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Ready in under 15 minutes, this chicken schnitzel recipe features tender fillets under a coating of crispy golden breadcrumbs. I love to pair it with a German potato salad for an authentic and hearty meal.
Looking for more crispy chicken recipes? Try parmesan crusted chicken, chicken Milanese, and chicken cutlets.
If crispy and juicy chicken is something you enjoy, my chicken schnitzel recipe is one for the books. It’s my childhood staple that’s been perfected (thanks, Mom!) and one that’s a weekly dinner staple in my home!
Table of Contents
What is chicken schnitzel?
Schnitzels are essentially thin slices of meat that have been breaded and fried to make them crispy. While there is veal, pork, and eggplant schnitzel, the most common is made with chicken breast fillets.
Here are some reasons why I LOVE this recipe:
- Only 6 ingredients. You only need six everyday ingredients to make one of the most famous European dishes.
- Cooks in 10 minutes. As the chicken fillets for schnitzel are very thin, they take only a few minutes to cook. The total time for this entire recipe is less than 15 minutes.
- Freezer-friendly. You can bread as many chicken fillets as you like and freeze them, uncooked, for later.
- Three cooking options. While I prefer the drying method due to tradition, I’ve tested my original recipe in both the air fryer and the oven, so you have options!
What is chicken schnitzel made from?
- Chicken. Chicken schnitzel is made with boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Cut the chicken breasts diagonally to get thinner cuts.
- All-purpose flour. Dredging chicken fillets in flour helps get rid of any extra moisture and achieve crispy results. Flour also helps the egg mixture adhere to the chicken.
- Eggs. Dipping the chicken in beaten eggs ensures that the breadcrumbs don’t fall off.
- Breadcrumbs. The final coating provides the crispiness of the schnitzels. I like using panko breadcrumbs, but standard breadcrumbs also work.
- Oil. To fry the chicken fillets. Opt for an oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Lemon. Fresh lemon wedges or a squeeze of lemon juice to serve.
How to make chicken schnitzel
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Pound the chicken. Cut skinless and boneless chicken breasts in half diagonally. Place the fillets between saran wrap or two sheets of parchment paper and pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin until the chicken breasts are ¼ inch thick.
Step 2- Bread the chicken. Get three shallow bowls. In one bowl, mix flour with salt and black pepper. Crack the eggs in the second bowl and give them a good whisk. Add the bread crumbs to the last bowl. Dredge each chicken fillet in the flour mix, followed by the eggs, and the bread crumbs.
Step 3- Fry. Add cooking oil to a deep, non-stick pan or skillet. Once hot, fry the breaded chicken fillets for 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Step 4- Rest then serve. Remove the schnitzels from the pan and place them on a wire rack to get them extra crispy. Serve with sliced lemons.
Alternative cooking methods
As mentioned earlier, I’ve tested this recipe in the oven and the air fryer so you can cut back on the oil and added fat. Here is how:
Oven method: Simply place the breaded chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake at 180C/350F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Air fryer method: Similar to air fryer chicken cutlets, once the chicken is breaded, place them in a greased air fryer basket and air fry at 200C/400F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Remember, for each option, the easiest way to check if the chicken is cooked is to check it’s internal temperature. As per the FDA requirements, chicken is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temp of 165F.
Recipe tips and variations
- My #1 tip when deep frying or frying meat is to check the temperature of the oil. The ideal temperature should be between 325F and 375F. Frying the chicken anything below that will result in greasy chicken as opposed to crispy chicken.
- Don’t put freshly fried chicken schnitzels on paper towels. While paper towels absorb the extra oil, they tend to make the schnitzels slightly soggy. I recommend always using a wire rack (see my spicy chicken sandwich or chicken katsu).
- Mix a tablespoon of Dijon mustard with the beaten eggs or brush it on the chicken fillets before seasoning them. This will give the schnitzels a mild mustardy kick.
- Don’t skimp on salt and pepper. Season the fillets generously on both sides to avoid bland chicken.
Storage and make-ahead instructions
To store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To make ahead: I love to freeze the prepped schnitzels (uncooked) in advance. Once breaded, wrap them in parchment paper and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. You can fry them directly from frozen; just increase the cooking time by two minutes.
To freeze: While uncooked chicken schnitzels freeze better, you can freeze them cooked too. Wrap each schnitzel in food wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Whether you have had them in the fridge or the freezer, the best way to reheat chicken schnitzels is in the oven. Don’t reheat the chicken in the microwave to prevent them from getting soggy.
Serving suggestions
I typically serve these for my family with plenty of vegetables and some form of potato.
- Air Fryer baked potatoes– Air fried, so they cook in a fraction of the time.
- Air fryer baked sweet potatoes– Like above, but just the sweet version.
- Mashed cauliflower– This makes a fabulous low-carb mashed potato alternative.
- Air fryer sweet potato fries– Crispy and without all the excess oil.
- Scalloped potatoes– Comfort food x 100.
