Juicy Chicken Thigh Schnitzel (2024)

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This Chicken Thigh Schnitzel is the perfect combination of tender juicy chicken inside and crispy breaded coating outside .

Chicken Schnitzel is one of those dishes that immediately taste like home to me. Schnitzel is a dish that originates in Austria and has been adopted as German. In fact, Wiener Schnitzel (made with boneless veal) is actually the National Dish of Austria! This delicious dish is made up of thin cutlets of seasoned breaded meat that are fried in fat.

Schnitzel was one of the dishes my Dad grew up with in Germany, so it was only natural that it became one of the specialties he made for us. It was a dinner I always looked forward to because it was so tasty. My Dad has always made his schnitzel with either veal or chicken, and while both are delicious, I prefer using the latter.

Chicken breasts are the traditional cut of meat for this dish but I find thighs are juicier and add more flavour. I’ve been making schnitzel for years, tweaking and perfecting my recipe, never entirely happy with the result. This is my latest version and I think it’s delicious. Best of all, it comes with my Dad’s stamp of approval!

This Juicy Chicken Thigh Schnitzel is the perfect combination of tender juicy chicken inside and crispy breaded coating outside. The thinly pounded chicken thigh is coated in egg and flour, ensuring that the meat inside stays juicy, while the seasoned breadcrumbs make for a flavourful crispy coating. Like any fried food, this delicious dish is best when served hot straight out of the pan. I always serve my schnitzel with lemon because nothing compliments fried food better than a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The best part of this tasty dish is it can be on your table in under 25 minutes from start to finish!

TOTAL TIME FOR CHICKEN THIGH SCHNITZEL

Preparation Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time – 6 minutes a batch
Total Time – 21 minutes

INGREDIENTS

All the ingredients for this dish are easy to source from any local grocer.

8 Chicken Thighs
1 1/2 cups Avocado Oil
3 Large Eggs
1 cup Breadcrumbs
1 cup Flour
2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Oregano Powder
1/4 tsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Kosher Salt

WHAT IS SCHNITZEL?

Schnitzel is a slice of boneless meat that is breaded and cooked in fat. It is often made with veal, pork, or chicken. Before cooking, the meat is flattened until thin using a meat tenderizer which ensures it cooks quickly in the pan.

CAN I BAKE MY SCHNITZEL INSTEAD OF FRYING?

If you really want to bake this schnitzel you could, but part of the appeal of this dish is the crispy fried exterior contrasted with the tender interior.

DO I HAVE TO POUND THE MEAT FLAT BEFORE FRYING?

Yes. Part of the process of making schnitzel is pounding the meat into an extremely thin, approximately quarter inch, cutlet. This ensures it fries up quick, and gives a high coating to meat ratio which gives it it’s characteristic taste.

HELP, I DON’T HAVE A MEAT TENDERIZING MALLET!

If you don’t have a meat tenderizing mallet don’t worry, you can simply roll over your meat with a heavy rolling pin, or gently pound it down with one. The goal is for your meat to be as uniformly thin as possible before breading and frying.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I SUBSTITUTE CHICKEN BREASTS FOR CHICKEN THIGHS?

If you’d prefer, you can substitute chicken breasts for thighs in this recipe without issue. I prefer using thighs because they have more flavour, and stay moist when fried.

CAN I USE SEASONED BREADCRUMBS?

I like to choose how I season my food so I always use unseasoned breadcrumbs. I strongly recommend using plain breadcrumbs in this meal.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF MEAT?

Schnitzel is traditionally made with veal or pork, but can be prepared with any boneless cut of meat including chicken, turkey, or even beef depending on your tastes.

EQUIPMENT FOR CHICKEN THIGH SCHNITZEL

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Chicken Thigh Schnitzel.

Heavy Bottomed Pan – My most used pan by far is my Le Creuset Braising Pan. It is made of heavy cast iron and coated in ceramic as all Le Creuset cast iron pans are. It’s large and deep which makes it perfect for everything from frying to making sauces. I can’t recommend it enough.

Parchment Paper – I highly recommend lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper to ensure they don’t stick. Paper Chef is my favourite brand, and comes in a large format roll that is easy to cut to any size.

Bowls x 3

Cutting Board

Tongs

Meat Tenderizer

COOKING DIRECTIONS

This recipe has a number of steps, but is still easy to prepare as long as you follow a few simple rules:

Make sure all your ingredients are laid out before breading
Tenderize your schnitzel evenly
Make sure your oil is hot enough by dropping a few breadcrumbs in: they should sizzle immediately.

MAKE AHEAD/STORAGE

Although this dish is quick to put together, you could make it even faster by portioning out your dry ingredients ahead of time. I wouldn’t recommend breading your chicken before frying it, as it will start to get soggy.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy this delicious Chicken Thigh Schnitzel!

OTHER CHICKEN DISHES

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Burger

Delicious Breaded Chicken Pasta

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Naan

Moroccan Sweet and Savory Chicken Pita

Juicy Lemon White Wine Chicken

DID YOU MAKE THIS DISH?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.

Pin the image below if you would like to make this recipe later!

Chicken Thigh Schnitzel

This Chicken Thigh Schnitzel is the perfect combination of tender juicy chicken inside and crispy breaded coating outside. The thinly pounded chicken thigh is coated in egg and flour, ensuring that the meat inside stays juicy, while the seasoned breadcrumbs make for a flavourful crispy coating. I always serve my schnitzel with lemon because nothing compliments fried food better than a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The best part of this tasty dish is it can be on your table in under 25 minutes from start to finish!

