Can I just express my absolute obsession with Chicken Schnitzel? It's basically a glorified Chicken Nugget and I'm obsessed!
We've been making chicken schnitzel since I was a little munchkin and I will never get enough. According to Thomas, it's basically a glorified chicken nugget and honestly, I'm here for it. That said, I like to jazz it up a bit by adding some spices and topping it off with a generous squeeze of lemon and a pinch of freshly chopped chives. Or if I'm in need of some childhood like comfort food, I'll serve it with a side of ketchup. DON'T JUDGE ME. Or, if I want to make this meal even more delicious, I'll top this chicken with my famous skillet cheesy chickpeas.
When I ask Thomas what he wants for dinner, 9 times out of 10 he answers with Schnitzel so let's break down how to make the perfect piece of chicken schnitzel! We're making these step by step, so here it goes!
Start with a chicken breast...
Place it in a plastic bag and pound it out so they are about ⅓ - ½ inch thick throughout. *TIP: I use a meat mallet or wooden rolling to pound the chicken, but if you don't have either, you can use a heavy bottom pot or pan.
Prepare a breading station with flour, whisked eggs and Panko bread crumbs. I like to add a touch of salt, pepper, lemon zest and garlic powder to the flour mixture to ensure perfect seasoning.
Place each piece of chicken in the flour, coating both sides, and shaking off any excess. Next, dunk the chicken into the eggs, let any excess liquid drain off, then coat with a healthy dose of bread crumbs!
Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place one piece of the breaded chicken into the pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip it over to finish cooking. Each piece should be golden brown on both sides.
Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate, to absorb any excess oil and give each breast a generous squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives, and season with salt as needed.
Serve it up with a side of my German Potato Salad and make someone else do the dishes 🙂 auf Wiedersehen friends!
Chicken Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 4 4-6 ounce skinless boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Freshly chopped chives
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a plastic bag, one at a time, and pound them so they are about ½ inch thick throughout its entirety.
- Prepare 3 bowls, one with flour, salt, pepper, lemon zest and the garlic powder, one with whisked eggs and the last with Panko bread crumbs.
- Place each piece of chicken in the flour, coating both sides, and shaking off any excess.
- Next dunk it into the whisked egg – let any excess liquid drain off.
- Next, coat it with the Panko breadcrumbs.
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place one piece of Chicken Schnitzel into the pan and let it cook for 3-5 minutes and then flip it over to finish cooking. Each piece should be golden brown on both sides.
- Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken. Once all the chicken is cooked, give it all a generous squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives, and season with more salt as needed.
I love Schnitzel and your photo looks delicious. Why is it necessary to zest the lemon and where do you add the garlic powder -- to the chicken or flour? I love your recipes.
I have made this recipe over and over. My family loves it. I could eat it everyday but that's another story. I add a few more spices to the flour.......paprika, creole seasoning....we like spicy. extra pepper
An all time favorite! Yum!!
At is the tomato-like condiment plated with the schnitzel?
ketchup!
This was so good, I had Wiener Schnitzel in Germany this is so much better. A keeper.
I have never tried this before. It seems to me that it would take a while to fry up enough to serve 4 people. How do you keep the schnitzel warm so that it doesn't dry out?
Thanks for the recipe! The photos are beautiful, too, and really add to it all!
I was first introduced to Schnitzel back in 1987, when we arrived at Hahn Air Force Base, in the area in the western part of Germany known as the "Hunsrueck". There were many small Gasthaus restaurants out there, where three fourths of the menu was some kind of Schnitzel. There were many kinds to choose from, which added a sauce, like Zigeuner (Gypsy )schnitzel, which was a spicy sauce and Jaeger (hunter) schnitzel, which was a cream gravy with mushrooms. The the meat was prepared the same way, Most of what they served was pork. A full order hung off the edges of the plate. My husband and I would get one order, split it and then feed our two boys some of it, too. There was always Wienerschnitzel, too, which was veal. It was served exactly like you serve your chicken Schnitzel, with a little parsley and lemon wedges.
I'm making this for tonight's dinner, and I think I will serve it with Kartoffelsalat and Rotkohl! Thanks again!
Made this for dinner last night and just came back to say that my hubby and I love it! Frying and breading things always intimidates me, and this breading recipe couldn't be more perfect. Thanks!
ingredient list calls for 2 eggs but directions say egg whites?
it's whole eggs! thanks for catching that!
Here in Austria, where the Schnitzel originates (yep, it's not German, actually), we would never ever use olive oil to fry them, no matter what type of meat it is.
Clarified butter or oil neutral in taste is the way to go, really. Olive oil can't get hot enough for proper frying and it soaks the Schnitzel this way more than it would with any other ...you might want to give it a try.
This said I am happy to see you pound them before breading! 🙂
I think I need to do this tonight!!
This looks amazing, Gaby! Definitely making asap!
oh good mercy. Pinning the crap out of this one for Sunday's dinner!
Love me some schnitzel! Yours is so pretty!
Such a classic & wonderful way to prepare chicken!