Ingredients
- 2 Organic Chicken Breasts
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 0.5 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 0.5 cup Bread Crumbs
- 1 large Egg
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
German Cucumber Salad
- 4 Persian Cucumbers
- 0.5 cup Sour Cream
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dill
Directions
German style chicken schnitzel with a crispy outside, juice inside and served alongside a cool and herby cucumber salad.
It is the ultimate German comfort food, in my opinion!
Schnitzel is meat that is thinned with a meat tenderizer, coated with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and then pan fried.
Oh how I love breaded foods, don’t we all?
Luckily so does my husband who will never say no to chicken nuggets and that’s why he gets excited when I make Chicken Schnitzel!
I spent 15 years of my life in Germany and grew up eating traditional German dishes.
My mom is an excellent home cook. What I appreciate most about her cooking is that she takes on dishes and makes them her own.
I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Schnitzel is meat that is thinned with a meat tenderizer, coated in a dredge, then pan fried.
The most traditional Schnitzel is Wiener Schnitzel which is veal. There’s also Schweine Schnitzel which is pork.
At home, I only make it with chicken breasts.
Since it’s a breaded dish, I try to pair my Schnitzel with a lighter side dish like this German cucumber salad. It’s inspired by my grandpa who used to make this for us after tennis practice.
This salad is the reason why I love dill or anything creamy with dill, yum!
Got leftover schnitzel or what to eat it on the go? Make it into a sandwich!
Steps
1 Done | Make The SaladStart by making the salad. Here is a tip for you – Always start out with prepping the veggies and attend to the meat last. This is especially important if you only have one cutting board. Cut and prep all of the veggies/non-meat ingredients then prep the meat, this will prevent from any harmful cross-contamination. Ok, back to the salad. Cut the cucumbers into thin rounds and finely chop the dill. In a bowl, add the sour cream, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Now, add the cucumber slices, dill and mix. Cover and put it into the refrigerator while you make the Schnitzel. |
2 Done | Tenderize & Flatten The MeatThe secret in making juicy Schnitzel is pounding the meat! Yes, we have to get these breasts nice and thin. This will ensure that the crust is nicely fired and crispy while the inside of the meat is fully cooked and stays juicy. If your meat is too thick, the outside will be browned and ready but the inside of the meat will not have had enough time to properly cook. On a large cutting board or a clean surface, place a large piece of cling film down, add your chicken breast, then cover it with another large piece of cling film. You can also use a zip-lock bag. I suggest doing one breast at a time if you are new to the meat pounding game. With a meat tenderizer/pounder/meat mallet (oh gosh so many names!!) or what I like to use – a rolling pin, pound the chicken until it is about 1/3 – 1/2 inch thick. Next, season the chicken breast with salt & pepper on both sides and set them aside on a plate. |
3 Done | Dredge The ChickenNow comes the fun part – the breading! Set up your breading station with one bowl and two-three plates. Crack an egg into the bowl and whisk. Add the flour to a plate and the breadcrumbs (I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs) to another. I used my large, glass casserole dish. First, dredge the chicken breast into the flour. Coat both sides well and shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the egg and coat both sides. Lastly, dip it into the breadcrumbs! Make sure the chicken is well coated in the breadcrumbs….because that is the best part! |
4 Done 8 minutes | Time To Pan Fry!Let’s head over to the stove. Heat up a large skillet with 3 tbsp of oil. Once hot, carefully add the chicken breasts and cook them on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. |
5 Done | Serve and Enjoy!Time to plate up! It’s very traditional to serve a slice or two of lemon with your Schnitzel, the juice of the lemon compliments the meat so well! Guten Appetit! |
