Perfectly crispy crumbs on the outside, juicy and packed with flavor air fryer chicken schnitzel is best when served with sauteed vegetables. Chicken schnitzel is a perfect recipe for a quick dinner which is easy to make and tastes delicious. Not only delicious it’s oil-free, grease-free, and no messy kitchen.
I love how easy and quick air fryer chicken schnitzel is to make from scratch. However, you can also make chicken schnitzel in air fryer from frozen if you don’t have time or are just lazy to cook. I love to serve these crispy chicken schnitzel with the air fryer diced potatoes. You can serve them with any of your favorite side dishes or dipping sauce.
I’ve noticed chicken thigh schnitzel is juicier than the chicken breast when cooked in an air fryer. As we are not adding much oil chicken thigh is perfect for air fryer chicken schnitzel recipe. If you love making these types of quick chicken recipes, be sure to check, the air fryer garlic parmesan wings and air fryer sesame chicken.
Jump to:
What is chicken schnitzel?
Schnitzel is a dish that is traditionally prepared by using thin skinless, boneless cutlets from veal. However, nowadays schnitzel is also made from beef, pork, chicken, mutton, or turkey. Schnitzel is a dish where the meat is seasoned and breaded and deep-fried or pan-fried.
Schnitzel originally comes from Germany and is similar to chicken-fried steak. Likewise, chicken schnitzel is made from thinly sliced skinless and boneless chicken breast or thighs.
How to make air fryer chicken schnitzel?
Making chicken schnitzel from scratch is super easy and quick. Gather the ingredients and your dinner gets ready in no time.
Ingredients for air fryer chicken schnitzel:
- 1 large boneless, skinless, chicken breast
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons of oil for brushing
Instructions for air fryer chicken schnitzel:
- Slice the chicken breast in half by placing your hand flat on top of the chicken breast and running a sharp knife through horizontally.
- Take a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound the chicken until they are thin.
- Take a shallow bowl or a plate to add flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk them together.
- In a separate shallow bowl or plate place the bread crumbs. And in another shallow bowl or plate beat the eggs with a tablespoon of water.
- Arrange them by starting with the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and the bread crumbs.
- This is the right time to preheat your air fryer at 200C/400F for 3-5 minutes.
- Take one of the chicken breast slices and place it in the flour mixture, shake off the excess. Now dunk it in the egg let the excess fall off and place it on the bread crumbs and shake off the excess. Repeat the same process with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Brush or spray oil on the air fryer basket and place the breaded chicken breast in a single layer. Brush or spray a thin layer of oil over the chicken to make them crispier. Or you can skip it if you're cutting down on oil.
- Cook the chicken schnitzel at 200C/400F for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is browned on the top. Flip them halfway through the cooking process brush some oil on the second side and cook for 5-6 minutes more.
- Serve the crispy air fryer chicken schnitzel and enjoy.
You can find the air fryer chicken schnitzel recipe in the printable card below
What to Serve with air fryer chicken schnitzel?
Traditionally schnitzel is served with lemon slices, potato salad, or cucumber salad. However, you can serve it with your favorite side dish and enjoy your chicken schnitzel. Here are some of my favorite side dishes you can give a try:
- Air fryer frozen french fries
- Frozen sweet potato fries in air fryer
- Air fryer hasselback potatoes
- Lettuce salad
- Tomato salad
- Roasted vegetables
Tips for making the best chicken schnitzel in an air fryer?
- Don’t skip the preheating process before making any type of food in an air fryer.
- Lightly brush the breaded chicken with oil for the extra crisp.
- Place the chicken schnitzel in a single layer in the air fryer for the best result.
- Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking process for the evenly cooked result.
Other chicken recipes you’ll love
How long to cook chicken schnitzel in the air fryer?
Every air fryer works differently depending on its brand. But chicken schnitzel cook time may vary depending on how thick the chicken is.
However, you can cook air fryer chicken schnitzel for 12-15 minutes depending on how crispy you want them to be.
Storage and reheating:
- Refrigeration: Place the leftover chicken schnitzel in an air-tight container and store them in the refrigerator. They are good for 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Place the leftover chicken schnitzel in an air-tight freezer-friendly container and store them in the freezer. They are good for 3-4 months.
- Reheating: Place the leftover chicken schnitzel in the air fryer and reheat them at 200C/400F for 3-5 minutes or until warm.
Here are some of the frequently asked questions:
Can you air fry frozen chicken schnitzel?
Of course, you can. Cooking frozen schnitzel is super easy and quick.
- Place the frozen schnitzel in the air fryer basket and spray a thin layer of oil.
- Cook them at 200C/400F for 12-15 minutes or until fully cooked. Flip them halfway through the cooking process for evenly cooked results.
- Serve and enjoy.
How long do I cook frozen schnitzel in the air fryer?
The frozen schnitzel should be cooked within 20 minutes. However, the cooking time might vary depending on shape and size.
How long do you cook chicken in an air fryer?
Chicken in an air fryer cooks within 18-20 minutes at 200C/400F. However, the cooking time might defer according to the air fryer brand and the thickness of the chicken.
You can adjust the cooking time accordingly.
How do you make Aldi chicken schnitzel in an air fryer?
- Preheat your air fryer at 200C/400F for 3-5 minutes.
- Place the Aldi chicken schnitzel in the air fryer basket and cook them for 10-15 minutes.
Can you stack schnitzel in air fryer?
I don’t recommend stacking schnitzel in the air fryer. I recommend placing them in a single layer to allow the hot air to circulate for the crispy chicken schnitzel.
Equipment: Air fryer
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
If you like the air fryer chicken schnitzel recipe, look at what else you can air fry:
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more easy & Tasty air fryer recipes.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 large boneless, skinless, chicken breast
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1-2 tablespoons of oil for brushing
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breast in half by placing your hand flat on top of the chicken breast and running a sharp knife through horizontally.1 large boneless, skinless, chicken breast
- Take a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound the chicken until they are thin.
- Take a shallow bowl or a plate to add flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk them together.½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper to taste
- In a separate shallow bowl or plate place the bread crumbs. And in another shallow bowl or plate beat the eggs with a tablespoon of water.1 cup panko bread crumbs, 2 eggs
- Arrange them by starting with the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and the bread crumbs.
- This is the right time to preheat your air fryer at 200C/400F for 3-5 minutes.
- Take one of the chicken breast slices and place it in the flour mixture, shake off the excess. Now dunk it in the egg let the excess fall off and place it on the bread crumbs and shake off the excess. Repeat the same process with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Brush or spray oil on the air fryer basket and place the breaded chicken breast in a single layer. Brush or spray a thin layer of oil over the chicken to make them crispier. Or you can skip it if you're cutting down on oil.1-2 tablespoons of oil for brushing
- Cook the chicken schnitzel at 200C/400F for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is browned on the top. Flip them halfway through the cooking process brush some oil on the second side and cook for 5-6 minutes more.
- Serve the crispy air fryer chicken schnitzel and enjoy.
