This easy chicken schnitzel recipe transforms chicken breasts into crispy, golden perfection in just 15 minutes!
It may surprise you to know that growing up in Egypt, chicken schnitzel was a common meal at our table. My mom made it regularly for a quick and easy dinner with a salad or simple pasta. To this day, that first crispy bite takes me right back home!
Put simply, schnitzel is a thin slice of meat (traditionally veal) that’s pounded until tender, then coated in breadcrumbs, and fried in a bit of oil. Think of it as a close cousin to breaded chicken cutlets, only even thinner and lighter.
This easy recipe will teach you how to get the crispiest, juiciest chicken schnitzel in minutes–no brining or fussing required. It’s the kind of quick, go-to meal you’ll want to keep in your back pocket. Tuck into a chicken sandwich, add to a grain bowl, use to refresh leftovers, the list goes on!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This easy chicken schnitzel recipe uses simple pantry ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Chicken: Look for boneless skinless chicken breasts, which we’ll pound thinly. If you’re working with chicken cutlets, try this recipe instead.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, sweet Spanish paprika, dried Greek oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper add a subtle aromatic quality, while keeping the juicy chicken the main focus. Italian seasoning (I make my own) is a great substitute, or really any savory seasoning blend you like.
- All purpose flour: Removes the moisture from the chicken, helping it crisp up.
- Eggs: Allows the breadcrumbs to stick.
- Breadcrumbs: I like panko, but you could experiment with homemade or gluten free.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You can use another healthy frying oil of your choice if you prefer. Contrary to myth, olive oil’s stability and antioxidant properties make it excellent at high heat, including the heat of frying. Just be sure it’s labeled “extra virgin.”
- READ MORE: Cooking with Olive Oil: Everything You Need to Know
- TRY IT: Find my curated selection of extra virgin olive oils at our shop.
- Lemon: Substitute lime.
How to Make Chicken Schnitzel
Chicken schnitzel has three easy steps: pound and season the chicken breasts, coat in breadcrumbs, and fry until golden. Here’s how it’s done:
- Pound the chicken to thin, one piece at a time. Put a chicken breast in a large ziptop bag and seal, pushing out the air as you go. Use a mallet or the back of a heavy cast iron skillet to pound the chicken until it’s large and quite thin (about 1/8-inch in thickness or so). Repeat with the remaining 3 chicken breasts.
- Season the chicken. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the spice mixture.
- Bread the chicken. Line up 3 bowls for a dredging station. Put 1/2 cup flour in the first bowl, beat 2 eggs in the second, and put 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs in the third. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, coat each breast in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Sear the chicken (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the skillet). Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set near your stove. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Carefully add the chicken. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the prepared pan to drain. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice over top. Serve with more lemon slices. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chicken Schnitzel
For perfectly fried chicken breasts—packed with flavor and crispy on the outside while juicy and tender on the inside—there are 3 easy things you can do:
- Pound the chicken thinly. Chicken breasts are uneven and quite thick in some parts. Use a mallet (or the back of a small cast iron skillet) to pound and flatten the chicken breasts as much as possible. They should be about 1/8-inch thick all the way around. This will help the breasts cook evenly and quickly without drying out.
- Season the chicken well first before dredging. Many recipes have you mixing the spices or seasonings with the flour. I’ve found that seasoning the chicken directly first gives me more flavor.
- Heat the oil well. The oil needs to be hot enough (it should be shimmering but not smoking) so that the chicken will cook well and crisp up. If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb too much oil and give you soggy, oily schnitzel.
- TIP: Test the heat of the oil by dropping in a pinch of breadcrumbs. They should sizzle.
What to Serve with Chicken Schnitzel
If you order schnitzel at a restaurant, it will often come with fries or potato salad. But I find that a fresh salad is a great balance, something lemony like:
- Arugula Salad with Tomato, Cucumber, and Avocado (pictured)
- Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad
- Smashed Cucumber Salad with Fried Lemon and Feta
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Crispy Chicken Schnitzel Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 pounds each)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (Panko works well)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved, plus lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Pound the chicken to thin, one piece at a time. Put a chicken breast in a large ziptop bag and seal, pushing out the air as you go. Use a mallet or the back of a heavy cast iron skillet to pound the chicken until it’s large and quite thin (about 1/8-inch in thickness or so). Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Season the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, paprika, and oregano. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the spice mixture.
- Line up 3 bowls for a dredging station. Put the flour in the first bowl, beat the eggs in the second, and put the breadcrumbs in the third.
- Bread the chicken. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, coat each breast in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Sear the chicken (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the skillet). Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set near your stove. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Carefully add the chicken. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the prepared pan to drain.
- Finish and serve. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice over top. Serve with more lemon slices. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Leftovers & Storage: Store leftover schnitzel in the fridge in a tight-lid container; it will keep for 3 or more days. Warm in a medium-heated oven.
- I love this crispy chicken with an arugula avocado salad (pictured).
Nutrition
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I’ve made this recipe numerous times, and it never fails.
If I’m cooking a large amount, is it advisable to prepare and crumb the chicken, and refrigerate until ready to cook?
Yes, Marie. That will work. Just keep them in a single layer and be sure they are covered in the fridge.
Love the recipe but would like to make it egg free. Any suggestions?
Hi, Marion. Milk or heavy cream might work as a substitute for the eggs here. It’s not something we’ve tested before, though. If you give it a try, we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Delicious recipe.
Easy directions. Exceptional crisp & flavor
Hi, Doreen! Thanks for letting us know how much you enjoyed the recipe. Here’s another chicken recipe you might like.
Could this be air fried?
Hi, Ashelee! I’m not sure. We haven’t tested it that way and we don’t do a ton of air fryer recipes, but I would think it could be. If you try it please report back and let us know how it turned out!
Curious what you think about using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Thanks
That should work just fine, Cathy!
Is it possible to bake instead of fry this recipe? Thanks
Hi, Line. We’ve never tried baking this recipe before, but I’m sure it would be possible. If you give it a go, we’d love to hear your feedback!
I cannot eat gluten. What would you recommend instead of pablo breadcrumbs? I love your recipes and your energy on your videos!
Hi, Dori. Often times, grocer stores will carry Gluten free breadcrumbs and gluten free panko breadcrumbs. You could also make your own breadcrumbs using gluten free bread.
I love so many of your recipes! In many of your videos, and pictured here, you have your raw chicken in that shallow rectangular white pan that’s trimmed in blue. What is that pan?? I want one. What material is it? I don’t know what to search for.
Hi, Amy. Those are metal pans from Creative Co-op. Such a great size, and they have held up very well over the years.
This looks delicious! Can I baked in the oven?
I think that could totally work, Barb! Would love to hear your feedback if you give a try!
This tasted lovely and I don’t even usually like Schnitzel! I think adding the spices before the flour and frying in olive oil made all the difference. The one question I have is why does it say “Egyptian” cuisine under the recipe?
Hi, Maryam. While the word “schnitzel” is Austrian, many cultures have their own version of this breaded and fried meat dish. I had this many times growing up in Egypt and definitely consider it part of Egyptian Cuisine. So glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Was really yummy, we daughter 9 had 3 servings and wanted more.
Yay! Thanks so much!
Thank you for the tips, great recipe!! Just one question you always fry and extra-virgin olive oil, which they say it does not have a good smoking point, curious to know what your secret is? Is it the brand of olive oil that matters? Thank you in advance.
No secret or special brand of EVOO… that thing about not frying in extra virgin olive oil is just a myth :).