Chicken Schnitzel

This chicken schnitzel recipe is a traditional German dish that is pounded thin with a meat tenderizer and is coated with breadcrumbs and then lightly fried. There isn't much better or easier than this when it comes to chicken.

You can't have enough chicken dishes - from chicken francese to chicken with white wine sauce to chicken paprikash.

But I thought today was about exploring my roots a little bit. My dad's side of the family is German if the last name Beck didn't give it away. No I'm not related to Beck's Beer sadly. Who knows, maybe I'll randomly start seeing some checks from them some day. And while my distant relatives hail from Germany, I have never actually been.

But I feel most cities these days have an authentic German restaurant. For me it was Hollerbach's in Sanford. My memories of Hollerbach's consist of live music, lots of dancing, beer and schnitzel. Now I was too young for the beer and didn't care for the dancing but I remember loving the schnitzel.

Schnitzel is usually either chicken, pork or veal that is pounded very thin. I either would order the pork or chicken and always loved it. In fact, I don't think I ever ordered anything else besides schnitzel from Hollerbach's. Since I don't live close by anymore, I thought I'd make my own version of a German chicken schnitzel recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

• If you love simple meals that can be ready in under 30 minutes, this German chicken schnitzel fits the bill.
• As opposed to most schnitzel recipes, the secret here is using fresh bread and making your own breadcrumbs.
• It is incredibly versatile as can serve as a main course, slice it up and use it in sandwiches or wraps for a quick lunch, or even chop it up and toss it in salads for added protein and crunch.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredient Notes
• Ingredient Swaps
• Step-by-Step Photos
• FAQs
• Side Dish Options
• Equipment
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Similar Recipes
• Chicken Schnitzel

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken - You want thin chicken so you can get chicken cutlets or take chicken breasts and pound them thin.
• Seasonings - Schnitzel has a very simple seasoning consisting of salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• Flour - All-purpose flour is typically used for dredging the chicken before coating it in egg and breadcrumbs.
• Eggs - Important in helping the breadcrumbs bind which creates that crispy exterior.
• Breadcrumbs - I like to take some slices of bread and make my own breadcrumb mixture. My preference is a good sourdough bread, but any type will work.
• Oil - Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying, such as vegetable oil or canola oil. Make sure there is enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan for shallow frying.
• Lemon - Just a touch of acidity makes all the difference in enhancing the flavor of this German chicken schnitzel recipe.

Ingredient Swaps

Like any recipe you can mix up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:

• I like to use chicken breasts and pound them thin, but you can use chicken thighs as well. Or even another protein like veal or pork.
• You can use alternative flours like almond flour or gluten-free flour for a different texture or to make the dish gluten-free.
• I like to take the time to make breadcrumbs but you can use store-bought, regular or panko. And if you need to go gluten-free, try gluten-free breadcrumbs.
• I use vegetable/canola oil to cook the chicken but peanut oil, butter or even coconut oil works.

Step-by-Step Photos

Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.

Pound the chicken to ¼" thickness and season with salt and pepper. Then pulse 6-8 slices of bread in a food processor to make the breadcrumb mixture.

Place the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls, adding some garlic powder to the breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken in the flour and then the eggs.

Finally dip in the breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Cook the chicken in a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through.

FAQs

Side Dish Options

There are plenty of options to pair with this German chicken schnitzel recipe. Some include:

• Potato Latkes
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• German Spaetzle
• Homemade Pierogies
• Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Equipment

The equipment you use is important to how recipe turns out. What is needed is the following:

• Meat mallet - Important in tenderizing and making the chicken thin enough to cook
• Shallow bowls - Perfect for dredging the chicken in the different ingredients.
• Skillet/Dutch oven - You want something large enough to cook the chicken.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Do not skip pounding the chicken. It needs to be pounded to about ¼ inch thickness which allows for even and fast cooking so you don't burn the breading or overcook the chicken.
• Fresh breadcrumbs take 5 seconds extra work, but lead to a quality tasting exterior of the chicken that store-bought can't replicate. However you can use regular or panko breadcrumbs if needed.
• Fry the chicken in batches if necessary, leaving enough space between each piece. Crowding the pan will lower the oil temperature and result in soggy schnitzel.
• Leftover chicken schnitzel will store well in the fridge for 1-2 days but as is the case with anything pan fried, it's better fresh.

Similar Recipes

If you’ve tried this chicken schnitzel recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.