Crispy Chicken Schnitzel
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen.
Chicken breast is pounded thin, double-coated in crumbs and shallow-fried until deeply golden and crisp, finished with a squeeze of lemon.
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Method
- 1
Prepare the cutlets. Halve each chicken breast horizontally to make two thinner cutlets, then place between sheets of baking paper and pound with a rolling pin or mallet to an even 5-6 mm thickness. Even thickness means the meat cooks through at the same rate all over, avoiding dry edges around a still-pink centre.
- 2
Season and set up stations. Season the cutlets with the salt and pepper, then set out three shallow dishes: flour in the first, the eggs beaten with 1 tbsp of oil in the second, and the breadcrumbs in the third. The oil in the egg wash helps the crust set as a separate shell that puffs away from the meat.
- 3
Coat in stages. Dip each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, then into the egg mixture, letting it drip briefly, then into the breadcrumbs, pressing on just enough to cover. Coat the cutlets right before frying rather than in advance, and go easy on the pressure - packing the crumbs on too firmly stops the coating puffing and rippling as it fries.
- 4
Heat the oil. Pour oil into a large frying pan to a depth of about 1 cm and heat over medium-high until it reaches 170-175°C; a dropped crumb should sizzle immediately. You need enough oil to swirl over the top of the cutlets, which is what makes the crust ripple.
- 5
Fry until golden. Fry two cutlets at a time for 1½-2½ minutes per side, adding the butter at the flip and gently swirling or tilting the pan so hot fat washes over the top. That hot fat sets the crumb before the steam underneath escapes, so the coating lifts and wrinkles instead of lying flat. Fry until deep golden and the chicken reaches 74°C.
- 6
Drain and serve. Lift the cutlets onto a wire rack rather than paper, so steam escapes from underneath and the crust stays crisp. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Storage
Cooked schnitzel keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days; freezing is possible for up to 1 month but the crust softens on thawing. Reheat in a hot oven rather than a microwave until piping hot and 74°C in the centre, to bring back some crispness. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large heavy frying pan (28-30 cm)
- rolling pin or meat mallet
- baking paper or cling film
- 3 shallow dishes
- wire rack over a tray
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 481 kcal |
| Protein | 39.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.7 g |
| of which sugars | 1.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 1.3 g |
| Fat | 25.8 g |
| of which saturates | 5.3 g |
| Fibre | 1.2 g |
| Salt | 2.05 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
8.2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
