Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (2024)

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This super easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe is a traditional German recipe that’s crispy, flavorful and perfect for any night of the week.

We love to serve these thin, breaded pork cutlets with my Classic Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Zucchini for a complete meal.

Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (1)Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (2)Whatever you serve it with, make sure you serve with sliced lemon wedges! It’s a must!

What Exactly Is Pork Schnitzel?

If you’re not familiar with the word Schnitzel, or the popular Western food chain Weiner Schnitzel comes to mind… let me expand your food horizons a bit.

Schnitzel is a term used when referring to a cut of meat that has been pounded thin (usually a cutlet), breaded and then pan fried in fat.

When I lived in Northern British Columbia in a small town of just 4,ooo people, there were few restaurants to enjoy. However, one of those restaurants had all sorts of Schnitzel on it’s menu (Chicken, Pork, Veal), and I was so intrigued.

After trying them all and falling in love with the crispy coating and flavorful pop of lemon, it started to become a weekday staple in our house.

How To Make Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe

This easy recipe comes together in just a few minutes, making it an ideal weeknight dinner.

Ingredients for Schnitzel

Here’s a basic list of the ingredients you’ll need to make pork schnitzel. As always, you can find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card below.

  • Boneless Pork Chops – about 1/2″ thick
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Salt
  • Garlic Powder
  • Paprika
  • Pepper
  • Egg
  • Milk – or half and half
  • Panko Breadcrumbs – found in the Asian foods aisle
  • Nutmeg – trust me on this!
  • Oil – I prefer a healthy olive oil for this recipe
  • Lemon wedges for serving – a MUST!

Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (3)

How To Make Pork Schnitzel

This recipe can easily be adapted to other cuts of meat like chicken, veal, beef, turkey, even mutton!

  1. The first thing you’ll want to do is trim any fat from the pork cutlets and then pound them thin by covering with parchment paper or plastic wrap and using a heavy rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
  2. Make sure the pork is about 1/4″ thick.
  3. Next combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper in a small bowl and coat the pork chops, shaking off any excess.
  4. Dip the flour-coated pork chop into the beaten egg on both sides.
  5. Finally, coat the pork chop in a mixture of breadcrumbs and nutmeg, then fry in a skillet with hot oil until golden brown on both sides.

What Cut of Pork Is Used For Schnitzel?

Schnitzel is most commonly a form of a cutlet. When cooking pork schnitzel you’ll want to use a thinly cut, boneless PORK CHOP.

PRO TIP: There is a thin strip of fat on the side of the pork chops that you’ll want to cut off before cooking.

Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (4)

What To Serve With Schnitzel?

Any sort of traditional Schnitzel should be served with a slice of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, in my opinion.

If you’re looking for side dishes to serve with Schnitzel, you’re in luck. The crispy fried pork is very neutral in flavors so it lends itself to lots of options for side dishes.

  • Classic Mashed Potatoes
  • Scalloped Potatoes
  • Baked Potatoes
  • Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
  • Cucumber Tomato Salad

Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (5)

You’re going to fall in love with this simple recipe!

It’s quick, crispy, flavorful and pairs perfectly with just about any side dish.

More Easy Pork Chop Recipes:

Craving more delicious pork chop recipes to try? Here are a few of my all time favorites –

  • Juicy Baked Pork Chop Recipe
  • Grilled Pork Chops
  • Garlic Parmesan Pork Chops
  • Creamy Honey Dijon Pork Chops

Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (6)

I can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try!

Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (7)

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5 from 33 votes

Crispy Pork Schnitzel Recipe

This super easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe is a traditional German recipe that's crispy, flavorful and perfect for any night of the week.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: German

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 313 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add enough oil to cover the bottom of a 10 or 12" heavy bottom pan (preferably cast iron), and heat to medium-high heat.

  • Trim the pork chops of any fat and then place between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a heavy rolling pin or meat tenderizer to pound pork chops to about ¼" thickness.

  • In a small, shallow bowl combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper and mix until combined. In another small bowl whisk together the 2 eggs with a splash of milk or half and half. In a third bowl mix together the Panko Breadcrumbs and nutmeg.

  • One at a time, dip the pork chop in the flour, coating on all sides, then shake off any excess. Then dip the pork chop in the eggs, flipping over to coat both sides. Finally, transfer the pork chop to the breadcrumbs and coat evenly on both sides.

  • Place the coated pork chops in the pan with hot oil and cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (140 degrees F). Sprinkle with a little salt as soon as it comes off the skillet.

  • Serve right away with fresh lemon wedges and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Feel free to substitute the pork with other cuts of meat like chicken, beef, veal or turkey!

