Chicken Schnitzel
A good schnitzel is thin as a page, with a crisp golden crust that ripples away from the meat in waves. We get that with plenty of oil and a gentle swirl of the pan as it fries. Pounding the chicken thin means it cooks in minutes and stays juicy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 480 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 4 schnitzels
Shopping list
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Method
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Step 1: Slice and pound
Cut each breast horizontally into two thin halves. Place between two sheets of cling film and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet to 4–5 mm, working from the centre outwards. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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Step 2: Set up the coating
Set out three plates: one with flour, one with the eggs beaten with a fork and a pinch of salt, and one with breadcrumbs.
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Step 3: Coat the chicken
Dredge each piece in flour and shake off the excess, dip in egg and let it drip, then coat lightly in breadcrumbs without pressing. Leaving the crumbs loose is what lets the coating puff into waves as it fries.
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Step 4: Heat the fat
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat — you want about 5 mm of fat. It's ready when a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles vigorously straight away.
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Step 5: Fry the schnitzels
Fry 1–2 schnitzels at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, gently swirling the pan the whole time so hot oil washes over the top. They're done when evenly golden and the meat is white with no pink inside (74°C/165°F).
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Step 6: Drain and serve
Transfer to a rack or paper towels for a minute to drain. Serve right away with lemon wedges.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Coat the chicken right before frying: if it sits, the crumbs go soggy and stick flat to the meat.
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Tip
Keep finished schnitzels on a rack in a 90°C (200°F) oven while you fry the rest — they'll stay crisp.
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Variation
Use Japanese panko instead of regular breadcrumbs for an even crunchier crust.
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Storage
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 6–8 minutes.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 480 kcal | 1,920 kcal |
| Protein | 43 g | 172 g |
| Fat | 22 g | 88 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g | 108 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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