazing food website. Thank you so much for the post. I enjoy it and got know food relation info from your blog post.
Perhaps you can help me with this. I cannot see any difference between this recipe and chicken Parmesan.
Please educate me on this.
Thank you,
Bill
Hi William, great question! Although very similar, chicken parmesan has parmesan in the in the breadcrumb mixture and this one does not. Additionally the chicken parmesan is then served with marinara and mozzarella on top. Hope this helps! – Meggan
This recipe is definitive.