Chicken Schnitzel - How To Make it Perfectly
By Just_Rodney
Schnitzel
First let me explain what a Schnitzel is, it is purely a cut of meat,without a bone, invariable crumbed, by tradition, it is either pork or chicken. If you feel the desire to do this with beef, ostrich, fish, or even venison, just go right ahead, after all it is your kitchen and you know what the family like and will eat.
So now we have explained the term, by the way, its origin is in that Central area around Germany, Austria and Switzerland, each with their own national twists.
The first time I came across this actulally being made was when I went to a school friends house way back when I was 12 or so. I was invited for lunch by a good friend of mine for lunch after school. We finished school at halfpast twelve on a Wednesday.
We arrived at his house, Grandma welcomed me, and said thatbefore lunch would be served, I must do my homework, and keep myself occupied while they had there music homework to do.
I went into the kitchen to get a drink of water, and there was their cook, busy preparing the lunch, so once again fascinated by my forte, cooking. a carefully made a mental note as she prepared the veal schnitzels. She parted a few tips and pointers to me both on what she was doing and why.
These tips I use today and impart them as i write this recipe.
Wash The Breasts
Purchase the number of skinless deboned chicken breasts, these must be firm and fairly plump, for best results.
First trim off any unwanted bits of membrane and fat, as the breasts should be as lean as possible. After washing the breasts place them on a cutting board and pat dry with a clean cloth or a piece of roller towel.
Sometimes, if for economy, you have purchase pre-packed breasts, you may end up with odd bits, So what to do with some of the funny bits that invariable come with a pack of breast,
These you will also crumb, without trying to butterfly them, and use as a garnish on the plate, or serve it up to the juniors of the family.
Economy Tip
If you make this meal often, you can collect all those bits, crumb cook and store them till you have a substantial amount of them,
Then make a meal of them, with hot potato wedges, by simply removing them from the freezer and pop them in the oven, to reheat through. There is another budget saving meal.
Or
Keep those end bits and pieces, uncooked untill you have enough, and do your Friday night Pizza evening, with them, by a quick stir fry with a touch of garlic and your favourite spices.
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The Next Step
First of all you need to ascertain if you have a full set of breasts in one piece or individual breasts. Yes poultry does indeed have two breasts, they are joined together at the breast bone. This is the thinner edge of the breast.
To start with place your chicken breasts on the cutting board with the thinnest edge facing away from you, that means that the thick part of the breast is facing towards your cutting hand.
Place your blade in the centre part of the flesh and make a deep incision along the length of the breast.
Open the flap of meat wide and make another deep incision along the same line. Take care to angle the cut slightly , as you are slicing through from a thick area to a thin area.
The Breast is now Butterflied
Continue to all the breasts have been butterflied. Place them into a refrigerator so that the breasts have time to rest, and chill. While you start to prepare for the crumbing process.
The colder and clammier they are they better, as the crumbs will then adhere to the breasts, more evenly.
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Preparation for the Crumbing Process
The crumbs can be shop bought, or you can simply make your own with left over bread, and rolls, that are kept to dry out and become your crumbs.
Keep the bread in an airtight container and every time you have finished with the oven of the stove, and it has been switched off. Place the bread or rolls from your keep on a dry baking tray and leave until the oven has cooled down.
Once the bread etc., has cooled down place in the keep, repeat until your bread is totally dried out. Oven dry some fresh herbs, I usually use fresh Rosemary and Italian Parsley for this purpose.
Place the dried bread, herbs into a blender, and chop until very fine.
There is your seasoned crumbs, ready for use.
Crumbing of the Meat
I changed to Pork chops for showing you the process, as the are larger, and therefore a bit more visible.
The Dishes containing the Crumbing Ingredients are all Set Up
You will need 3 dishes which are wide enough to hold the ingredients, and allow you to work im them.
Such baking or baine marie dishes.
The first dish contains fresh flour.
Place the second dish next to it this contains egg and milk mixture.
Place the third dish next to the egg mixture this contains the seasoned crumbs, add a pinch of salt and pepper to it.
Finally you will need a plate to hold your coated meat.
