This super easy schnitzel recipe is made with pork chops and a few pantry staples and cooks in just 6 minutes! Pound boneless pork chops into thin cutlets, bread each one, and shallow fry in oil. You’ll end up with crisp, crunchy schnitzel that you can serve with your favorite sides, like German potato salad or egg noodles. Don’t forget the lemon lemon wedge for a citrusy kick that brightens everything up.
While I use pork in this schnitzel recipe, feel free to swap it for chicken breast, turkey cutlets, beef, or veal. Just remember to pound and tenderize the meat before breading it for never-tough, always-tender schnitzel. For more pork recipes, try my air fryer pork chops, pork tenderloin, or Instant Pot pork loin.
What’s The Difference Between Schnitzel And Wienerschnitzel?
Schnitzel is a general term for meat cutlets that are pounded so they are thin, then breaded and fried. This schnitzel recipe is technically a German-style pork schnitzel (schweineschnitzel). Traditional wiener schnitzel is an Austrian schnitzel dish that is made with a specific type of meat: veal.
Ingredients
Pork — you need boneless pork chops that are about ½-inch thick. They will get thinner after being pounded with a meat mallet.
Flour — all-purpose flour is an essential part of the dredging mix for the pork schnitzel recipe, sealing in the pork juices and producing a crispy crust on the exterior.
Seasonings — salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper add flavor to the dredging mixture.
Eggs — beaten eggs help the breadcrumbs stick to the meat.
Panko breadcrumbs — Panko bread crumbs form a light, addictively crispy coating.
Oil — an olive oil suited for frying is my preference, but you can use any neutral-flavored cooking oil if you prefer, like canola oil or vegetable oil.
Lemon wedges — a squeeze of lemon to serve brightens everything up perfectly.
How To Make Schnitzel
1. Place each cutlet between pieces of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin to be ¼-inch thick.
2. Combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge both sides of each piece of meat in the flour mixture.
3. Dip them in the eggs that you’ve beaten in a second shallow dish.
4. Dredge both sides of the cutlets in the Panko breadcrumbs.
5. In a large skillet, heat ⅛-inch of oil over medium-high heat. Add the breaded schnitzel to the hot oil and cook them until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
6. Place the breaded pork chops on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
How To Keep The Schnitzel Warm And Crispy
Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to make this recipe in two batches. To keep the first batch warm, preheat your oven to 200°F. Instead of transferring the cooked cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate, set them on a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. The pork schnitzel will stay warm and crisp in the oven while you cook the second batch.
Variations
- Use pork tenderloin: If you like, you can use pork tenderloin to make this schnitzel recipe instead of boneless pork chops. Trim away the silvery skin on the tenderloin, slice it into ½-inch thick rounds, and pound each of them to ¼-inch thickness. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Use different cuts of meat: Instead of pork, try beef steaks, chicken breast, or turkey cutlets. You can also make Wienerschnitzel by using veal. No matter the kind of meat you choose, remember to pound it before dredging for the most tender schnitzel.
- Serve with mushroom gravy: Make the rich, silky mushroom gravy from my Salisbury steak recipe to spoon onto the schnitzel.
What To Serve With Schnitzel
I love any of these delicious sides: German potato salad, Spaetzle or egg noodles, sauerkraut, air fryer french fries, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or broccoli salad.
Or, make a schnitzel sandwich! Serve the cutlet on a hamburger bun with crunchy coleslaw.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerating: Once the pork schnitzel has cooled completely, store the cutlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Once cooled completely, place the schnitzel on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Flash freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen schnitzel to a freezer-safe container. Schnitzel freezes well for up to 3 months.
Reheating: You can reheat schnitzel in a microwave, oven, or air fryer. A microwave is the quickest option, but the breading will soften as the cutlet reheats. To keep the coating crisp, reheat the cutlets in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or the air fryer at 350°F for about 6 minutes.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Set up your breading station first. This will make the breading process more efficient.
- Best dishes for easy dredging: Pie plates or shallow pasta bowls work well for the flour mixture, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs.
- Cook the cutlets to an internal temperature of 145°F. This is the safe internal temperature for pork. Test the thickest portion of each cutlet using an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer.
Frequently Asked Questions
While butter is commonly used, it can burn easily as it does not have a very high smoke point, so I like to fry in oil. If you want to add buttery flavor, use a mixture of a high-heat oil and a tablespoon or two of butter to cook the schnitzel recipe.
To prevent the schnitzel from turning out tough, you must pound the pork cutlets beforehand. Pounding the cutlets with a meat mallet or rolling pin both tenderizes the meat and makes it thinner, ensuring the schnitzel turns out tender instead of tough and rubbery. Also, if the pork is overcooked, it will get tough.
No, you can use regular dry breadcrumbs in place of the Panko breadcrumbs if that is what you have. I like Panko because it makes schnitzel with a crispier crust.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this schnitzel recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Schnitzel Recipe
Equipment
- Plastic wrap
- Large heavy bottomed or cast-iron skillet
- 3 Shallow dishes
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops about 1/2-inch thick (about ¼-pound/ 112g each)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (60g)
- Olive oil for frying
- Lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Place each cutlet between 2 pieces of plastic wrap that are slightly larger than the cutlet. Pound them out with a meat mallet or rolling pin to be ¼-inch thick.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. In a second shallow dish, beat the eggs. In a third shallow dish, pour the breadcrumbs in a single layer.
- Dredge both sides of each cutlet in the flour mixture. Then, dip them in the egg to coat completely, letting any excess egg drip off. Dredge both sides of the cutlets in the breadcrumbs to cover completely.
- Meanwhile, fill a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with ⅛-inch of oil. Heat it over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Add the breaded cutlets and cook them until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side (6 minutes total). Place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve the cutlets immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Set up your breading station first. This will make the breading process more efficient.
- Best dishes for easy dredging: Pie plates or shallow pasta bowls work well for the flour mixture, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs.
- Cook the cutlets to an internal temperature of 145°F. This is the safe internal temperature for pork. Test the thickest portion of each cutlet using an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer.
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