Chicken Schnitzel
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts between saran wrap and pound into 1/4 inch thickness.
- Add the flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl, eggs in another bowl, and the bread crumbs in a third bowl.
- Moving quickly, dip the chicken in the flour mix, followed by the eggs, and then the bread crumbs. Shake off the excess from each breast.
- Add oil to a non-stick pan. Once hot, fry the chicken for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken once golden brown. Place the chicken on a wire rack for maximum crispiness.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published November 2022, updated March 2024
This looks delicious but I’m allergic to eggs. What could I use in place of eggs in this recipe?
I haven’t tried any alternative, you could experiment with buttermilk 🙂
There is a plant liquid substitute called Just Eggs in the refrigerator section. I use it because of egg allergies. I have made cake, cupcakes, cookies and cheesecakes, as well as, dipping in chicken dishes.
I have found out that it will not work for waffles and keto pasta. Before this product there were dry powder ones that you added water to, but the texture did not work as well. I definitely recommend this product.
Arman,
cette recette semble délicieuse 👌 a essayer je te reviens dès que je l ai essayer… merci pour le partage de ses belles recettes 👌
Yum! I’ll be making this! Instead of Saran Wrap I put my chicken piece by piece inside a freezer bag and pound, then remove with tongs. Sturdier and catches splashes!
Love recipe, but love more the simple, concise
way it is presented. Good format, even with ads.👍
Had authentic pork version in Austria (1978)…
Served with thick cut fried potatoes. Many years ago, but have never forgotten that plate of food!
😆Thanks, uncle G in Tennessee
Mmm thick cut fried potatoes are a MUST!
Excellent and simple recipe. Thanks!! Although, can you give a bit of guidance on how much and what kind of oil to use? I’m new to cooking (especially frying) and I feel like I maybe used too much canola oil
Yes Absolutely! I’ll be making a video shortly but it comes down to personal preference- For ultra crispy schnitzel, you want enough oil so the chicken can comfortably sit in it. For less greasy but still crispy chicken, 2 tablespoons of oil is enough.
Can a low-carb/keto breading be used (i.e. your almond flour & parmesan cheese mixture in your Keto Chicken Parm recipe)?
Also, can these be cooked in an Air Fryer?
I don’t see why not 🙂
I’m also keto and I use the following ingredients to replace breadcrumbs:-
To serve 2…50g finely grated Parmesan. 25g Palenta. Half tsp Thyme. Half tsp plain paprika.
I sometimes also add a bit of grated lemon rind for a lemony twist.
The entire schnitzel is 399cals. 62g Protein. 13g Fat. 9g Carbs.
I did try it with almond flour in the Airfryer but it was pale and not so crispy. It might be better fried!
Fabulous! So quick and easy. My 9 year old son wanted to make chicken schnitzel and with only a bit of help, he followed this recipe with ease. The whole family enjoyed it! Will definitely make this again.
I will try your recipe
This recipes reminds me of my long deceased German grandmothers whomboth made this weekly with pork cutlets using breadcrumbs from scratch, and lard for frying. Both had a small wire rack and towel on baking paper they used to let the schnitzel “rest” before serving. After that towel became saturated, it was popped in a low temp oven to retrieve the lard to be used for other particular recipes. They also added an egg or two to the egg dip and scrambled that in the lard. All this was served with a variety of potato dishes and occasionally pierogi. Thanks for reviving those fantastic memories. And yes, I prepare it their way except I lazily use paper towel!
I made a traditional German Pork Schnitzel recipe last night. Same as this recipe except I used boneless pork chops instead of chicken. Same recipe ingredients.
Yummy😋
This recipe my grandmother taught me since l was 11 years old I am now 65 and this is an Italian dish called fettene báñate means Italian Chicken Cutlets An old recipe of my Grandmother in Italy when came to Canada A Traditional Recipe!! Not CHICKEN SCHNITZEL” Its an Italian Dish!!! Just to get your fact straight!!
So my facts are straight- this is a traditional German recipe. Enjoy this Chicken Schnitzel.
Thank you for a quick and easy Schnitzel recipe. And the link to the German potato salad was a perfect side for this dish. Everything tasted amazing!
Please do your research!!! It can be made with just about any protein!! 🙄 Now go schnitzel yourself!!
Why so rude, and angry? It is called “chicken schnitzel”, because this one is made with chicken. I don’t see anyone in this thread, saying you can’t make it with another protein. So how about you cool your jets 😉
Wow I’m with CoCo. Bunny you need to cool your jets honey, so rude can’t understand why you’re so up tight and so rude, but nevertheless the recipe is awesome and amazing thanks Arman keep the great recipes coming. Thanks man I really enjoy your site and the recipes.
Thank you for recipes they are helping me a lot
Do you think these would turn out as good in air fryer? Just spritzing them with oil?
I love schnitzel!!! But I don’t want to go through the trouble and have them not turn out.
Yes this will! 🙂 Just be sure to spray both sides with oil.