Breaded Chicken Breast – Not Fried – Chicken Schnitzel

Name: Breaded Chicken Breast Not Fried aka Chicken Schnitzel Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 Chicken breast (large); 1 Egg (large); 2 cups Breadcrumbs; 1 cup All purpose flour; 1 tbsp Mustard; 2 tbsp Herbs; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; 2 tbsp Cooking oil (to 4 tbsp ); 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese; 1 tbsp Sour cream; 2 tbsp Chopped fresh herbs

September 23, 2012 By Veena Azmanov 30 Comments

Breaded Chicken Breast – Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Chicken schnitzel or breaded chicken breast is an absolute classic that everybody loves. This simple, easy and effortless recipe is dipped in flour and a creamy egg mixture for that soft interior; then coated with breadcrumbs for that outside crisp. These are pan fried not deep fried making them a healthier option.

Pinterest Optimized Image for Chicken Schnitzel aka Breaded Chicken Breast - These are not baked either.

Breaded Chicken Breast not fried aka Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Who doesn’t love chicken schnitzel? Though, not everybody calls them chicken schnitzel. My mom made these all the time but didn’t call them chicken schnitzel; we just called it breaded chicken breast. Did you know the word ‘Schnitzel’ is a German word for cutlet? So technically these are Chicken Cutlets; chicken breast dipped in egg mixture then coated in dry breadcrumbs.

It’s amazing how simple these chicken schnitzel recipes can be. And yet, it’s one of the most popular chicken dishes over generations. Aadi can eat these almost every day, every meal. My mother in law made these every single time we went for dinner because all the grandchildren loved it so much. The best thing is you can create so many different variations.

Traditionally these are fried! My mother in law would deep fry them until golden crisp which is why the kids loved it so much. Well, by now you know me – I’m not a huge fan of deep frying in oil. Mainly for health reasons but also because the whole house then smells of fried oil. I hate that!! So I pan fry them in just a little oil and I’ll share what I do in more detail below.

We often serve these with rice or mashed potatoes. Today I have served them with Lemon Rosemary Roast potatoes and salad.

A close up of the golden pan cooked Chicken Schnitzel, breaded chicken breast made from scratch.

Best Chicken Schnitzel not fried aka Breaded Chicken Breast Recipe

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes for these breaded chicken breast (Save/Pin for later)

Chicken breast – You want something that cooks quick and won’t burn the breadcrumbs which makes chicken breast the best candidate for Schnitzel. You can use turkey breast as well but chicken is more traditional. Most supermarkets these days offer pre-prepared chicken breast for schnitzel or breading. We love using those and they turn out perfect. Sometimes if you ask the butcher, he will prepare it for you as well.
Parmesan – I love adding Parmesan to my breadcrumbs but I put it in the optional ingredients because here in Israel it’s not commonly used.
Sour Cream – I love serving a little sour cream with my chicken schnitzel which makes adding a little in the egg mixture even more wonderful. You must try; it really does add a nice creaminess to the eggs mixture. (again it’s not commonly used here so I have put it as optional)
Mustard – Just a touch of mustard goes a long way with chicken in adding flavor.
Herbs – Personally I love chopping parsley really fine and adding it to my breadcrumb along with the Parmesan and some Paprika but I’ll share that recipe another time.

A close up of a cut chicken schnitzel morel dipped in ketchup. These breaded chicken breast go well with tangy ketchup

Breaded Chicken Breast not fried aka Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Breaded Chicken Breast Make Perfect Freezer Meals

I usually make more than what I need for one meal so I can put them in the freezer for my busy cake order days. And you have two options to freeze them.

Cook them as we do below. When they are cold just place them in a ziplock bag. These make amazing sandwiches and wraps. If you have teenagers (who are always hungry) these are great to have on hand. Just thaw as many as you need in the microwave.
Freeze them uncooked as you see in the image below. All you do is place them uncooked in a ziplock bag, remove as much air and lay them flat in the freezer until frozen. Once they are frozen you can stack them up and store away in the corner of the freezer until you need them.
To re-use just thaw them in the fridge for a couple of hours and cook them as we do below. My kids love chicken schnitzel so I have these on hand for busy cake days and it’s such a blessing.

