Chicken Schnitzel is a classic dish that is delicious and easy to make. It consists of pounded chicken breasts that are coated in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs (we use a mix of traditional breadcrumbs, panko, and sesame seeds), and then fried until golden brown. Chicken schnitzel is typically served with lemon wedges and a side of mashed potatoes, spaetzle, or roasted vegetables. This is my family’s version, and I hope you love it.
How long have I been making this chicken schnitzel recipe? For as long as I can remember! It’s a beloved favorite of my children, and for me personally, reminds me of my trip to Israel, fresh out of high school.
Be sure to check out all of our easy dinner recipes, including our Weeknight Chicken Milanese with Fennel Salad, Crispy Pan Fried Pecan Crusted Chicken, and our Spicy Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts in half to create smaller chicken cutlets.
- The dredge is made from all-purpose flour (though you can use gluten-free flour) and Kosher salt. Feel free to season with black pepper, as well.
- Eggs and Dijon mustard are whisked together to act as the glue for the breading.
- Breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, and sesame seeds are used for the crunchy topping.
You’ll also need neutral oil (such as grapeseed oil, canola oil, or avocado oil) for pan frying, as well as lemon wedges for serving. Fresh lemon juice really brings out the flavors, especially of the Dijon mustard!
How To Make Crispy Chicken Schnitzel
- Prepare the chicken. Pound the sliced chicken breasts to ¼-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Set up a breading station. You’ll need three shallow bowls. One for flour and salt, a second bowl for whisked eggs and Dijon mustard, and a third bowl for the breading (panko, sesame seeds, and traditional breadcrumbs).
- Bread the chicken. While you’re breading the chicken, preheat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.. Dip each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, coating evenly on all sides.
- Fry the schnitzel. Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve! Transfer to a paper towel lined wire rack to drain, then season with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat until all chicken is pan fried. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and your favorite sides!
Can you use pork or veal instead? Absolutely!
FAQs
You can, but it definitely won’t be as crispy. To bake it, preheat an oven to 400F. Place the breaded chicken cutlets on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165F has been reached.
Use a light, neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as grapeseed oil, avocado, oil, or canola oil. Do not pan fry in olive oil, which has a low smoke point.
Chicken schnitzel is a popular dish in Austria and Germany (and Israel!), but its origins are not entirely clear. It is thought to have originated in northern Italy or Austria in the 19th century.
The main difference between breaded chicken and chicken schnitzel is that chicken schnitzel is made with pounded chicken breasts.
Potato salad, mashed potatoes, or spaetzle make great sides. For a vegetable, consider blistered string beans, an arugula salad, or a light cucumber salad.
Expert Tips
- For extra crispy chicken schnitzel, double-coat the chicken in the bread crumbs.
- To prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, make sure the oil is hot before adding the chicken.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. Fry the chicken in batches so that they have enough room to cook evenly. We recommend 2 pounded out cutlets per batch.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to absorb excess oil.
- Let the chicken schnitzel rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This will help the juices redistribute throughout the meat. Don’t forget to season it with Kosher salt once it comes out of the pan!
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: Chicken schnitzel can be breaded ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. To cook, simply fry the breaded chicken in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftover chicken schnitzel can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and crispy again.
- To freeze: Place the breaded chicken breasts on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, or until solid. Then transfer the frozen chicken to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw the chicken breasts overnight in the refrigerator. Then, fry them in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.
How To Serve
Chicken schnitzel is typically served with lemon wedges and a side of mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables. Other popular sides include: capers, Dijon mustard, arugula salad, pickled red onions (or other pickled veggies), remoulade sauce, or tartar sauce.
For a heartier side dish, consider serving with homemade spaetzle and potato salad!
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don’t have panko bread crumbs, you can simply use regular bread crumbs and sesame seeds.
- If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can pound the chicken breasts with a rolling pin or heavy skillet.
Perfect for any occasion, this is a truly beloved Laing family recipe and we can’t wait for you to give it a try. If you make this easy Chicken Schnitzel recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Schnitzel
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling on fried cutlets
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- Neutral oil, for frying
- Lemon wedges, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Prep chicken cutlets. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, then place between a folded over piece of plastic wrap. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken to a thickness of about ½-inch.
- Heat the oil. While you dredge the chicken, heat enough neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat so that it comes up about ¼-½-inch. It should be about 375-400F. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Dredge the chicken. Set up a dredging station with 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl, combine ½ cup flour and 2 tsp Kosher salt. In the second, whisk together 3 eggs with 1 tsp Dijon mustard. In the final bowl, mix together ⅔ cup breadcrumbs, ⅔ cup panko, and ¼ cup sesame seeds. Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the seasoned flour mixture, coating evenly on all sides. Shake off any excess flour, then dip in the egg. Allow excess egg to drip off, then transfer to the breadcrumb bowl. Press down gently to coat on all sides, then repeat with remaining chicken cutlets.
- Pan fry the chicken. Working in batches, add 2 or 3 cutlets to the hot oil at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook until crispy on the first side, about 3 minutes, then carefully flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the second side. Transfer cooked schnitzel to a paper towel lined wire rack, then immediately sprinkle with a little Kosher salt. Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets, adding more oil to the pan as needed (and letting it come up to temperature before adding more chicken). Serve immediately (with lemon wedges, if wanted)!
Notes
- To make-ahead: Chicken schnitzel can be breaded ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. To cook, simply fry the breaded chicken in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftover chicken schnitzel can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and crispy again.
- To freeze: Place the breaded chicken breasts on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, or until solid. Then transfer the frozen chicken to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw the chicken breasts overnight in the refrigerator. Then, fry them in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.
Nutrition
Photography by: Alana of Your Home Made Healthy.
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