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Home » Recipes » Chicken

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Published: Aug 17, 2014 · Updated: May 18, 2020 · By Lisa Goldfinger · 36 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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two pieces of chicken schnitzel on a small white square plate with noodles and a lemon wedge

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, crisp on the outside, tender inside

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 for shawarma.

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

Chicken Schnitzel with noodles

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!"

Best chicken schnitzel recipe

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.

how to pound chicken to make thin cutlets for schnitzel

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.

how to flour and bread chicken cutlets

Coat each chicken cutlet lightly with flour.

egg dip for chicken schnitzel

Dunk into beaten eggs.

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

schnitzel-breaded-web

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.

delicious chicken schnitzel with noodles recipe by Panning The Globe

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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Recipe

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Chicken Schnitzel, crisp on the outside, tender inside

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
  • Yield: 6-8
Print Recipe

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

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Chicken, Dinner, Entertaining, Europe, Fall Favorites, Most Popular Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Carol at Wild Goose Tea

    August 21, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    Your schnitzel is so absolutely perfect----just the right color and even. I am envious, impressed and hungry. Lol

    Reply
  2. Cindys Recipes and Writings

    August 19, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    Lisa your chicken looks so moist and delicious!

    Reply
  3. Christy @ Confessions of a Culinary Diva

    August 18, 2014 at 11:38 pm

    Lovely post - Schnitzel is a family favorite, and adaptable for most cuisines as you pointed out. Great photos too -

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 19, 2014 at 7:43 am

      Thanks Christy!

      Reply
  4. Shaina

    August 18, 2014 at 2:40 pm

    Your schnitzel really looks amazing. It's perfectly crispy and browned!

    Reply
  5. The Ninja Baker

    August 18, 2014 at 1:52 am

    I love your world perspective on food, Lisa =) And, yes, I love katsu-don...And your gorgeous schnitzel...Great comment about schnitzel is a giant chicken nugget! LOL =)

    Reply
  6. Amee

    August 17, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    This is one of those recipes that proves that simple ingredients can create the most amazing meals! I love a good schnitzel! This looks delicious and definitely a kid-pleaser!

    Reply
  7. Katie

    August 17, 2014 at 8:02 pm

    I had no idea schnitzel had such global reach! I love learning new things...and your schnitzel is so golden and perfect looking - YUM!

    Reply
  8. Simply Gourmet

    August 17, 2014 at 4:26 pm

    Oh I love this dish. I will need to give this recipe a try with our gluten free breading.

    Reply
  9. Soni

    August 17, 2014 at 2:31 pm

    Oooh my kids love Chicken Nuggets or Katsu at our local Sushi place and this recipe looks just perfect!Always a hit with the kids and you know they're going to finish it off!Cannot wait to try 🙂

    Reply
  10. Tammi @Momma's Meals

    August 17, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    This looks amazing! I bet my family would love this!

    Reply
  11. Tara

    August 17, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    My mouth is watering looking at this recipe, I haven't had chicken schnitzel forever!!

    Reply
  12. Marlene @Nosh My Way

    August 17, 2014 at 11:09 am

    Okay now you know that I HAVE to make this recipe using my almond meal mixture. You are so right about all the other countries that make something similar.

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 17, 2014 at 12:55 pm

      I'll have to try your almond meal mixture for a gluten-free version, Marlene!

      Reply
  13. Nichole

    August 17, 2014 at 10:55 am

    In my family, we referred to it as milanese, and I never knew schnitzel was the same thing, basically. I love that you referred to this as a giant chicken nugget; that name wins in my book!

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 17, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      I was surprised to find out how many different countries feature schnitzel in their cuisine. I only mentioned a few but there are literally dozens. Chicken Milanese is one of my favorites!

      Reply
  14. Marion@Life Tastes Good

    August 17, 2014 at 10:19 am

    Such delicious comfort food and this makes a delicious meal any night of the week! I look forward to giving this a try. It's been a long time since we've had schnitzel - thanks for bringing it back for me 🙂

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 17, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      Thanks Marion!

      Reply
  15. Betsy @ Desserts Required

    August 17, 2014 at 10:01 am

    I did not know that 'schnitzel' was part of the Sound of Music lyrics. Shows you how closely I paid attention to the little details of the song...like the words!

    Thank you for sharing the styles of schnitzel and for posting such a user-friendly recipe. I can't wait to give it a try...and I will be serving mine with buttered noodles, too!

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 17, 2014 at 1:04 pm

      I don't always pay attention to lyrics either, but there's no way I could have missed the lyrics to this one - I think I have seen The Sound of Music about 100 times - it's one of my all-time favorite movies! 🙂

      Reply
      • Liz Wooster

        February 04, 2016 at 5:40 pm

        I think you might have meant sleigh bells, not slay bells. Unless you're planning to murder Julie Andrews. 🙂

      • Lisa

        February 04, 2016 at 5:56 pm

        So funny! I made the correction. Thank you Liz!! I love Julie Andrews and would never want any harm to come to her. 🙂

  16. Liz

    August 17, 2014 at 8:45 am

    Oh, my gosh, does your schnitzel look terrific! I'm adding this to our dinner menu ASAP! Maybe even tonight if the predicted storms prevent us from grilling 🙂

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 17, 2014 at 1:04 pm

      Thanks Liz!

      Reply
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