Buffalo chicken schnitzel is a quick weeknight dinner made with crispy chicken cutlets, tangy buffalo sauce, and cooling ranch coleslaw.
Love Buffalo Wings? Then You’ll Love Buffalo Chicken Schnitzel
Today’s recipe is a craving I cured while making my crispy chicken schnitzel, and I had a hankering for some buttery heat. Crispy and golden with just the right amount of spice, this easy recipe combines old-school chicken schnitzel with the tangy kick of buffalo wings.
I’ve breaded and pan fried my fair share of chicken cutlets over the years, and schnitzel in any form proves that simple recipes are often the most satisfying. This buffalo chicken schnitzel has a shatteringly crisp crust, while the meat stays moist and juicy.
The punchy, vinegary buffalo sauce is tamed by a scoop of creamy ranch coleslaw (you can toss the slaw in blue cheese dressing if you’re not a ranch fan).
If you’re trying to squeeze more lean proteins into your diet and are bored with your usual chicken recipes, this saucy, crunchy buffalo chicken schnitzel will put some pep back into your dinner step.
Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
Chicken
Just like my classic chicken schnitzel recipe, I recommend using boneless skinless chicken breasts here. You’ll be slicing them in half lengthwise and then pounding with a meat mallet until thin to reduce the cook time and encourage even cooking.
Breading
I like to make a dipping station with beaten egg + milk in one bowl, flour in another, and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Make sure your breadcrumbs are very finely ground (pulse them in a food processor, if needed!)
Need to make this recipe gluten-free? Swap the flour and breadcrumbs for gluten-free alternatives (stick with a GF all-purpose flour alternative or try cornstarch). The flavor and texture of the dish won’t be affected!
Frying Oil
Use a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point. My oil of choice is canola, but sunflower or peanut oil work too. Avoid olive oil since it’s got a stronger flavor and tends to smoke and turn bitter when used for frying.
Buffalo Sauce
Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce is my all-time favorite, but any buffalo sauce may be used.
The 4 Easy Steps to Making Buffalo Chicken Schnitzel
- Prep the chicken. After slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, I like to place them between two pieces of plastic wrap to minimize the mess when pounding the chicken. (I definitely do not want raw chicken juice flying around my kitchen!)
Heidi’s Tip: If you prefer a chicken cutlet that fits perfectly on your round bun, trim off the thinner end of the cutlet.
- Bread it well. To get the breading to stick to the chicken, you’ll want to dredge it in the flour, then the beaten egg and milk mixture, and lastly the breadcrumbs. If the breadcrumbs aren’t sticking to the chicken, it’s probably because they’re not finely ground enough.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remember to pre-heat the oil over medium-high heat so the chicken browns immediately upon contact (I rushed through this process once and the breading soaked up the still-cold oil like a sponge and my schnitzel turned out soggy. Yuck!).
Heidi’s Tip: You’ll know the oil is hot enough when it starts to shimmer in the skillet.
- Dunk in buffalo sauce and serve. Once the chicken’s been fried until crispy, warm the buffalo sauce and a few pats of butter in a separate skillet. Dip the buffalo fried chicken schnitzel in the warm sauce, then plate it up with a heaping scoop of ranch coleslaw on the side.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Let the chicken rest after breading. The 20-minute rest period after dredging the chicken in the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs helps set the breading and makes it less likely to fall off the chicken as it fries.
Fry in batches to encourage browning. I’ve tried frying the chicken all at once in one big skillet, and although it cooked through eventually the breading wasn’t as deeply golden brown as I like it, nor as crispy. When you crowd the pan, the chicken steams instead of browns and the resulting schnitzel is fairly lackluster.
Spoon the hot oil over the chicken for maximum crispiness. The chicken needs to fry for just 2 to 3 minutes per side, which isn’t enough time to make it super crispy. I’ve found that spooning the hot oil periodically over top helps the meat cook more evenly and turns the breading golden brown and crispy.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Buffalo Chicken Schnitzel Recipe
Ingredients
For the Buffalo Chicken Schnitzel
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
- ½ cup canola oil for frying, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 12 ounces Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce
For the Ranch Coleslaw
- 16 ounces tri-color coleslaw mix
- 1 cup thinkly sliced purple cabbage
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
- 1 small carrot, julienned into thin strips
- 1 rib celery, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup Ranch dressing, store-bought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Buffalo Chicken Schnitzel
- Prep the chicken. Use a thin, sharp knife to slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two thin fillets. Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board, and gently pound to about ⅜-inch with a meat tenderizer.
- Bread the chicken. Add ⅓ cup flour to a shallow bowl. In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs with ¼ cup milk, and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add 1 cup breadcrumbs to another shallow bowl. One at a time, lightly dredge the chicken breasts first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off excess, and place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Let the coated chicken rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to help set the coating.
- Fry the chicken. Heat ¼ cup canola oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Fry the chicken in batches, spooning the hot oil over the top of the chicken from time to time, until golden brown and crispy, 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping so the chicken breading doesn’t burn. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, then transfer to a platter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Wipe out any crispy or burned bits or discard the oil altogether then add the remaining ¼ cup of oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Warm the buffalo sauce, and dip the chicken. In a large skillet over medium-high, melt 2 tablespoons butter with the rest of the Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce. Dip the fried chicken cutlets in the buffalo sauce, plate, and top with ranch coleslaw, or serve with the extra buffalo sauce on the side.
For the Ranch Coleslaw
- Crisp the coleslaw mix. Toss 16 ounces coleslaw mix and 1 cup sliced purple cabbage in a large bowl with ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup kosher salt. Transfer to a strainer and place it in the sink or on a plate to catch moisture. Let sit for 5 minutes to draw out moisture from the cabbage, then rinse with very cold water. Spin the coleslaw mix in a salad spinner or pat dry with a tea towel, and place back in the bowl.
- Mix it all together. Add 2-3 chopped green onions, 1 shredded carrot, 1 diced celery rib, ¼ cup chopped parsley, and ½ cup Ranch dressing. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and toss well. Add more dressing and adjust seasoning as desired.
Nutrition
Side Dish Suggestions
I always serve this buffalo fried chicken schnitzel with creamy ranch coleslaw and call it good, but you can stretch the meal further by adding one of the following sides:
- Crispy Garlic Fries
- Ranch Potato Salad
- Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Asparagus
- Loaded Wedge Salad
- Green Goddess Pasta Salad
More Buffalo Chicken Dinner Recipes
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