Step 1
Carefully coat the meat, all over with the flour.
Step 3
Transfer to the crumbs.
Cover lightly with crumbs on all sides.
Then using a very firm hand press the crumbs into the meat, on both sides, this will not only help the crumbs stick during the cooking process, it also tenderises the meat.
You will notice that the crumbed meat is now flatter and larger.
What Next?
Set aside the crumbed meat on a clean plate in the refrigerator,and continue to finish crumbing all the meat you are going to cook.
This allows the meat to rest, and draw in the flavour from the crumbs.
Frying Skillets/Pans
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Now all crumbed - The Final Stage
Heat up an electric fryer to medium to high, with sufficient oil to deep fry the meat. Or if you have one a deep fryer, set to 125 degrees Celsius.
Once the oil is ready, place the meat inti the hot oil, as soon as the meat rises to the surface, turn it over.
Place the next piece of meat in and let it cook away until it rises, then remove the first piece, place it in a plate on some roller towel to absorb the excess oil. Turn over the second piece, and continue till all the meat is cooked.
Place the cooked meat on a hot tray and serve while hot.
Comments
thnx roodney for the recipy.. hey should i dry the herbs with the breads or leave it uncooked... And should i put salt on the chicken so the salt could be enter into the chicken so it would be teastier from the inside..
wow nice.. I'll try soon.. Bt now i think the schnitzel is a kind of german version of cuttlet, isn't it? What r the differents? & can u help me to give it a cheezzy touch ? Thnx .. :)
Lindeloo, it shoulld take about 2 minutes per side, that is depending onn how thin you have made them.
Thanks for the comments.
I am just frying the chicken schnitzel but not deep frying it so what I need to know is approx how long to cook it to make sure it's done but not burnt? There is no "floating" clue this way.
Thulani,
it would not really work so well, as the crumbs may very well be left in the pan and not be on the chicken. This is because as the flour and eggs is the glue that binds it together.
Thanks for your comment.
what if i dont put the flour, just the crumbs only will it work for me that way.
Nonso, no it does not require the chicken to be parboiled, this would make it tough.
Thanjs for the comment.
lovely recipe hub, can you perboil the chicken breast a little before you crumb them
lovely recipe hub, can you perboil the chicken breast a little before you crumb them
lovely recipe hub, can you perboil the chicken breast a little before you crumb them
{°_°} Thanks!
RE last comment, :)
Danny, yes old mums, who had learnt the tricks and skills from their ma and Grandma's!
What applied then in the mastery of cooking applies know, we modifyand alter and commercialise, but the basics are there.
Thanks for the comment.
old mums tricks here :)
Stephaniedas, Thanks for the vote and your comment, I am pleased that you have found it useful, I feel I have accomplished what I have set out to do.
Once again thank you.
Wow, this looks amazing. I love the pictures and good instructions. You've really done a great job and I've learned a lot from this hub. Voted up and useful.
Andre, Many thanks for the comment I appreciate really it, that is why I enjoy writing here on hub pages.
Well-written and well organized hub!
There is many ways of sering this dish, like having a slices boiled length ways in the middle and placed in the center of the cooked schnitzel, topped with a caper or some caviar.
Not to mention the various sauces.
Thanks Luke for your comment, by the way the shallow fried method is also a better way, but the breasts then needs to be a lot thinner than your suggested method I have used.
While working in a a busy sausage bar, where this was one of the delicacies on the menu, I never prepared my schnitzels as in South Africa the summer temperatures are quite high.
I would take out a breast, butterfly, crumb and fry it in 5 minutes, and the crumbs where golden brown, the breast cooked through and still soft and succulent. I would also have served some sausages and rolls at the same time.
Hey Rodney, just tried this and the result was awesome. Just like the schnitzels I enjoyed so much in Germany during my travels.
I used my own breadcrumbs which I've saved from stale bread loaves. I just shallow fried the schnitzels in olive oil... crispy on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside.
One thing you missed - serve with a wedge of fresh lemon and squeeze all over the schnitzel before eating. Guten apetit!
Swift, Sorry about not putting that detail in, you wouls use 1 egg and a half a cup of milk.
