Every time we come back from Germany, my husband asks me to make cornflake chicken schnitzel like his mom and sisters make for us when we visit. They are incredible home cooks and everything they make is so good! Over the years I’ve made all kinds of schnitzel coated with various breadings, batters and panko crumbs, but this one definitely takes the cake! It’s incredibly crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside.
I love the sound it makes when I bite through the crust into the juicy delicious chicken! The charred lemon takes it to the next level for a vibrant finish. Treat yourself (or your loved ones) and make this delicious cornflake chicken schnitzel recipe today!
You could make this chicken for dinner parties, and to prepare ahead, just coat the chicken cutlets in the cornflakes a few hours before the party and refrigerate each cutlet in foil. That way you can fry all the chicken right before serving and save some time!
How to make schnitzel
For this recipe, start by slicing any super thick chicken breasts lengthwise to make them thinner. No need to do this if they are already at least 1/3 inch thin. I personally don’t prefer buying the precut thinly sliced breasts, because they are sliced too thin for this recipe. But if you wanted to use those anyway, just keep in mind they cook very quickly. They could dry out if fried for more than a few minutes on each side. 😬
Next take a meat mallet (or any heavy object) and pound out the days stress! Just kidding, don’t go too crazy here, just enough to make the cutlet an even thickness. If you skip this step, some breasts will cook faster than others, leaving the thinner parts dried out, while the thicker ones can be undercooked. Also, it tenderizes the meat, helping the flavor of the seasonings to permeate through.
I like to smash the cereal a bit with my hands to make the pieces smaller. This gives it a great texture with different sized flakes. Dredging the seasoned cutlets in flour before the egg wash ensures that the cornflakes will stick! Our favorite way to serve this cornflake chicken schnitzel is with mashed potatoes and a simple salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and avocado. Roasted Broccoli is a great side for this dish. If you really want to be “extra”, serve the chicken on a platter with charred lemon slices and thyme leaves or parsley. Use whatever you have! 😉
Cornflake Crusted Chicken Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken breasts
- 3/4 box plain unfrosted cornflakes cereal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 quart corn or grapeseed oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 lemon, sliced and charred in the oven on "broil"
Chicken Seasoning
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Prepare the chicken cutlets
- Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise if they are too thick. Gently pound them to an even thickness to ensure even cooking and tenderness. Rub both sides of the chicken with the mayo, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Put them in the fridge to marinate while you prep the dredging station.
- Put the eggs in a shallow bowl and beat them with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Put the cornflakes in another bowl and crush them up a bit with your hands. Put the cup of flour into another bowl. These three bowls will be your dredging and breading station.
- Set aside a sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Dredge each seasoned cutlet into the flour on both sides first, then the egg wash, and lastly into the corn flakes, gently pressing the cornflakes into the chicken for an even crust that sticks. Place all the cutlets onto the baking sheet.
Cook the chicken schnitzel
- Preheat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. It will be ready if a drop of water sizzles and pops. Add the chicken in a single layer. It's better to cook these in batches not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer the schnitzel to a dish lined with paper towel to drain off excess oil and keep them crispy. Do not lay them on top of each other, unless there is paper towel between.
- Arrange the hot schnitzel on a serving platter with the lemon slices and your favorite choice of herbs. Serve it while its still hot for the crispiest results, and squeeze that lemon juice all over it. Yum! 😋
This looks amazing! Going to make it tomorrow
My absolute favorite dish!! So glad you finally shared this recipe!!