Israeli Schnitzel
Israel's national fast lunch: a thin chicken breast pounded flat, breaded with seasoned panko, deep-fried golden. Eaten in pita with hummus and pickles.
Overview
Chicken breasts butterfly and pound to 5 mm thick. Dredge through seasoned flour, beaten egg, then panko breadcrumbs mixed with paprika, garlic powder and a pinch of cumin. Shallow-fry in 1 cm of oil at 175°C 2-3 minutes per side until deep gold and crisp. Drain on paper. Lemon wedges.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (about 200 g each)
- 100 g plain flour (seasoned with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp pepper)
- 3 eggs (large, beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
- 200 g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 300 ml vegetable oil for frying
To serve
- Lemon wedges
- Israeli salata
- Pita (or rice)
Method
Stage 1 - Butterfly and pound
- Lay each chicken breast flat. Cut in half horizontally to butterfly.
- Place each piece between two sheets of cling film.
- Pound with a meat mallet (or rolling pin) to 5 mm thick.
Stage 2 - Dredge setup
- Three shallow dishes:
- Seasoned flour
- Beaten egg + water
- Panko mixed with paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper
Stage 3 - Coat
- Dredge each cutlet: flour → egg → panko. Press the panko firmly to coat.
- Set on a tray. Refrigerate 10 minutes for the coating to set.
Stage 4 - Fry
- Heat 1 cm of oil in a wide heavy pan to 175°C.
- Fry cutlets 2-3 minutes per side until deep gold and cooked through.
- Drain on a wire rack.
Stage 5 - Serve
- Eat warm with lemon wedges and Israeli salad, or in a pita with hummus and pickles, or with rice.
Notes
- Pound thin: 5 mm is right. Thicker schnitzel takes longer to cook through and the panko burns first.
- Refrigerate after coating: Helps the panko adhere during frying.
- Wide pan: Cook in batches if your pan can't hold 2 cutlets side-by-side. Crowding drops the oil temperature.
Storage
- Best fresh, eaten warm. Re-crisp at 200°C 5 minutes.
- Refrigerate 2 days max - the coating softens.
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