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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Sooo delicious! The spices under the breading made it so flavorful. I mixed Panko and Italian breadcrumbs and it was perfectly crispy. Topped it with avocado and even some Buffalo sauce. Will definitely be making this again!
So glad you enjoyed this one, Jessica!! Love your topping ideas!
My mom used yo make round streak like this when I was a kid. I never thought of using chicken. It was very tasty and filling and served with boiled red potatoes with melted butter and parsley and a side of lemon pepper green beans. Yummy.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Ellen!
Just finished eating this. It was great! Your tip about putting the spices on before the dredging made a huge difference. Definitely a new family favorite!
That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks, Russell!
These were a huge hit with my kids! I am definitely making this again and again!
Yay! Thanks, Beti!
I love chicken schnitzel! I bet this tastes amazing!!
Hope you give it a try!! 🙂
This is really amazing! My kids loved it!
That’s great to hear! Thanks, Toni!
This looks fantastic and so yummy! My family is definitely going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this!
Can’t wait to hear what you think!!!
This chicken schnitzel looks incredibly delicious!
Hope you enjoy it, Erin!
Thank you so much for sharing and all the tips, very helpful!
My pleasure, Amanda! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Gave this a try for dinner last night and it didn’t disappoint! So crispy yet juicy; the whole family loved it!
Yay!! Thanks, Sara!
Simple but great receipt. Made two batches (one with chicken breasts and the other young veal). I made the chicken breast based solely on your receipt and made the veal cutlets using “Zaatar” seasoning instead of your spices, but I was not generous only using a small amount. I totally agree….. Panko all the way really makes the dish. Both dishes were great but the favorite from my flight crew was the veal. I also made a spring salad along with “Zaatar” in extra virgin olive oil with quartered tomatoes and served it with middle east bread. I am slowly getting my crew to enjoy Middle East flavors when they come over for dinner. Next week I am making rake of lamb to see who’s game. (LOL) Thanks for the great receipt. Keep them coming.
Capt. Andy
Awesome, Andy! Thanks so much for sharing.
Can’t wait to make this recipe and Suzy I sure appreciate having the ability to make the recipe smaller. There’s only two of us and we pretty much eat Mediterranean so it saves me a lot of figuring!
Enjoy, Lenore! Thanks so much for sharing.
My grandmother made the best schnitzel- only we called it chicken Bouftake (sp??). This great served with a lemony salad.
Yes!! I’m familiar with the name 🙂 And I agree on the lemony salad.
very amazing and wonderful dish i was wondering what sauce would you use in this dish
it has very amazing ingredients and it looks delicious and yummy
Hi, Jocelyn! I don’t add a sauce to this one…. with all the spices and lemon squeeze to finish, I don’t think it’s necessary here. Already lots of flavor!! :).
I am a nonprofit and wanted to know if I can put in our magizne for veteran women ? thank you
Hi there! thank you for reaching out. Would you please e-mail info@themediterraneandish.com Thank you!
Thank you for the great tips! I had chicken breasts out already and working on this recipe for dinner. The arugula salad is amazing, we had it before!
So glad! Enjoy