A Pinterest Optimized image for Breaded Chicken Breast make perfect freezer meals.

Breaded Chicken Breast Not Fried – Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Why Pan Fried not Baked

Personally, I’m not a big fan of putting chicken breast in the oven. If you don’t take them out at the right time they can be dry. I love cooking them with a little oil in the pan which not just cooks them thru nicely and evenly but also caramelizes them a bit on the outside giving it so much more flavor. If you follow the method I show you below you will never ever have a dry chicken schnitzel. My Buttermilk Crispy Chicken is very similar and baked in the oven, but those are legs and baking works best for that.

Chicken Schnitzel or breaded chicken breast is an absolute classic that every body loves. This simple, easy and effortless recipe is dipped in flour and a creamy egg mixture for that soft interior; then coated with breadcrumb for that outside crisp. These are pan fried not deep fried making them a more healthier option.

Breaded Chicken Breast Not Fried, not baked aka Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Recipe – Breaded Chicken Breast (Not Fried) – Best Chicken Schnitzel (Save/Pin)

Tools

Ingredients

Chicken breast – 2 large
Egg – 1 large
Bread crumbs – 2 cups
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Mustard – 1 tbsp
Herbs – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Pepper – to taste
Cooking oil – 2 to 4 tbsp

Optional Additions

Parmesan cheese – 1 tbsp
Sour cream – 1 tbsp
Chopped fresh herbs – 2 tbsp

Method

Prepare Chicken Breast

Clean chicken breast and wipe dry.
Use a sharp knife and split the breast in half horizontally (see image).
Flatten each piece with the flat of the knife or a mallet.
Season with salt and pepper.

Progress Picture for Chicken Schnitzel - showing a collage of 8 images from how to prepare the breast to coating them in three different mixes.

Breaded Chicken Breast not fried aka Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Prepare Egg Mixture

In one bowl – whisk an egg with one tablespoon water.
Add salt, pepper, mustard and any other optional ingredients you want to use.
Set aside.

Prepare Breadcrumb Mixture

In a second bowl – add breadcrumbs.
Add salt pepper and herbs.
Mix well and set aside.

Prepare Flour Mixture

In a third bowl – place flour.
Season with salt and pepper.
Set aside.

Bread the Chicken Breast

Dust each chicken piece in the flour mix. Dust off any excess.
Drop the chicken piece into the egg mixture. Use a fork to ensure it’s well coated on all sides.
Then coat it with the breadcrumb mixture. Use your hands to press lightly making sure it’s well coated.
Remove from the breadcrumb mix and onto a clean plate.
Do the same with all the pieces and set aside.

Breaded Chicken Breast not fried aka Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Cooking the Chicken Schnitzel

Heat a skillet on medium-high.
Once hot add a tbsp of canola oil – swirl the pan so you coat the whole pan well.
Place the breaded chicken breast pieces evenly.
Cook on high for one minute (this will add color) then reduce the heat and cook on medium for two minutes.
Lightly spray or drizzle another tablespoon oil – on the uncooked sides of the breaded chicken breast.
Then turn the heat up to high again and flip the chicken pieces.
Cook on high for one minute then reduce heat and cook on low for another two minutes.
These breaded chicken breast usually take not more than 8 to 10 minutes (depending on thickness).
If you aren’t sure if the chicken is cooked – cut one open with a knife and check.
Once done remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to absorb.
Enjoy!

Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

A Pinterest Optimized Image for Breaded Chicken Breast aka Chicken Schnitzel that are not deep fried. A much healthier way to eat chicken

Breaded Chicken Breast Recipe – Not Fried – Best Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Breaded Chicken Breast Not Fried aka Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Author: Veena Azmanov

Chicken schnitzel or breaded chicken breast is an absolute classic that everybody loves. This simple, easy and effortless recipe is dipped in flour and a creamy egg mixture for that soft interior; then coated with breadcrumb for that outside crisp. These are pan fried not deep fried making them a healthier option.

5 from 16 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: International, Israeli

Adjust Servings Here: 4 servings

Calories: 244kcal

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins