Chicken Schnitzel Recipe - A Quick & Easy Weeknight Meal - Chisel & Fork (2024)

FAQs

Why put schnitzel in fridge before frying? ›

Cooling the breaded schnitzel in the fridge for an hour or so before frying will help keep the breading on while cooking. Placing the cooked schnitzel on a wire rack while the rest of the batch cooks will help it keep crispy. To keep it warm, place in a lightly warmed oven.

In Germany, the term Schnitzel means cutlets in general, not just breaded, fried ones.

I'll go through this in the step by step below, but after you've pounded your chicken thin, you sprinkle it with sea salt flakes on both sides and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. The salt draws out unnecessary moisture from the chicken which stops the chicken from making your bread coating soggy.

Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

In much the same way, putting fried food on a cooling rack means the excess oil will drip off, but there's enough air circulating underneath the food that the bottoms don't get soggy.

Place the breaded chicken on a cooling rack (or a platter) and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This cooling time will help the layers of breading ingredients solidify and adhere better after the chicken cooks. Once you start cooking the chicken, be patient and don't flip it over too early.

Originally brought from Europe to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews, schnitzel instantly became a hit. During the early years of the state of Israel, veal was not widely available, so chicken or turkey became a substitute. Nowadays, the meat used is generally chicken or turkey breast to keep it kosher.

schnitzel, a thin meat cutlet, pounded until tender and then breaded and fried, that is a culinary staple in German-speaking countries and communities. The Americanized version of the dish is chicken-fried steak. schnitzel.

The schnitty, the slang name for the legendary chicken schnitzel, comes with a generous side of chips and a forest of salad.

The white stuff that comes out of chicken is actually a protein called albumin. It is released when the muscle fibers in the chicken contract during cooking, pushing out the moisture and causing the protein to coagulate and appear as a white substance.

Why do people put lemon on schnitzel? ›

Schnitzel is not typically highly seasoned, relying instead on bold toppings such as fresh lemon wedges, mushroom sauce, or cream sauce to add a boost of flavor.

I typically prefer to use olive oil over canola oil because it's healthier (see this article), but I hardly ever use it and it's fine in moderation! Plus it's worth it for me for this one because it really helps give this schnitzel that perfect crispy crunchy outer coating!

Heat 1 cm of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. When the oil is hot, add the schnitzels a couple at a time and cook until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm in the oven until serving.

If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying.

Tips For Making Crispy Schnitzel

Pan-fry the meat in a straight-sided skillet or cast iron pan.

Refrigeration is necessary: After breading the cutlets, it is important to refrigerate them until you are ready to cook them. This helps to keep the chicken fresh and prevents the growth of bacteria [2].

Unless the cooked chicken is kept warm, above 140°F, the general rule of thumb for cooked chicken is that it should not sit out on your kitchen table or buffet for more than two hours. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out.

Before you fry up your chicken, let it get as close to room temperature as you can. Cold chicken will drop the temperature of the oil when you put it in, which can make it very hard to regulate.

I like to crumb in advance and then let it “set” in the fridge for at least half an hour before cooking. A great tweak is to flavour that crumb with finely grated parmesan, herbs or spices.