Easy Pork Schnitzel
Easy Pork Schnitzel consists of tender, thin boneless pork chops, seasoned and lightly breaded, then flash-fried to a crispy texture. Served with a lemon butter sauce and you have an easy 30-minute weeknight dinner in no time!
“Schnitzel” refers to a thin, breaded and fried piece of meat…typically a boneless, center-cut pork chop or pork cutlet. In America, you’ll often this dish in your favorite German restaurant…usually with a side of warm German potato salad and Spätzle and gravy (egg noodles with brown gravy.) Interestingly, pork schnitzel is an Austrian dish with a German name…go figure:)
Pork Schnitzel ingredients
You’ll need: Boneless, center-cut pork chops, eggs, panko bread crumbs, all-purpose flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne powder (optional), salt and black pepper; oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil, but not olive oil- it doesn’t have a high smoke point)
Lemon sauce ingredients
Make the quick and easy lemon sauce while the last batch is cooking! You’ll need: butter, cornstarch, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper.
In a small saucepan on low heat, melt butter, whisk in cornstarch, remove from heat, add fresh lemon juice, Dijon and add salt and pepper to taste.
How to make it
- The secret to making a really good pork schnitzel is to use thin cutlets: cut the pork chop in half lengthwise and use a meat mallet to pound them to ¼” inch thickness. The thin slices of pork cook quickly and result in a crispy crust with a fork-tender, moist inside.
- Set up a dredging station: one shallow bowl with lightly beaten eggs and another with panko, flour, and seasonings.
- Heat a high-heat oil in a large skillet (a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet works best.) You’ll need enough to cover the bottom of the pan by about 1/2″ inch.
- Dredge pork cutlets in egg, then in panko mixture. For best results, press the panko breadcrumbs into the cutlet.
- Place breaded pork chops in hot oil (about 300ºF) in a single layer; cook 2-3 minutes per side; (cooking time will vary); remove and place on a wire rack to drain. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
Recipe tips
- Buy boneless, center-cut pork chops or slice a pork tenderloin into ¼”-inch slices.
- These cook fast so if you’re making side dishes, make them first, then fry the pork schnitzel last.
- Use a high-heat tolerant oil: canola, vegetable, peanut – do not use olive oil…it’s not tolerant of high-heat.
- If you’re cooking several cutlets, work in batches; note, the second batch will be a darker color due to the oil; if this bothers you, pour the first batch out and start over with fresh oil for the remaining pieces
- Once you place the pork cutlet in the skillet, don’t move it for at least a minute or two; peek and see if the bottom is golden brown; if it is, turn it over
Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF; you can use a meat thermometer if you want, but these cook in about 4-minutes when the oil is about 300ºF
Storage and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container or plastic ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, turn oven to 375-400ºF and place pork schnitzels in a single layer on a baking sheet (uncovered) for about 15 minutes or until they’re warm throughout. Do not wrap them in aluminum foil because the crispy crust gets mushy.
Serving suggestions
There’s a ton of delicious side dishes to serve with pork schnitzel. You could serve a warm potato salad, Southern Potato Salad, or braised cabbage. Or, serve it over lemon infused egg noodles with a side of broccoli or asparagus!
This easy pork schnitzel is perfect for a busy weeknight or a quick dinner.
Related recipes
- 5-Minute Lemon Sauce
- Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Cream
- How to make the Perfect Beef Tenderloin
- Mustard Breaded Pork Tenderloin
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you!
Pork Schnitzel
Ingredients
Pork Schnitzel Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless pork chops , (about 4 center-cut pork loins)
- 1 cup oil ,canola or vegetable, not olive
- 3 whole eggs ,slightly beaten
- 2 cups panko crumbs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt , kosher
Lemon Sauce Ingredients
- 8 oz. butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 large lemons ,juiced
- salt to taste
Instructions
Pork Schnitzel Preparation
- Set up dipping and dredging station: 1 flat pan with slightly beaten eggs and another flat pan for the panko crumbs, flour, onion and garlic powder, salt and cayenne; combine well3 whole eggs, 2 cups panko crumbs, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ⅛ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Using a sharp knife, cut the pork cutlet in lengthwise; lightly season cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides
- Heat a heavy bottomed skillet with 1 cup oil on medium to medium-high1 cup oil
- Dip each cutlet into eggs, then dredge it in the panko crumbs; make sure both sides are well coated; add panko coated cutlet to hot oil. Do not move the cutlet until it has browned on the bottom1 lb. boneless pork chops
- Repeat process; work in batches; if the cutlets start to get too brown, pour the old grease into the trash, wipe out pan with paper towels, and add fresh oil; repeat until all cutlets are done. (Have a cooling rack nearby so as each cutlet can drain; tent cooked cutlets with foil or place on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven -don't cover with foil)
Lemon Butter Sauce Preparation
- In a skillet on medium heat, melt butter; whisk in cornstarch; remove from heat; allow to cool a few minutes; add lemon and stir well; season for salt8 oz. butter, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 large lemons, salt to taste
- Drizzle lemon butter sauce over pork schnitzel and serve
Notes
- This recipe is for four cutlets cut in half, eight total pieces of protein
- Cook them in batches, 3-4 at a time, depending upon the size of your skillet and burner
- Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145º F
- I used four small cutlets (about 2″ x 4″) and sliced them lengthwise for a total of 8 small pieces.
- I served two sides with the pork schnitzel and my husband had 3 pork pieces; keep this in mind if you’re serving a larger group
- There’s not much shrinkage on pork cutlets due to the fact that they’re so lean in fat
This was really quick and easy! Thank you for sharing!