Chicken Schnitzel

Name: Chicken Schnitzel
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Germany
Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts, about 175g each; 60g plain flour; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 2 eggs, beaten; 120g fine dry breadcrumbs; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp butter; 100ml sunflower or vegetable oil, for shallow frying; 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve; 4 eggs, fried, to serve on top (optional)

Germany

Chicken schnitzel follows the tradition of Wiener Schnitzel, which is made from veal, in a cheaper, quicker form. With a fried egg on top (and often capers and anchovies), the same dish is called Schnitzel Holstein, said to be named after the Prussian diplomat Friedrich von Holstein.

A chicken breast pounded thin, coated in fine breadcrumbs and shallow-fried until golden and crackling. It's the quick, everyday cousin of Wiener Schnitzel, delicious with a squeeze of lemon, and even better with a fried egg on top.

Authentic Germany Chicken Schnitzel recipe

Prep

20 mins

Cook

15 mins

Difficulty

Easy

Calories

470 kcal

Serves

Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used

Ingredients

4chicken breasts, about 175g each

60gplain flour

1 tspsweet paprika

2eggs, beaten

120gfine dry breadcrumbs

1 tspsalt

0.5 tspblack pepper

3 tbspbutter

100mlsunflower or vegetable oil, for shallow frying

1lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

4eggs, fried, to serve on top (optional)

Method

Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make two thin cutlets. Place between sheets of baking paper and pound to an even 5-6mm thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Set up three shallow dishes: flour mixed with the paprika, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Dip each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, then into the egg, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs until fully coated.

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Fry the schnitzels in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through, gently shaking the pan so the hot fat washes over the crumbs.

Drain on a wire rack or kitchen paper and keep warm while you cook the rest. Don't stack them, or the crumbs will go soft.

If you want the optional egg, fry the eggs in a little butter in the same pan until the whites are set and the yolks still runny. Serve each schnitzel straight away with a lemon wedge, topped with a fried egg if you like.

Chef's Tip

Shaking the pan as the schnitzel fries makes the crumb coating puff up and loosen slightly from the meat, which gives the classic crisp, wavy crust. Keep the fat hot but not smoking, and don't crowd the pan.

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