Some variation of chicken schnitzel is a comforting meal throughout the world. with lots of different cultures having their own take on the pounded, crumbed chicken breasts. One of my favourite takes on this is, not surprisingly, the Italian interpretation.

Seasoning some breadcrumbs with some herbs, garlic and, importantly, parmesan cheese, these cutlets fry up gorgeously golden and crispy and retain their juiciness thanks to a couple of tricks I’ve thrown in.

How to Make Italian Chicken Schnitzel

First and foremost, you need to prep your chicken. That is, to pound it out to about 5mm thick – similar to how I do in my chicken francese recipe.

Once you’ve done that, I like to season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and let it stand for at least 10 minutes.

Doing this can ensure that the chicken retains its moisture even after cooking.

In the meantime, you can get your breading together. In a large shallow dish, add some breadcrumbs (use regular breadcrumbs here, not panko breadcrumbs) and a good amount of grated parmesan cheese.

Also add in some salt, minced fresh parsley, garlic powder and black pepper. Whisk all of that until well combined and then set aside.

In a separate shallow dish, add some plain flour. And in a final shallow dish, add a couple of beaten eggs.

Once your chicken has rested with the salt, it’s time to crumb it. This is very simple. Take one piece of chicken and dredge it in the flour.

Ensure it is entirely coated and then shake off any excess. Then, drench the chicken in the beaten eggs. Again, ensure that it is coated completely in the egg and let the excess drip off.

Finally, dredge the chicken cutlet in the breadcrumb mixture and make sure it’s completely covered. Set the cutlet aside and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Now comes an important step – let the crumbed chicken cutlets rest for at least 10 minutes. This helps the coating adhere better to the chicken and prevents it from sliding off after it’s cooked.

In the meantime, you can add some oil to a large skillet, set it over medium heat, and let it come up to shimmering.

Then, when you’re ready to cook, carefully add your chicken cutlets – you will likely have to work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.

Cook the chicken until it’s crisp and golden on one side (roughly 5 minutes) before flipping and cooking on the other side, for a further 5 minutes or so. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining cutlets.

And that is it! Once they’re cooked, they’re ready to serve immediately – traditionally with a wedge of lemon.

Chicken Cotoletta: Italian Schnitzel

These Italian-style chicken cutlets are coated in a Parmesan breadcrumb crust and pan-fried until crisp and golden. They're perfect for an elevated weeknight dinner.

Tried This? Rate It!

No ratings yet

Print Pin

Servings 4

Prep Time 20

Total Time 40

Ingredients

500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 5mm (¼in) thick
5 g (1 tsp) salt divided
120 g (1 cup) breadcrumbs
50 g (½ cup) parmesan cheese grated
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely minced
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
50 g (⅓ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 eggs beaten
120 ml (½ cup) neutral oil for frying, plus more if needed

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with half of the salt. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the breadcrumbs to a wide, shallow dish (such as a pie dish). Add the remaining salt, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic powder and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
In separate shallow dishes, add the flour and the eggs. Working one piece of chicken at a time, dredge it in the flour, ensuring that it is fully coated, and shake of any excess. Then, dip the cutlet in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off. Finally, coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring that it is completely covered. Set aside on a tray or plate and repeat with the other cutlets. Allow the cutlets to rest, once crumbed, for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add 60ml (¼ cup) of the oil to a large skillet (I like using cast iron) and set it over medium heat. Once the crumbed chicken has rested and the oil is shimmering, add the chicken cutlets, working in batches. Cook until crisp and golden on one side, about 5 minutes, before flipping and cooking on the other side, a further 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining cutlets, adding more oil as needed. Serve.