Classic Chicken Schnitzel
Crispy crumbed chicken cutlets served with lemon. A German-Australian pub favorite that's become essential weeknight comfort food.
The Story Behind This Recipe
My father's RSL kitchen recipe - Andrew Thompson
Walk into any Australian pub or RSL club, and you'll find chicken schnitzel on the menu - usually served with chips, salad, and a lemon wedge. It's not Australian by origin - German immigrants brought wiener schnitzel (made with veal) to Australia in the 19th century - but over 150 years, it's become so embedded in Australian food culture that most people think it's ours. My dad, who's been the head chef at our local RSL in Penrith for thirty years, has made approximately 180,000 schnitzels. He knows what he's doing.
Dad learned to make schnitzel from Klaus, the German chef who trained him in the 1980s. Klaus was exacting: "The schnitzel must be pounded thin, breaded properly in three stages, and fried in enough oil to float. No shortcuts, no compromises." The technique stuck with Dad, and his schnitzels became legendary at the RSL. They're enormous (Australian portion sizes are not subtle), perfectly golden, impossibly crispy, and stay crunchy even under chips and gravy.
The key, Dad teaches anyone who'll listen, is the triple-crumb technique. First, the chicken is pounded thin and even - this ensures quick, uniform cooking and tender results. Then comes the breading station: flour seasoned with salt and pepper, beaten eggs with a splash of milk, and fine breadcrumbs mixed with a little oil. "The oil in the breadcrumbs helps them go extra crispy," Dad explains. "That's the secret Klaus taught me."
Each chicken breast is dredged in flour, dipped in egg, and pressed firmly into breadcrumbs. The pressing is crucial - the breadcrumbs need to adhere completely, creating a tight coating that won't fall off during frying. Dad then lets them rest for 10 minutes before frying. "This sets the coating," he says. "Fry them immediately and the coating slides off. Patience makes perfect schnitzel."
At the RSL, Dad serves 200-300 schnitzels on a busy Friday night. The kitchen rhythm is constant: pound, bread, rest, fry, serve. The smell of frying schnitzel fills the club, and the satisfied faces of members cutting into golden, crispy chicken tell Dad he's doing it right. Some people order schnitzel every single week for years. "Bill's had schnitzel every Friday for 25 years," Dad says. "Same table, same order, same happy face."
This recipe represents German-Australian integration - a dish brought by immigrants that became so popular it's now considered quintessentially Australian. When I make Dad's schnitzel at home for my kids, pounding the chicken with his old meat mallet and using his triple-crumb technique, I'm connected to Klaus, to Dad, to Bill and his Friday nights, and to the simple satisfaction of crispy, golden, perfectly cooked chicken. Some recipes aren't fancy, but they're perfect - and that's enough.
"Every recipe tells a story, and every story brings us closer to the heart of home."
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Scaled Ingredients:
💡 Tip: Cooking times may need adjustment when scaling. Larger batches may take longer, smaller batches may cook faster.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
For the Breading Station
For Frying
For Serving
Pro Tips
- • Pound the chicken to even thickness - this is crucial for even cooking and tender results.
- • Press the breadcrumbs on firmly - a light coating will fall off during frying.
- • Let the breaded chicken rest 10 minutes before frying - this sets the coating.
- • Don't overcrowd the pan - cook in batches for maximum crispiness.
- • Use a wire rack for draining - paper towels make the bottom soggy.
- • Serve immediately - schnitzel is at its absolute best straight from the pan.
- • For extra large 'RSL-style' schnitzels, use larger chicken breasts and pound them even thinner.
Storage
Schnitzel is best fresh. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 days - reheat in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes to re-crisp. Don't microwave - it makes them soggy.
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or baking paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken to an even 5-6mm thickness. Work from the center outward with firm, controlled strikes. The chicken should be uniformly thin - this ensures even cooking and tender results.
10 minutes - 2
Season the pounded chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the breading station.
- 3
Set up your three-stage breading station: In the first shallow dish, mix flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using. In the second dish, beat eggs with milk until well combined. In the third dish, mix breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of oil - this is Dad's secret for extra crispiness.
- 4
Bread the chicken using Dad's method: First, dredge the chicken in flour, coating both sides completely and shaking off excess. The flour helps the egg stick.
- 5
Dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, turning to coat completely. Let excess egg drip off - too much egg makes the coating soggy.
- 6
Press the chicken firmly into the breadcrumbs, coating both sides thoroughly. Use your hands to press the crumbs in well - they should completely cover the chicken with no bare patches showing. Place on a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
- 7
Let the breaded chicken rest for 10 minutes. This crucial step allows the coating to set and adhere properly. If you skip this, the coating may fall off during frying. Dad never skips this step, even on busy Friday nights.
10 minutes - 8
Heat oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. You want enough oil to come about 1cm up the sides of the pan - the schnitzel should almost float. Test the temperature by dropping in a breadcrumb - it should sizzle immediately.
- 9
Carefully add one or two schnitzels to the hot oil - don't overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving them. You want a deep golden-brown crust to form. Dad says, 'If you move them too early, you disturb the crust formation.'
4 minutes - 10
Flip the schnitzel carefully and fry for another 3-4 minutes on the second side until deep golden brown and cooked through. The chicken should register 75°C internally. The coating should be crispy and the chicken should feel firm when pressed gently.
4 minutes - 11
Remove to a wire rack set over paper towels - this lets excess oil drip off while keeping the bottom crispy. If you place them directly on paper towels, the bottom goes soggy. Repeat with remaining schnitzels, adding more oil to the pan if needed.
- 12
Serve immediately while hot and crispy. The traditional RSL serve is schnitzel on a plate with chips piled on top, side salad, and lemon wedges. Squeeze fresh lemon over the schnitzel just before eating - Dad says the acidity cuts through the richness perfectly.
Ingredient Substitutions
Nutrition Information
Per serving (approximate)
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