This baked chicken schnitzel is made with chicken breasts and a double breaded coating for an extra crispy crunch! This chicken schnitzel recipe uses matzo meal and almond flour so it’s great to serve for Passover, or any time of the year for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Chicken schnitzel makes a great main course dish for a regular weeknight dinner or for shabbat. For more delicious chicken main courses, try Chicken Marbella, Italian Herb Chicken, or Za’atar Roasted Chicken.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Two ways. Includes directions for oven-baked schnitzel and air fryer directions.
- Perfect for Passover! This recipe uses a mixture of matzo meal and almond flour in place of the traditional flour and breadcrumb mixture so it's great for Passover!
- Less oil. Baking this schnitzel uses less oil than frying, and it still comes out perfectly crispy!
- Family favorite. Crispy chicken schnitzel is a popular dish with the kids, and one the whole family will love.
- Versatile. Swap out the chicken to make veal schnitzel or turkey schnitzel instead.
Dana’s note: I tested this recipe using a regular oven and the air fryer oven. Personally, the air fryer won for its ability to get the breading extra crispy! Oven baked is tasty too and almost just as crispy. Either way, it makes a delicious meal.
What is schnitzel?
Schnitzel is a boneless piece of meat, pounded out to a thin layer then breaded and fried. It is commonly made from veal, pork, or chicken like in this recipe.
Schnitzel is commonly pan fried, but this baked version has 3 advantages:
- You can make a big tray at once, which cooks more at one time than pan frying on the stove.
- Its hands off while cooking, so you have time to work on the side dishes.
- It uses less oil than deep frying or pan frying, so it’s a little bit healthier.
Is Schnitzel Jewish?
The origin of schnitzel is most likely Wiener Schnitzel from Austria or possibly Veal Milanese from Italy. Schnitzel is very popular in Israel, especially with kids, and is readily available as street food, fast food, and in butcher shops and markets.
In Israel schnitzel is commonly served alongside mashed potatoes or in a sandwich. A popular Israeli twist is to add sesame seeds to the breading.
I like serving this matzo meal and almond flour version of chicken schnitzel for Passover, but it works well for a delicious meal any time of the year!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
Jump to Recipe- Boneless chicken breasts - Butterfly, or thinly slice into chicken cutlets that are about ¼”-½” thick. A helpful shortcut is to buy them already butterflied or pounded. Sometimes chicken breasts are packaged this way, or you can ask the butcher to do it for you. You can also make this schnitzel with veal or turkey.
- Eggs - Eggs help the breading stick to the chicken.
- Matzo meal - Using a combination of matzo meal and almond flour as a replacement for traditional bread crumbs makes this meal great for Passover! You can also use all matzo meal and skip the almond flour, although the almond flour does add a warmth to the color of the breading. Alternatively, use Passover panko breadcrumbs.
- Blanched almond flour - “Blanched” almond flour means the skin of the almonds has been removed.
- Seasonings - Diamond Crystal kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika.
- Fresh parsley and lemon zest - Adds a nice flavor pop and coloring to the chicken coating.
Step by Step Photos
See the recipe card below for the full recipe and directions.
Jump to RecipeSet up your dredging station with two separate bowls or shallow dishes, one for lightly whisked eggs, and the other with matzo meal, almond flour, seasonings, parsley, and lemon zest
To prepare the chicken cutlets, slice in half into two thinner pieces. If they are large, pound them out with a meat pounder or rolling pin to ¼ to ½ inch thick. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Dip each chicken cutlet first into the beaten egg mixture until it's fully coated, then let the excess egg drip off. Transfer the chicken to the matzo and almond flour mixture to coat both sides.
Repeat the egg dip and bread crumb mixture on the same piece of chicken for a double coating.
Then repeat with the remaining chicken. Place the breaded chicken on a wire rack over a sheet pan and spray with cooking spray.
Bake chicken schnitzel in a preheated oven until the chicken is fully cooked with a deep golden brown breading.
Serve with sprinkled chopped parsley and lemon wedges for a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Chicken Schnitzel Sauces
Serving chicken schnitzel with a dipping sauce is a great idea! Here are some of my favorites.
- Spicy honey - 1 tablespoon honey + 1 teaspoon your favorite mild hot sauce
- Ketchup
- Non-dairy ranch dressing
- Pesto without cheese
- Cranberry sauce
- Tahini sauce
Top Tips
- Spray the baking rack with nonstick cooking spray to make chicken removal and cleanup easier.
- If your chicken cutlets are thick, lay them between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them flatter with a meat mallet.
- Be sure your parsley is patted dry very well before chopping since we want to ensure it’s very dry when added to the matzo meal. This helps the breading stay crispy.
