Learn to how make chicken Schnitzel – the German inspired classic dish. Crispy, golden chicken fillets coated in crunchy panko breadcrumbs and flash fried to perfection. A deliciously simple recipe that‘s ready to eat in less than 20 minutes.
Serve this chicken Schnitzel recipe with these air fryer Hasselback potatoes, creamy coleslaw and a side salad.
I’ve been making chicken Schnitzel for many years. It’s a real family favourite! Not only is it economical, It’s also a great store cupboard dinner – the only fresh ingredients you need are the chicken breasts!
If you’ve enjoyed our chicken Milanese with spaghetti recipe in the past, you’re bound to love chicken Schnitzel.
what is Schnitzel?
Schnitzel is an Austrian term for a thin slice of meat covered in breadcrumbs and fried in butter or oil until crispy and golden. It is traditionally served with a slice of lemon.
The traditional meat for Schnitzel is veal which actually has its own name – Wiener Schnitzel. Pork, turkey or chicken are the most common choices for Schnitzel.
why you should try this recipe
- quick and easy to make. You’re going to bash the chicken fillets out thinly so they cook fast – about 3-4 minutes per side. Great for busy nights when you need dinner fast!
- minimal ingredients. You just need a few basic ingredients for Schnitzel. Nothing expensive or fancy.
- can be made in advance. You can prepare the chicken and store in the fridge for as long as the use by date on the packet or freeze them for another time.
INGREDIENTS
chicken
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are best for making Schnitzel. If your chicken breasts are quite thick, you will need to slice them down the middle to make thinner cuts. You can also buy quick cook chicken “escalopes” or “sizzlers” in the supermarket.
BREADCRUMBS
I like panko breadcrumbs, but any dried breadcrumbs will work. I think dried are much better than fresh – they give a much crispier crumb.
Parmesan cheese
Not a traditional ingredient, but I like to grate a little Parmesan into the breadcrumbs. If you don’t have any, you can leave it out.
flour
Just like making Southern fried chicken, dredging the chicken in a little plain flour is the first step to achieving crispy chicken. It also helps the egg stick to the chicken.
egg
Dipping the chicken in beaten egg makes sure the breadcrumbs stay on the chicken.
salt, pepper and garlic granules
Some recipes will tell you to season the flour, but I’ve had much better results when seasoning the chicken before dusting with flour.
oil
You need a neutral flavoured oil to fry the chicken, such as vegetable, sunflower or regular olive oil.
Step by step
Scroll to the bottom of the post to find printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions. Please have a read of the step by step and tips before making this recipe!
step one – prepare the chicken
- start by preparing the chicken. Place a piece of cling film on a chopping board and place the chicken breast on top. Cover the chicken with a second piece of cling film.
- Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts until they are 3-4mm thick. Season with a little salt, black pepper and garlic granules, if using.
step two – bread the chicken
Take out three large shallow bowls. In one bowl, mix the flour with the parmesan cheese, if using.
Crack the egg in another bowl and whisk briefly with a fork to break it up. In the third bowl, pour in the breadcrumbs.
Dip each chicken piece in the flour and gently shake off the excess. You just need a light covering. Dip the chicken in the egg, then finally the breadcrumbs.
Press the chicken pieces down into the crumbs to ensure they get a good coating.
step three – cook the chicken
Heat the oil in a large, wide saucepan. When it is hot, fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side on a medium high heat until golden brown, crunchy and cooked through.
Drain the chicken on paper towels to remove excess oil before serving.
What to serve with chicken schnitzel
There are endless ways to serve chicken Schnitzel. Here are a handful of side dishes that will go perfectly:
- fries, potato wedges and a side salad
- Turn it into a sandwich! My family love it in a roll with rocket and garlic mayonnaise.
- potato and egg salad
- baked potato
- Greek Orzo salad
Expert tips
- Season the chicken before you start the dredging process. I use salt, pepper and a small amount of garlic granules for the best flavour.
- Make sure the oil is hot before you add the chicken. If it’s not hot enough, your chicken will turn soggy not crunchy and crisp.
To test the oil, throw in a small cube of bread, If it starts to sizzle straight away, it’s ready for the chicken. If the bread turns black straight away, the oil is too hot. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool down a little before trying again.
- When cooking the chicken, don’t over crowd the pan. If you can only fit one piece of chicken in at a time, then so be it. You’ll get much better results than trying to fit them all in at once. They are so quick to cook anyway!
- You might need to add a little more oil as you cook – if you do, wait until the oil is hot before adding more chicken to the pan.
- If there are lots of breadcrumbs left in the pan, they might start to brown and stick to the chicken. I remove these excess crumbs with a slotted spoon and wipe the pan with some thick kitchen towel.
make chicken schnitzel in advance
Prepare up to step three in the recipe card below, then place the chicken on a plate, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for up to 2 days (but check the use by date on the chicken packet as it will need to be cooked by then, obviously!)
reheating leftovers
Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Place on a baking tray and heat in a preheated oven (180C/160Fan) for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is piping hot. You can also use an air fryer to reheat – 180C for 4 minutes per side.
Chicken Schnitzel
How to make Chicken Schnitzel. Chicken breasts pounded until thin, covered in breadcrumbs and pan fried until golden and crunchy. Serve with new potato salad and coleslaw for a quick and delicious meal.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules (optional)
- 100g plain (all purpose) flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 50g grated parmesan (optional)
- 200g dried breadcrumbs (I use Panko)
- 80ml olive, vegetable or sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
- FLATTEN THE CHICKEN. Place a large piece of cling film on a chopping board and place a chicken breast on top. Place another piece of cling film on top and using a meat tenderiser or rolling pin, bash out the chicken until it is 2-3mm thick. Repeat with the rest of the chicken, then season the bashed out fillets with a little salt, pepper and garlic granules, if using.
- Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls or plate. Whisk the egg with a fork to break it up. Stir the parmesan cheese into the bowl of flour, if using.
- BREADCRUMB THE CHICKEN. Dip the chicken into the flour (you just need a light coating), then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Press the chicken into the crumbs to make sure you have an even coating.
- COOK THE CHICKEN SCHNITZEL. Heat the oil in a large, shallow frying pan. When the oil is hot (test by dropping in a small cube of bread - if it starts to sizzle but not burn, it's ready) cook the chicken pieces two at a time, if space allows. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown, crisp and cooked through.
- Place the chicken on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil, then serve with fries, salad and a slice of lemon to squeeze over.
Notes
Make in advance - follow the recipe up to step three, then place the breaded chicken on a plate, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for up to 2 days (but obviously check the use by date on the chicken packet as it will need to be cooked by then.)
Reheating leftovers - Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Place in a preheated oven (180C/160Fan) and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is piping hot. You can also use an air fryer to reheat - 180C for 4 minutes per side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 543Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 206mgSodium: 881mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 51g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.