Thanks for the comment.
Hi,
How much milk and egg do you put into the mixture?
Marsky, thanks for following my recipe and the end result was what what you expect from a recipe.
Many thanks.
I just followed your guide and may i say it was absolutely delicious. Top point on the tenderising part. Thanks!
happy camper, must admit I have done it with beef pork and now I must try it with a turkey breast, so glad that you enjoyed it.
My pleasure in sharing all my recipes with all of you guys.
i live in germany and never made schnitzel!! but i just tried this recipe with turkey schnitzel and it is just sooooooo good. thank you for sharing:-D
Rachel,
Yes this is not the typical newish way, the egg and milk can ce also substituted with chick pea flower and water.
Many thanks for the comment.
Shalom.
I presume that this is not the typical Jewish variety. ;)
Just for informational purposes, to make it the Jewish version, just omit the milk from the egg mixture. :)
mmm I am glad yo are going to try it, hope that you will enjoy it.
Thanks for the comment myawn, much appreciated.
I like this recipe I will try it. I'm always dieting so will drain the oil of well.
Well Butch, Do not know what to say, however you cannot please all the people all of the time.
Can happen
just made them, tasted like shit. thumb down.
lolaecua, glad that you found your way here and that you enjoyed the recipe. Good luck in the making thereof.
Thanks for the comment
omgggosh thanks so much
i will be making this sooon
super yummy....now....i am doing it! I like the way your brain thinks, makes me feel alive listening to what your thinking, very cool...Keep it up ...PS Now I Know Why I bookmarked your page ;-) ...Hope you are doing well,
Amanda, thanks for the comment, yes sometimes I do shallow fry if the meat is very thin, I would then use a bit of butter or virgin olive oil, as the cooking time is very short. Bit in the deep frying proccess as lond as you oil is clean and hot 135 to 145 degrees celsius deep frying will cook the meat in a matter of a minute, minute and a half on the first side and less than a minute on the second side. place on a piece of roller towel once it is out of the fat.
The problem with the domestic fryers is that the thermostat cycle is very long and the oil often drops below the ideal cooking range for too long,that is when your schnitzels etc become oily.
Keep on cooking and enjoy.
Everything up to the last stage is what I do but for a leaner meal I usually just put a small ammount of oil in the pan only enough to stop it from sticking to the pan .. Deep frying just seems a little over kill and fatty.
I did like the use of flour/egg/crumbs. So I have learnt something, thank you!
Well yooyoyoo, nice to have such an enthusiastic comment, Thanks.
itta me in thehouse its awsome
Yes you can make them ahead of time and freeze them raw To use, simply let them thaw out at room temperature and then deep fry.
If you have cooked them, you can try to deep freeze but they may turn out sggy when defosted and re heated, I try to avoid doing this.
Thanks for dropping by Leonora.
Enjoy and good eating.
Hi Rodney,
Can I make them ahead of time and freeze them?
Simon, good luck with your first schnitzel, you can put the salt and pepper in with the crumbs, but I prefer to add it to them when they are on my plate. Thanks for dropping in.
Hi Rodney
I will try your recipe sometime this week. LOVE a chicken Snitzel but have never made them from sratch before. Would you put Salt and Pepper in the crum mix?
AEvans, it is most probably the niceset way to have chicken breasts, they come out nice and succulent. They are best served with Potato Salad, check my hub for a tangy recipe, worth the visit.
Hubber, thanks, it is a great mouthwatering dish.
Thanks for the comments.
really mouthwatering dish..
That looks absolutely yummy!!! I am going to try that one too.:)
Karen N, thanks it is delicious, soft and succulent. Once tried, and you will have a family favourite.
Sounds delicious, I'll have to give it a try.
Thanks for the comment there Moonlake.
Enjoyed your hub. Sounds good.
Thanks Sixty, it is to inspire the need to cook which I am aiming for.
Excellent hub I am hungry already!
Just_Rodney 7 weeks ago
Linda, I have found that fresh herbs if available is much tastier, as to the salt add. As you prefer it, try both ways.
Thanks for the comment, ajnd bon appetiet