- Don’t skip the double coating! This gives this oven-baked chicken schnitzel the crispiest crust!
- If your breading needs a little extra color or crisping, set the tray under the broiler for a minute or two. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
Storage and Reheating
How to store: Allow chicken to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftover chicken schnitzel can be served at room temperature in a sandwich on a challah roll or pita. Include lettuce and one of the dipping sauces for a delicious lunch!
How to freeze: freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2-3 months and allow to defrost overnight in the fridge.
How to reheat: Reheat in the oven until warmed throughout, but be careful not to overcook or it will dry out.
What to serve with baked chicken schnitzel
- Broccoli Kugel
- Potato Latke Muffins
- Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
- Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad
- Mashed potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
This chicken schnitzel recipe is great for Passover since it swaps out traditional flour and breadcrumbs for a mixture of almond flour and matzo meal. Skipping the leavened bread makes it perfect for Passover!
Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for schnitzel. Chicken thighs tend to be more moist and flavorful compared to chicken breasts, but they may require a slightly longer cooking time than the breasts.
To help the breading stay on the chicken during cooking, press the flour mixture firmly onto the chicken before dredging in egg and flour again.
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Recipe
Crispy Baked Chicken Schnitzel
Equipment
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper
Ingredients
- olive oil cooking spray
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast “butterflIed” or “thinly sliced,” about ¼”-½” thick
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup matzo meal
- ⅔ cup blanched almond flour
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Garnish: extra parsley and lemon wedges
Instructions
- Move an oven rack to the center of the oven, and preheat to 425°F (or preheat air fryer to 375°F.) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire metal cooling rack (that can go in the oven) on top. Grease the metal rack with oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
- Begin with setting up your breading station with either two shallow bowls or pie plates. To one of the bowls add the eggs and beat with a fork. To the other bowl mix together the matzo meal, almond flour, 1-¼ teaspoon salt, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and lemon zest. Set aside both bowls.
- Prep the chicken cutlets: If they are very large, cut each one in half lengthwise. If they are not a uniform thickness (about ¼”-½” thick), use a meat mallet or small heavy pot to pound the chicken to a more even thickness. Then lightly season the chicken on each side with about ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Complete the breading station setup on your counter from left to right: the plate of seasoned raw chicken, the egg bowl, the matzo-meal bowl, and the baking sheet with rack.
- Take a piece of chicken and dip it in the egg bowl. Turn it over so both sides are coated. Lift up the chicken piece and allow any excess egg to drip off. Transfer the chicken piece to the matzo meal bowl and press into the crumbs, then turn over the chicken and press into the crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs in any empty areas of the chicken. Repeat with another layer of egg and crumbs so the chicken is double coated on both sides. Transfer the coated piece of chicken to the prepared metal rack.
- Repeat above step with remaining pieces of chicken. Be sure to leave about 1 inch between each piece of chicken on the wire rack to allow for airflow for crispy chicken.
- Spray both sides of each piece of chicken with cooking spray. Before spraying, I placed a paper towel under the rack to catch excess oil, and then removed the paper before baking.
- Bake in the oven for 16-20 minutes or until the chicken registers about 160°F on a meat thermometer (160ºF is usually chef’s preference. 165ºF is recommended by the USDA). If needed, get the chicken coating more golden brown by running each side under the broil for about 1 minute per side. Watch carefully as food browns very quickly in the broiler. Serve warm.
- Optional: serve with sprinkled chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
Air fryer directions:
- Instead of step 8 above, Bake the chicken in an air fryer on the wire rack/basket at 375°F for 15-17 minutes, flipping halfway through the baking process (and rotating the rack if in a larger air-fryer oven). Be sure to check that the chicken registers 160°F on a meat thermometer to test for doneness. (160ºF is usually chef’s preference. 165ºF is recommended by the USDA).
Notes
- How to store: Allow chicken to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftover chicken schnitzel can be served at room temperature in a sandwich on a challah roll or pita. Include lettuce and one of the dipping sauces for a delicious lunch!
- How to freeze: freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2-3 months and allow to defrost overnight in the fridge.
- How to reheat: Reheat in the oven until warmed throughout, but be careful not to overcook or it will dry out.
- Spray the baking rack with nonstick cooking spray to make chicken removal and cleanup easier.
- If your chicken cutlets are thick, lay them between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them flatter with a meat mallet.
- Be sure your parsley is patted dry very well before chopping since we want to ensure it’s very dry when added to the matzo meal. This helps the breading stay crispy.
- Don’t skip the double coating! This gives this oven-baked chicken schnitzel the crispiest crust!
- If your breading needs a little extra color or crisping, set the tray under the broiler for a minute or two. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
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