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 783mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 394IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

Keywords: fried, pork chops, Schnitzel

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Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (8)

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Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to cook schnitzel in butter or oil? ›

The best way to cook chicken schnitzel is to fry it. I like to use a combination of oil and butter for the best flavor/crispiness combination. When cooking chicken schnitzel, you need to heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until it is bubbling hot, then add the schnitzel. It should sizzle as it hits the pan.

What is the best oil for schnitzel? ›

The absolutely best way to perfect schnitzel is to shallow-fry them in neutral-tasting cooking oil (Vegetable, Canola, Peanut, Sunflower). So you don't need to use a lot of oil, but you want to use enough oil so that the schnitzel will “float” in the oil as it cooks and not touch the bottom of the pan.

What cut of meat is used for pork schnitzel? ›

To make German-style pork schnitzel, pork loin chops are pounded thin, breaded, and quickly pan fried until crisp and delicious. Adam Dolge is a recipe developer and test cook for many leading national food and lifestyle magazines and digital platforms.

How do you know when pork schnitzel is cooked? ›

Tips for a great pork schnitzel:

Pounding them out thinly is important to ensure they finish cooking just as soon as the outside coating is golden and crispy. By the time they're flat and thin enough, you might just feel a little bit lighter too.

What is the secret to the perfect schnitzel? ›

Schnitzel enthusiasts agree: A good schnitzel, Viennese, Figlmüller or Milanese style must not only be accurately sliced but also flattened and tenderized. The flattening process should slightly stretch the meat fiber but not destroy it so that a juicy, tender result with a uniform thickness is achieved.

How do you get the breading to stick on a schnitzel? ›

Just as important as the first patting down of the chicken's surface, the final pat down of your meat after covering it with breading helps every piece of crunchy coating adhere. After coating chicken in an egg and breading layer, gently pat all sides.

Why do you put flour on schnitzel? ›

When making schnitzel why does one have to dip the meat in the flour twice? The reason you dredge the veal cutlet is so the flour absorbs any excess moisture, enabling the egg to better adhere to the meat. I double dredge when I want a double coating of egg.

Is flour necessary for schnitzel? ›

It's not essential, but it is nice. Boopshi's chills the floured and egg-washed schnitzels for half an hour before rolling in breadcrumbs and frying. This does give a slightly thicker, more robust coating, but it's not really necessary; it sticks fine without it.

Why do people put lemon on schnitzel? ›

Schnitzel is not typically highly seasoned, relying instead on bold toppings such as fresh lemon wedges, mushroom sauce, or cream sauce to add a boost of flavor.

What is schnitzel called in America? ›

United States

Chicken fried steak, also called country fried steak, is nearly identical to schnitzel. It is a breaded and deep fried beef steak.

What is served with schnitzel? ›

Typical German and Austrian side dishes for schnitzels include spaetzle, potato salad (particularly vinegar-based ones), cucumber salad, vegetable slaws and potato dishes like fries or rosti.

Can you fry schnitzel in olive oil? ›

If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb too much oil and give you soggy, oily schnitzel. I use quality extra virgin olive oil, which has a high enough smoke point to fry the schnitzel. You can use another healthy frying oil of your choice.

Can pork schnitzel be a little pink? ›

Cook all raw ground pork to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1 °C) as measured with a food thermometer. If fresh pork has reached 145°F (62.8 °C) throughout, even though it may still be pink in the center, it should be safe.

Can you overcook schnitzel? ›

Since the cutlets are quite thin and the focus on cooking is the crust, they're easy to overcook.

Should pork schnitzel be pink? ›

Pork doesn't need to be overcooked to be safe. In fact, pork can be eaten with a hint of pink in the middle (with the exception of mince and sausages). Like all meat, pork continues to cook after removal from heat.

Is it better to fry in oil or butter? ›

Because it browns easily and can burn when cooked at high temperatures, butter is usually unsuitable for dishes that require a high cooking temperature. Instead, cooking oils are the best option and there are a variety of choices available from peanut oil, to avocado oil, vegetable oil and olive oil.

Is it better to sear with oil or butter? ›

WHICH IS BEST FOR COOKING STEAK: BUTTER OR OIL? Unlike butter, many oils have higher smoke points, making them the better option for cooking steak. Furthermore, there are some oils e.g. olive oil or grape seed oil that are healthier alternatives to butter. However, don't expect oil to taste better than butter.

Which is better oil or butter for cooking? ›

In conclusion, both options have their advantages and disadvantages depending on how they're used; however, overall I would say that Oil tends to win due to its lower calorie and fat content along with providing more beneficial fatty acids compared to Butter!

Is it better to sear meat in butter or oil? ›

Go for oil, it has a higher smoke point. You need a hot skillet to properly sear a steak, hot enough that a pat of butter will begin to burn before it melts completely. You don't want to sear your steak in burnt butter. So reach for some oil when searing steaks.

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