This chicken schnitzel is the ultimate pub favourite made easily at home. With a golden, crunchy panko crumb and juicy, perfectly cooked chicken, it’s ready in just 30 minutes. Whether you serve it with mash and veg, or chips and salad, this is going be a regular on your dinner table.
I think chicken schnitzel might be one of Australia’s most universally loved meals. If it’s on the menu when we go out (and it usually is), I am probably ordering it and I guarantee someone else in the group is as well.
There really isn’t much that can beat a crispy, golden chicken schnitty and the good news is that you can skip that expensive price tag, as it’s actually really easy to make at home instead!
This recipe isn’t trying to put a twist on a classic, or make it overly complicated. It’s just a simple, basic, everyone is going to love it, chicken schnitzel recipe. Whether you’re cooking for a busy weeknight or just craving something comforting and homemade, this one’s for you.
Key Ingredients
You only need a handful of things to make a really great chicken schnitzel at home, and there’s a good chance most of them are already in your kitchen.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken breasts – These get cut in half lengthways, so two large chicken breasts will give you four good-sized schnitzels.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour, this is the first layer of the crumbing station and helps everything else stick. Season it well with salt and pepper.
- Eggs – Acts as the glue between the flour and the breadcrumbs. Just lightly beaten is all you need.
- Panko breadcrumbs – These are Japanese-style breadcrumbs and they’re much lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs and will give a more satisfying crunch. Plus other types of store bought breadcrumbs often have fillers that contain dairy.
- Neutral oil – You’ll need an oil with a high smoke point for shallow frying. Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil all work well.
Don’t like frying? Make chicken schnitzel in the air fryer instead!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cut the chicken breast carefully in half lengthways so that you get two halves. Place each fillet between two sheets of baking paper and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound it until it’s even in thickness.
Step 2: Set up your crumbing station with three shallow bowls. Seasoned flour in the first, beaten egg in the second, and panko breadcrumbs in the third.
Step 3: Working one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off any excess. Dip it into the egg, letting any excess drip off, then press it into the panko breadcrumbs, making sure you get an even coating all over. A gentle press helps the crumbs really stick.
Step 4: Pour enough oil into your frying pan to come about 1 cm (½ inch) up the side and heat over medium heat. Add the schnitzels and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until deep golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F.
👉 Tip! You want the oil properly hot before adding the chicken. If it’s not hot enough, the crumbs will absorb the oil rather than crisping up. To test if it’s ready, drop a few breadcrumbs into the oil and if they sizzle immediately, you’re good to go.
Serving suggestions: I love serving chicken schnitzel with a side of dairy free potato salad or dairy free mac and cheese. But you can really serve it with anything you like as it’s so versatile.
The classic sides are of course mashed potato and vegetables like this easy air fryer broccoli. Or swap the potato for chips or these oven baked potato wedges.
Any leftover schnitzels can be turned into an amazing chicken schnitzel sandwich or chicken schnitzel burger for lunch the next day. And for possibly one of my favourite meals, try slicing it over a kale caesar salad with dairy free cashew parm. It’s so good!
Storage Instructions
Chicken schnitzel is best eaten fresh and hot, straight from the pan after frying, however you can batch it and store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
Fridge (cooked): Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer (cooked or uncooked): Lay flat on a lined baking tray and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip lock bag or airtight container with a sheet of baking paper between each one. Store for up to 3 months. Uncooked schnitzels can go straight from frozen into the fridge overnight to defrost before frying as normal.
Reheating: To reheat, place them in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for around 10 minutes, or use the air fryer. Avoid the microwave if possible, as you’ll just end up with soggy crumbs.
Recipe FAQs
This usually comes down to two things, either the excess flour and egg weren’t shaken off properly between each stage, or the oil wasn’t hot enough. Make sure you’re shaking off any excess at each step, and press the panko on firmly using your hands before frying.
You can crumb the chicken up to a few hours ahead and keep it on a tray, uncovered, in the fridge until you’re ready to fry. I wouldn’t recommend frying them ahead of time though as they are best cooked fresh.
Yes! Head over to my air fryer chicken schnitzel recipe for the full step-by-step guide. It’s a great option if you prefer a lighter option with less oil or just don’t like frying.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More pub favourites:
Salt and Pepper Squid
Easy Smash Burgers
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza
Chicken Schnitzel Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts cut in half lengthways
- salt and pepper
- 75 g (½ cup) plain flour/all purpose flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast carefully in half lengthways so that you get two halves. Place each fillet between two sheets of baking paper and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound it until it’s even in thickness, around 1 cm (½ inch).
- Place the flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg, letting any excess drip off, then coat well in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to help them stick.
- Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to come about 1 cm (½ inch) up the side and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add the schnitzel and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until deep golden brown and cooked through.💡 The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F.
- Transfer to a wire rack to drain before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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