Quick and Easy Pork Schnitzel
Enjoy this Quick and Easy Pork Schnitzel recipe! Crispy and golden, it’s perfect with comforting sides. A Cozy family favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork loin chops 1/2'' thick trimmed
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Olive oil canola oil, or any high-heat cooking oil, for sautéing
- Lemon wedges for serving (don’t skip the lemons!)
Instructions
- Prep the Pork: Trim any thin strip of fat from the side of the pork chops, then place them between two sheets of parchment paper, plastic wrap, or in a ziplock bag. If the cutlets are too thick, pound them to an even thickness of about ¼ inch using a heavy rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
- Season the Pork: In a medium or large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, salt, and paprika. Add the pork cutlets to the bowl, ensuring that the mayonnaise mixture coats both sides of each cutlet evenly.
- Coat the Pork: Once the cutlets are well coated in the mayonnaise mixture, sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs over the cutlets in the bowl. Press down gently on each cutlet to ensure they are thoroughly covered in panko.
- Heat the Oil: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat (around 350°F/175°C) to ensure a perfectly crispy finish.
- Fry the Schnitzels: Fry the cutlets in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.
- Serve: Serve immediately with lemon wedges for that fresh citrus kick—don’t skip it!
Notes
- The exact amounts of mayonnaise and panko may vary depending on the size and thickness of your cutlets. To avoid wastage, I add these ingredients incrementally. For example, I squeeze a little bit of mayonnaise out of the tube and mix it with all the seasonings before adding the cutlets. Then, I gently move the cutlets around in the mixture. If I find there isn’t enough to coat all of them, I squeeze in a bit more mayonnaise and continue until I have enough to coat the cutlets evenly. I’ve provided approximate measurements as a reference, but my goal is to minimize wastage as much as possible. For the panko breadcrumbs, I simply toss some into the same bowl (this way, I don’t have to wash another dish, but feel free to use a separate bowl if you prefer). Once one cutlet is coated, I remove it from the bowl and it can go directly to the skillet or onto a clean plate. I then add more panko to the bowl and repeat the process until all the cutlets are coated. This method may not be the traditional way to bread things, but I find it more efficient and it helps me wash fewer dishes. If you have any questions about this technique, feel free to ask! 2) Please Note that calories are simply an estimate.