Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel

5 from 1 vote

This Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel is pounded thin and fried until it's crispy and juicy.

Prep Time10

Cook Time32

Total Time42

Course: Air Fryer, Dinner

Cuisine: German

Servings: servings

Calories: 347kcal

Place chicken breast on your work surface. Cover with a large piece of plastic wrap.
Use a meat mallet to flatten the chicken breast to about ¼ inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. You want to pound as thin as possible without breaking the chicken.
Set up your breading station by gathering ½ cup of flour in a bowl, mixing 2 eggs with 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard in a bowl, and 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs in a bowl.
Dip the chicken into the flour mixture and shake off the excess flour. Next, dunk it in the egg mixture, then the panko breadcrumbs.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/204°C. Place the breaded chicken cutlets in the basket and spray the tops with cooking oil. Most air fryer baskets can only fit 2 chicken breasts at a time.
Cook for 8 minutes and flip, then cook for another 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F/73°C. Make sure the exterior looks golden brown and crunchy.

When your breading station is set up, use one hand for dry (flour and breadcrumbs) and the other hand for wet (egg wash).
For the crispiest golden chicken breast, spray the air fryer basket and the tops of the chicken with cooking spray.
Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Since the chicken breast is pounded thin, they won't take a long time to cook.
Make flattening easier by removing the small chicken tender attached to the chicken breast. Save these tenders for kid's chicken fingers.