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    Home » Main Dishes

    Easy Chicken Schnitzel

    Published: Nov 22, 2021 · Modified: Jan 3, 2023 by Petra Kupská

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    Let's make a crispy schnitzel from sliced chicken breasts. It's quick and straightforward to make, and I bet your family will love it! 

    Chicken Schnitzel Czech kureci rizek.
    Table of Contents hide
    ➜ What Is Chicken Schnitzel?
    ➜ Pronunciation
    ➜ Ingredients
    ➜ Instructions with Photos
    ➜ Serving
    ➜ Equipment
    ➜ Useful Tips
    ➜ FAQs
    Easy Chicken Schnitzel

    ➜ What Is Chicken Schnitzel?

    Chicken schnitzel is a thin, pounded slice of chicken breast dredged in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. The cutlets prepared this way are fried in a pan with a higher layer of fat.

    The recipe is very popular in central Europe—that is, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. In particular, children like chicken schnitzels, but adults also enjoy them.

    MY TIP: Try also pork schnitzel; it tastes fantastic! Or check out more schnitzel recipes.

    ➜ Pronunciation

    Czechs call chicken schnitzel „kureci rizek”. To give you an idea of how this word sounds in Czech, I have recorded a short audio clip for you.

    ➜ Ingredients

    Chicken Schnitzels Ingredients.

    For chicken fried schnitzel, you need:

    • Skinless chicken breast; boneless
    • All-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour
    • Breadcrumbs; ground dry white bread. Use panko breadcrumbs to get a thicker, crunchier crust.
    • Eggs; whisked with a fork in a shallow bowl
    • Salt
    • Oil for frying; use lard or vegetable oil (sunflower or rapeseed)

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ Instructions with Photos

    STEP 1: Rinse the chicken breasts and dry them with paper towels. Cut off any gristle or bone remnants. Using a sharp knife, cut the meat lengthwise into slices about one-third inch thick.

    STEP 2: Pound the chicken pieces with a meat mallet gently because the chicken fillets are tender. Season with salt on both sides.

    Making chicken schnitzels.

    STEP 3: Prepare the plain flour. Make an egg wash: crack the eggs into a shallow bowl, and whisk them with a fork. Next, pour some bread crumbs onto the work surface. 

    STEP 4: In this order (flour-egg mixture-breadcrumbs), coat each piece of chicken on both sides. Finally, shake the breadcrumbs off the cuts so that they don't burn in a frying pan later.

    Making chicken schnitzel - coated in flour, egg, breadcrumbs.

    STEP 5: Pour about ⅔ inch (1.5 cm) of oil into a heavy skillet or another frying pan; the schnitzels should swim in the oil while frying. Heat the oil to medium-high heat. Place the chicken cutlets carefully in the hot oil and shallow fry them on both sides until golden brown.

    Frying schnitzels.

    STEP 6: Place the fried chicken schnitzels on paper napkins to drain off excess fat. Keep them warm before serving.

    Making chicken schnitzels.

    ➜ Serving

    Chicken schnitzels are served warm as lunch or dinner with a suitable side dish. In the Czech Republic, they pair well with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes. 

    For festive occasions, serve with potato salad.

    Place two lemon wedges on the schnitzel. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the crispy crust for a better taste.

    ➜ Equipment

    I used a 12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron skillet with raised rims. Frying food in cast iron has worked well for me because the cast iron heats evenly and provides consistent results when frying—the steak is always fried in all spots perfectly.

    ➜ Useful Tips

    • The breadcrumbs for the coating should ideally be homemade, freshly ground from dried white bread (baguettes, rolls). Czechs dry the white bread leftovers and grind them themselves in a conventional hand grinder. In the Czech language, breadcrumbs are called "strouhanka".
    • I don't put the flour and breadcrumbs in separate bowls, but I prepare pieces of baking paper or foil of about 12x12 inches (30x30 cm). By lifting the edges of the paper, I coat the schnitzels well without getting my fingers too dirty.

    Chicken schnitzels are a simple and quick recipe that is sure to please even picky eaters. Prepare them as a quick and filling weekday dinner, or impress your family when you serve them as a tasty weekend lunch!

    ➜ FAQs

    How to cut chicken breast into schnitzel slices?

    Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into slices about ⅔ inch thick. Use a sharp chef's knife; proceed carefully.

    How long to fry chicken schnitzels?

    Fry the coated chicken schnitzels from both sides in well-heated fat until golden brown. It takes about two minutes on each side.

    What is the best pan for frying schnitzels?

    The best frying pan for schnitzels is spacious enough; an 11-inch (28 cm) diameter is suitable for a family of four. The pan should have a thick flat bottom, and it doesn't need to be non-stick. Cast iron or stainless steel ensures the pan heats up and fries the fillet evenly.

    More tasty recipes:

    • Garlic roasted rabbit
    • Czech beef goulash
    • Wiener schnitzel
    • Chicken stuffed potato pancakes

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest. Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me any question about Czech cuisine to my e-mail. I love hearing your feedback!

    Chicken schnitzel recipe.

    Easy Chicken Schnitzel

    Let's bake a crispy schnitzel from sliced chicken breasts. It's quick and straightforward to make, and I bet your family will love it!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 204kcal
    Author: Petra Kupská
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: schnitzel

    Ingredients

    • 2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup breadcrumbs
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • frying oil pork lard, sunflower oil or Canola

    Instructions

    • Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry using paper towels. Cut off any gristle or bone remnants. Using a sharp knife, cut the meat lengthwise into slices about one-third inch thick.
    • Pound the slices with a mallet gently because the chicken meat is tender. Salt both sides.
    • Prepare the plain flour. Crack the eggs into a shallow dish, and beat them with a fork. Next, pour some breadcrumbs onto the work surface.
    • In this order (flour-egg-breadcrumbs), coat the slices on both sides. Finally, shake the breadcrumbs off the cuts so that they don't burn later in a frying pan.
    • Pour about ⅔ inch (1.5 cm) of oil into the pan; the schnitzels should swim in the oil while frying. Heat the oil to medium heat. Place the fillets carefully in the hot oil and shallow fry them on both sides until golden brown.
    • Place the fried chicken schnitzels on paper napkins to drain off excess fat. Keep them warm before serving.

    Notes

    • SERVING: Chicken schnitzels are served warm as lunch or dinner with a suitable side dish. In the Czech Republic, they pair well with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes. For festive occasions, serve with potato salad.
    • The breadcrumbs for the coating should ideally be homemade, freshly ground from dried white bread (baguettes, rolls). Czechs dry the remaining white bread and make them themselves in a conventional hand grinder. In the Czech language, breadcrumbs are called "strouhanka".
    • I don't put the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates, but I prepare pieces of baking paper or foil of size about 12x12 inches (30x30 cm). By lifting the edges of the paper, I coat the schnitzels well without getting my fingers too dirty.

    DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:

    Conversion chart

    Nutritional Estimate pro portion

    Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 827mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
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    More Czech Main Dishes

    • French Potato Gratin (Czech Francouzske brambory)
    • Pork Liver with Gravy (Onion and Bacon Included)
    • Mushroom Bread Pudding (Czech Hubník)
    • Ham, Sauerkraut and Potato Dumplings (Czech Strapacky)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandy

      December 19, 2021 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      My mom made these often, with pork, when I was growing up. I made them with pork and chicken for my family and now I make them with chicken for my grandkids. I make them just like you do. Very delicious. I didn’t realize that this is a Czech recipe. Love my Czech heritage.

      Reply
    2. Joe

      February 20, 2022 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      Very tasty with the dill sauce!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        February 22, 2022 at 3:28 pm

        Thank you very much, Joe! An interesting combination with the dill sauce; it definitely tastes very good!

        Reply
    3. Peter Vanicek

      September 10, 2022 at 2:59 pm

      5 stars
      Easy to make and always a favorite!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        September 12, 2022 at 8:34 am

        Thank you, Peter! Here, too, the chicken schnitzel is sure to be enjoyed by the whole family 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi there, I’m Petra, a self-taught home cook and a Czech mom of two teen boys with more than 20 years of cooking experience. I am here to share traditional recipes from the Czech Republic, a small country in the very heart of Europe.

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    Hi there, I’m Petra, a self-taught home cook and a Czech mom of two teen boys with more than 20 years of cooking experience. I am here to share traditional recipes from the Czech Republic, a small country in the very heart of Europe.

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