4.87 from 50 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: dinner

Cuisine: German

Keyword: boneless chicken, breaded chicken, chicken, fried eggs

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Total Time: 16 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 people

Calories: 1019kcal

Author: Anneke Silva

Equipment

Bowls x 3
Cutting Board
Heavy Bottomed Pan
Tongs
Parchment Paper
Meat Tenderizer

Ingredients

8 Chicken thighs boneless skinless
1 1/2 cups Avocado oil
3 Large eggs
1 cup Breadcrumbs unseasoned
1 cup Flour
2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Oregano powder
1/4 tsp Chili powder
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Kosher salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Lay a sheet of parchment on your cutting board.
Place the chicken thighs on the parchment a few at a time, leaving several inches between each.
Place another piece of parchment on top of the chicken.
Smack the chicken with the tenderizer until it's about 1/2 cm thick, ensuring it's as uniform as possible.
Continue until all your chicken is flattened.
Beat the eggs in one bowl and set it aside.
Mix the flour and salt in a second bowl and set aside.
Mix the spices and breadcrumbs in a third bowl and set aside.
Dredge the chicken thighs in the flour, then dip in the eggs, then coat in breadcrumbs and place on a plate.
Heat the oil on medium high.
When it starts to glisten add your breaded chicken and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden.
Drain on paper towel before serving.

Nutrition

Did you make this Chicken Thigh Schnitzel? Tell us what you thought in the comments below!

FAQs

How do you keep chicken schnitzel from drying out? ›

If pan-frying chicken schnitzel from frozen, use a medium–low heat and cook the chicken for 4–6 minutes longer than the recipe or until cooked through. Baking can result in the chicken drying out. If baking chicken schnitzel from frozen, cook the chicken for 8–10 minutes longer than the recipe or until cooked through.

What is the secret to juicy chicken? ›

Getting a good sear through medium high heat, then reducing the heat to LOW and COVERING the chicken while it cooks. The butter, oil, and chicken juices create a super flavorful liquid that acts as a way to steam the chicken at a low temperature, ensuring that it is moist & tender on the inside.

Is thigh or breast better for schnitzel? ›

Chicken breasts are the traditional cut of meat for this dish but I find thighs are juicier and add more flavour. I've been making schnitzel for years, tweaking and perfecting my recipe, never entirely happy with the result. This is my latest version and I think it's delicious.

Discover More Details ›

Why is my chicken schnitzel soggy? ›

The oil needs to be hot enough (it should be shimmering but not smoking) so that the chicken will cook well and crisp up. 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.

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How do you make schnitzel not soggy? ›

Cook schnitzels, in batches, for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Cooking in batches helps maintain oil temperature and prevents schnitzels becoming soggy.

Find Out More ›

What can I put on my chicken to keep it moist? ›

Don't settle for dry, boring chicken breasts. One simple ingredient will add flavor and keep them from drying out every time: mayo. You read that correctly, mayonnaise isn't just for sandwiches and macaroni salads. Oh no, it's great for ensuring juicy, tender chicken too.

See Details ›

What makes chicken tender and juicy? ›

If you've ever bitten into a crispy, fried chicken tender to find impeccably juicy meat inside, there's a good chance that chicken was brined. A brine is a highly concentrated salt and water solution, which can be as simple or as complex as you'd like.

Keep Reading ›

Why do chefs prefer chicken thighs? ›

While the breast is very low in fat, chicken thighs are higher in fat, and in cooking, fat equals flavor. It also means the thighs are more tender and less likely to dry out than chicken breasts—in other words, they are very easy to cook and very difficult to ruin.

Should I brine schnitzel? ›

A quick 30-minute brine ensures the chicken cooks up extra juicy. Toasted white bread processed into medium-fine breadcrumbs makes a coating that sticks well to the chicken and isn't too skimpy or too thick.

Know More ›

How do you tenderize chicken thighs? ›

Pounding the chicken is one of the greatest do-it-yourself ways to tenderize chicken before cooking. This is because the pounding breaks the fibers in the chicken, allowing for faster cooking. Ensure you cover or wrap the chicken in plastic wrap or a sealable bag.

Do you cook schnitzel on high or low heat? ›

Remember, the key to a crispy coating is frying the schnitzel at the right temperature. Too low and it'll absorb too much oil, too high and it'll burn. Aim for medium-high heat and you'll get that golden, crispy finish every time – about 165°C if you have a kitchen thermometer.

Read On ›

Why does the breading fall off my schnitzel? ›

Place the breaded chicken on a cooling rack (or a platter) and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This cooling time will help the layers of breading ingredients solidify and adhere better after the chicken cooks. Once you start cooking the chicken, be patient and don't flip it over too early.

Get More Info ›

How do you keep a schnitzel crispy after cooking? ›

Place the chicken on a wire rack (this produces the best results, helping the schnitzel stay crispy all over, but if you don't have one, you can use a regular baking tray).

Know More ›

How do you keep schnitzel tender? ›

One rule of schnitzel is the meat must be pounded thin — about a 1/4-inch thick— otherwise it is not schnitzel. Pounding the meat also tenderizes it, making a juicier piece of meat that also cooks faster. Meat tenderizers and pounders abound, but I find my French rolling pin the most effective tool for the job.

What to put on chicken to keep it from drying out? ›

One simple ingredient will add flavor and keep them from drying out every time: mayo. You read that correctly, mayonnaise isn't just for sandwiches and macaroni salads. Oh no, it's great for ensuring juicy, tender chicken too. Mayonnaise is a flavorful emulsion of eggs, oil, vinegar, and seasonings.

Learn More ›

How to stop chicken from going dry? ›

Pounding helps tenderize the meat by breaking down its tough fibers. It also thins it out for more even cooking. Do this before frying, grilling, or roasting for better retention of moisture content. To tenderize chicken breast, place the meat on a durable, flat surface.

Explore More ›