Homemade schnitzel in our home has hero status. There is no food we love more as a family—especially fresh from the frying pan.

Schnitzel, the idea of coating a thin piece of meat in breadcrumbs and frying it, finds its origin in Central Europe. Non-Jews would often cook pork, veal, and beef in this way. But most Jews seem to have preferred using poultry. When German Jews began settling in Israel in the 1920s and 30s, they introduced schnitzel to the region. From that point forward, it became a staple of Israeli cuisine—found on restaurant menus, in supermarket freezer sections, and served as street food.

There is nothing particularly challenging about making schnitzel; it’s just a bit time-consuming. Yet the rewards—adulation from your housemates—are totally worth the effort.

To make your own seasoned breadcrumbs, see the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) skinless boneless chicken breast
• (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 250g (2 ½) cups seasoned breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil to fry

METHOD:

1. Prepare the chicken. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts horizontally through the thickness, so each piece is thinner and wider.
2. Set up your assembly line. Lightly season the chicken pieces with salt and place on a plate. In three shallow bowls, place the flour (seasoned with salt and pepper), the beaten eggs (also lightly seasoned), and the seasoned breadcrumbs.
3. Coat the chicken. Dredge each chicken piece in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Dip into the egg, then coat in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
4. Fry the schnitzel. In a large frying pan, heat about ½ cm of vegetable oil until shimmering. Fry the schnitzel in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through—about 5–8 minutes per side depending on thickness.
5. Drain. Transfer schnitzel to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

MAKE AHEAD:

Though schnitzel can (and often is) made ahead of time, it is at its very best hot from the frying pan. It will keep for 3–5 days in the fridge or up to six weeks in the freezer.

Seasoned breadcrumbs:

This recipe makes twice what you’ll need for the schnitzel above. Store the leftover breadcrumbs in an airtight container for your next batch of schnitzel or use them for fried fish. 

INGREDIENTS (Italian flavouring):

• 5 cups plain breadcrumbs
• 1 ½ teaspoon parsley flakes, crushed
• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon oregano, crushed
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt

INGREDIENTS (Israeli-ish flavouring):

• 5 cups plain breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons zaatar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt

METHOD:

Combine all the ingredients, in an airtight container, mix well and reserve until use. Breadcrumbs will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 months.