Quick and Easy Crispy German Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Make your own delicious chicken schnitzel at home in under 30 minutes with this quick and easy recipe. Pair with spaetzle for a culinary German vacation!

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Chicken Schnitzel is very similar to chicken-fried chicken in the South. It’s the German version, or at least, that’s what we were going for. When we made some spaetzle, we needed a similar cultured main dish.

Usually, I don’t like a lot of fried foods, but this was delicious! I didn’t feel like it was too greasy, which is my main dislike of fried food. Since we didn’t deep fry the chicken, it still had that golden crust, but without the excess.

Breading the chicken was done similarly to other recipes, such as buttermilk fried chicken. Use three bowls, but the middle one is more than just eggs this time.

You want the chicken to be thin for this recipe. There are a few options for that. You can purchase chicken cutlets, which will be a bit thinner. You can also use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten the chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap. Or you can fillet a regular chicken breast. We do the latter every time we buy chicken. I don’t like how chicken cooks when it’s too thick. And the store-bought chicken is huge! After a grocery trip, we always trim the fat from the chicken and fillet them in half before freezing them in individual serving sizes.

Serving Suggestions

• Although garlic is not found in a traditional German dish, it is starting to gain popularity there. You can add a little bit of garlic powder to the breadcrumbs for this recipe. 
• Plain breadcrumbs work best, but if you want more crunch you can try panko breadcrumbs instead. 
• Garnish with lemon wedges, lemon slices, or lemon juice on the side. 
• Sprinkle with fresh herbs such as fresh parsley or fresh thyme. 
• You can prepare crispy chicken schnitzel in a deep fryer with the oil temperature at 350F. Use paper towels to catch any excess oil. 
• Try making this in the air fryer for an easy way to cook the breaded chicken. 

Chicken Schnitzel Step by Step

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb chicken breasts (thin chicken cutlets or filleted boneless chicken breasts)
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation

Prepare your breading station. Whisk 2 tbsp of flour and the cornstarch together in one shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk egg white and Dijon mustard. In a third shallow bowl combine the bread crumbs, black pepper, and the remaining 2 tbsp of flour.

Dredge chicken pieces in each bowl starting with the flour and cornstarch. Shake the excess off and dip in the mustard and egg mixture. Let any extra drip off and coat generously with the breadcrumb mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook for about 5-6 minutes per side. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the heat and serve the chicken schnitzel warm with your favorite sides.

Leftovers

Storage: Place the leftover chicken schnitzel in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Reheating: To reheat, cook it in the toaster oven, air fyer, or oven until warmed through.

Recipe

Chicken Schnitzel

Make your own delicious chicken schnitzel at home in under 30 minutes with this quick and easy recipe. Pair with spaetzle for a culinary German vacation!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

|

German

Keyword:

breadcrumbs

|

chicken

|

fried

|

fried chicken

|

fried food

|

german

Dietary Needs:

Dairy-Free

|

Nut-Free

Meat:

Chicken/Turkey

Servings: 4

5 from 6 votes

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 lb chicken breasts (thin chicken cutlets or filleted boneless chicken breasts)
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Recommended Equipment

• Mixing Bowls – Stainless Steel
• Whisk – Wire
• Skillet

Instructions

• Whisk 2 tbsp of flour and the cornstarch together in one shallow bowl
• In a second bowl, whisk the egg white and Dijon mustard
• In a third shallow bowl combine the bread crumbs and the remaining 2 tbsp of flour
• Dredge each piece of chicken in each bowl starting with the flour and cornstarch
• Shake the excess off and dip in the mustard mixture. Let any extra drip off and coat generously with the bread crumb mixture
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
• Add the chicken and cook for about 5-6 minutes per side
• The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through
• Remove the chicken from the heat and serve warm with your favorite sides

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Nutrition Facts

Chicken Schnitzel

Amount Per Serving (4 oz)

Calories 265 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 329mg14%

Potassium 469mg13%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 34IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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